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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).

High-Throughput Method Reveals the Effects of Active Substances on Cellular Metabolism

Researchers at the University of Basel are able to test in parallel the effects of over 1500 active substances on cell metabolism.

29 Jan 2025

Unique Genetic Signature Predicts Bacteria's Potential to Develop Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a global public health crisis responsible for more than a million deaths annually.

29 Jan 2025

Researchers Complete Synthetic Yeast Chromosome, Advancing Genome Engineering

This study details the design and optimization of synXVI, a synthetic yeast chromosome, overcoming growth challenges through innovative genomic strategies.

29 Jan 2025

New Epigenetic Tool Can Track Androgen Exposure Over Time

Researchers from the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka have created a world-first epigenetic tool which has implications for medicine, sports, and agriculture.

28 Jan 2025

Mitochondrial Calcium Imbalance Drives Neurodegeneration

Mitochondria are crucial organelles for cellular homeostasis, regulating processes such as ATP production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) management and Ca2+ signaling.

27 Jan 2025

Long-Read Sequencing Brings New Hope for Rare Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

One in every 10 people worldwide is impacted by a rare genetic disease but about 50% of them remain undiagnosed despite rapid increases in genetic technology and testing.

27 Jan 2025

Mapping the Human Virome to Uncover Links Between Viruses and Health

You, my friend, are what scientists call a "holobiont"- an organism made up of human cells and the multiplicity of microscopic species living inside you and on your body.

27 Jan 2025

Study Reveals How Male Ruff Birds Use a "Super Enzyme" to Tame Excess Testosterone

We normally associate high testosterone levels with male dominance and aggression. Among ruffs – a shore bird that breeds across Europe and Asia – some males suffer from too much of it.

24 Jan 2025

Study Unveils Key Genetic Mechanism Behind Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs.

24 Jan 2025

New Insights into the Biological Basis of Bipolar Disorder

According to research published in Nature on January 22nd, 2025, an international team of psychiatric genetics researchers has discovered 298 regions of the genome with DNA variations that increase the risk for bipolar disorder, more than four times the number previously found.

24 Jan 2025

New Breakthrough Pushes DNA-Nanoparticle Motors Closer to Natural Protein Speed

DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion by enzymatic RNA degradation.

23 Jan 2025

New Map Reveals How Human DNA Shuffles During Reproduction

Scientists at deCODE genetics/Amgen have constructed a complete map of how human DNA is mixed as it is passed down during reproduction.

23 Jan 2025

Epigenetic Aging and DNA-Methylation May Help Predict Breast Cancer Susceptibility

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) on December 5, 2024, Volume 16, Issue 22, titled "DNA-methylation age and accelerated epigenetic aging in blood as a tumor marker for predicting breast cancer susceptibility."

22 Jan 2025

Genetic Mutations May Be Behind Epigenetic Clock of Aging

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have published results that shed new light on an old question: what causes aging at the molecular level? Their findings, published in Nature Aging, describe a never-before-seen link between the two most accepted explanations: random genetic mutations and predictable epigenetic modifications.

22 Jan 2025

Ancient Viral DNA Plays a Key Role in Embryonic Development

More than half of the human genome is made up of thousands of remnants of ancient viral DNA, known as transposable elements, which are pervasive across the tree of life.

21 Jan 2025

RNA, Not DNA, Drives Acute Sunburn and Skin Damage

Sunburn has traditionally been attributed to UV-induced DNA damage. However, a new study by the University of Copenhagen and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, reveals that RNA, another vital cellular molecule, plays a major role in triggering acute sunburn reactions.

20 Jan 2025