BBC News Online: UK: Scotland

Fish gene link to cancer cure

The National Kidney Research Fund's research review is highlighting the work of Scots geneticists who have been trying to eradicate Wilm's Tumour - a kidney cancer that affects children.

A three-year study by scientists in the human genetics unit at Edinburgh's Western General hospital focused on the DNA of fish as a way of finding vital insights into the human genome.

Experts hope their work in studying fish DNA will help identify the genes, resulting in a means of tackling the cancer.

A meeting of scientists in Edinburgh heard how they believe that children who develop Wilm's Tumour may have certain defective genes, leading to cancer.

In the human genetic make-up, the code for 80,000 genes comes from 3bn DNA base pairs.

The fish genome is thought to contain a similar number of genes from far fewer base pairs.

The scientists believe that, because of the fewer base pairs, identifying genes should be a lot easier in fish than it is in humans.

Researchers have found that the cancer arises when the normal development of the kidney is disrupted.