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A common heritable phenotype has recently been identified which is characterized by a relative abundance of small, dense low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and mild elevations of plasma triglycerides and reductions in plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol. This phenotype, designated LDL subclass phenotype B, has been associated with up to a three-fold increase in coronary disease risk. Complex segregation analysis in two large family studies has demonstrated that LDL subclass phenotype B is influenced by an allele at a single genetic locus with a population frequency of 0.25-0.3, and autosomal dominant inheritance, but with full penetrance only in males age 20 and over and in postmenopausal women. Since apolipoprotein B (apoB) is the principal protein component of LDL, linkage analysis was used to investigate possible linkage between the phenotype B phenotype and the apoB gene, using a variable number of tandem repeats site located 0.5 kb from the 3' end of the apoB gene. In 6 informative families including only family members in the penetrant classes, a total LOD score of -7.49 was found at a recombination fraction of 0.001. Thus, under the assumptions of the single gene model, it is unlikely that the apoB locus controls LDL subclass phenotype B.

Undergraduate students participating in the UCLA Undergraduate Research Consortium for Functional Genomics (URCFG) have conducted a two-phased screen using RNA interference (RNAi) in combination with fluorescent reporter proteins to identify genes important for hematopoiesis in Drosophila. This screen disrupted the function of approximately 3500 genes and identified 137 candidate genes for which loss of function leads to observable changes in the hematopoietic development. Targeting RNAi to maturing, progenitor, and regulatory cell types identified key subsets that either limit or promote blood cell maturation. Bioinformatic analysis reveals gene enrichment in several previously uncharacterized areas, including RNA processing and export and vesicular trafficking. Lastly, the participation of students in this course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) correlated with increased learning gains across several areas, as well as increased STEM retention, indicating that authentic, student-driven research in the form of a CURE represents an impactful and enriching pedagogical approach.

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