DNA News and Research

RSS

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Breakthrough Study Identifies Unique Breast Cancer Genes in South African Women

Genetic factors contribute to some 30% of breast cancer cases in SA, necessitating investment in genomic research in African contexts.

16 May 2025

Scientists Develop EvoCAST for Efficient and Accurate Gene Insertion

Ask scientists what gene editing tool is most needed to advance gene therapy, and they'd probably describe a system that's now close to realization in the labs of Samuel Sternberg at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and David Liu at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

16 May 2025

Real Time RNA Tracking in Plants Using Fluorescent Biosensors

RNA acts as a messenger inside cells, carrying instructions from DNA that are translated into proteins that are essential for how cells function.

15 May 2025

Viral circRNAs Sponge Up Host miRNAs to Weaken Immune Response

In a significant breakthrough, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that allows the human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV-1) to evade the body’s natural defenses, thereby facilitating its survival and replication.

14 May 2025

DiffInvex Reveals Genetic Escape Routes Used by Tumors Against Treatment

Just as species adapt over generations, our body's cells accumulate DNA changes throughout life. Most are harmless, yet a few "driver" mutations give a cell a competitive edge and can spark cancer.

14 May 2025

Danforth Technology Company Backs Startup Transforming Crop Genetics

The Danforth Technology Company (DTC) today announced the launch of Spearhead Bio, a startup pioneering a breakthrough platform to enhance the efficiency of crop genome engineering by harnessing the plant's own natural DNA.

14 May 2025

Precision Mitochondrial DNA Editing Emerges as a Breakthrough in Neurological Care

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) editing has emerged as a revolutionary approach in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs).

13 May 2025

Estrogen Related Receptors Identified as Key to Muscle Energy Restoration

A new Salk Institute study suggests estrogen-related receptors could be a key to repairing energy metabolism and muscle fatigue.

13 May 2025

Millennia-Old Mutation Provides Clues to Modern HIV Immunity

What connections exist between a millennia-old human from the Black Sea region and contemporary HIV medicine?

12 May 2025

Depleting TM6SF2 in the Gut Worsens Liver Fat Buildup, Study Finds

A new study finds that gut-specific TM6SF2 depletion exacerbates liver fat accumulation and dysbiosis in mice on high-fat diets, highlighting its importance in gut-liver metabolic regulation.

12 May 2025

Cryo-EM Reveals Protein-Free RNA Structures in Bacterial Cells

Cryogenic electron microscopy showed for the first time that large RNA complexes can assemble without the help of proteins, expanding our understanding of RNA folding and function.

10 May 2025

Grapevine Cells Show Epigenetic Shifts in Response to Sugar Starvation

Plants face constant challenges from fluctuating nutrient availability, which disrupts their growth and survival.

10 May 2025

AI Designs Synthetic DNA to Control Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells

A study published today in the journal Cell marks the first reported instance of generative AI designing synthetic molecules that can successfully control gene expression in healthy mammalian cells.

10 May 2025

Carbon Insertion Technique Opens New Chemical Space for Medicines

A research team from the University of Oklahoma has developed an innovative method that has the potential to speed up drug discovery and lower pharmaceutical development expenses.

7 May 2025

Identifying Key Genetic Elements for Plasmid Curing in E. coli

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have pinpointed crucial genetic sequences involved in a technique known as plasmid curing, which aims to “displace” antibiotic resistance genes from bacteria.

7 May 2025

Same Gene Mutations Can Require Different Treatments in Autism and Schizophrenia

For patients with disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, mutations in the same gene could require different treatments, according to new research from Yale School of Medicine (YSM).

6 May 2025

Grapevine Cells Reveal Epigenetic Response to Sugar Starvation

Plants face constant challenges from fluctuating nutrient availability, which disrupts their growth and survival.

6 May 2025

Role of LADs and Epigenetic Pathways in Nuclear Architecture During Early Mouse Embryo Development

A new study in Cell reveals that lamina-associated domains (LADs) in early mouse embryos are shaped by dynamic epigenetic pathways, highlighting how histone modifications and chromatin structure guide nuclear architecture during development.

6 May 2025

New Gene Editing Tool Alters Mitochondrial Mutation Levels in Stem Cells

Mitochondrial diseases affect approximately 1 in 5,000 people worldwide, causing debilitating symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to stroke-like episodes.

5 May 2025

Tracheal Basal Cells Identified as Origin of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The 'cell of origin' of the second most common lung cancer and the way that it becomes dominant in the lung have been discovered, in a new study in mice and humans from researchers at UCL, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge.

2 May 2025