University Communications and Marketing

MSUB professor published in international journal

Article released in Nature Communication

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Montana State University Billings Professor of Biological and Physical Sciences, Dr. Lynn George, recently published her lab’s research in Nature Communications, an international peer-reviewed scientific journal. 

George’s article, titled “Elongator and codon bias regulate protein levels in mammalian peripheral neurons” focuses on a neurological disease called familial dysautonomia (FD), and the underlying cellular and molecular causes of the disease. The article was published online on March 1, 2018.

According to her writing, their research findings “link Elongator’s function in the translation of codon-baised genes with both the developmental and neurodegenerative phenotypes of FD, and also clarify the increased risk of cancer associated with the disease.”  Performed by Joy Goffena in George’s lab, the article includes an analysis of both the mouse and human genomes for an aspect of the genetic code called codon bias.  As such, the article reveals a new layer of the genetic code not previously understood.

George’s article is now available to view online at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03221-z.

Nature Communications is an extremely competitive journal that publishes high-quality research in biology, chemistry, Earth sciences, physics, and other related areas. According to the journal website, “Papers published by the journal represent important advances of significance to specialists within each field.”

Being published in this journal is a great honor for Dr. George and MSUB, as it is currently ranked third worldwide in terms of scientific impact, behind only Science and Nature. This is also the first MSUB publication in a Nature branded journal, earning world-wide attention from the journal’s editorial offices in London, Shanghai, and New York City.