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A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

APOE4 and Microglia Together Drive Alzheimer's Protein Deposits

In healthy brains, immune cells called microglia patrol for damage, clearing away debris and harmful proteins. But in the presence of the APOE4 protein-;the most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease-;the same cells cause harmful inflammation and clumps of misfolded proteins, according to a new study by scientists at Gladstone Institutes.

5 Nov 2024

A Genomic Blueprint for Sustainable Macadamia Production

The genomes of all four Macadamia species have been successfully sequenced and combined by a research team, which represents a major breakthrough in crop development efforts for this commercially valuable nut.

4 Nov 2024

3D Tumor Microenvironment Model Highlights Role of Ischemia and Acidification in Cancer Spread

Developed 3MIC model simulates tumor microenvironments, enabling direct observation of ischemic effects on cancer cell invasiveness and drug resistance.

4 Nov 2024

New Genome Assembly Supports Climate-Smart Breeding

An international research collaboration has completed the most detailed genome assembly to date of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus).

4 Nov 2024

ALDH3A2 Enzyme Controls Red-Yellow Pigment Balance in Parrots

A single enzyme fine-tunes red and yellow pigments in parrots' polychromatic plumage, according to a new study. The findings reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution and display of color variation in one of nature's most colorful birds. Colors play a central role in ecological adaptation and communication in the natural world.

4 Nov 2024

Genetically Enhanced Black Soldier Fly Larvae Provide Superior Protein Source for Livestock Feed

With the rapid increase in the global population, a "protein crisis" is expected in the near future, where the supply of protein will not be able to meet the rising demand. Fishmeal is the most common protein source that supports the production of livestock and aquaculture products, which are key protein sources for human consumption.

4 Nov 2024

New Lab-Grown Lip Cells Could Transform Research and Treatment for Disfiguring Lip Conditions

We use our lips to talk, eat, drink, and breathe; they signal our emotions, health, and aesthetic beauty. It takes a complex structure to perform so many roles, so lip problems can be hard to repair effectively. Basic research is essential to improving these treatments, but until now, models using lip cells -; which perform differently to other skin cells -; have not been available.

4 Nov 2024

Immortalized Lip Cells Open Doors for Testing New Therapies

4 Nov 2024

A New Understanding of Viral Infection

Scientists studying animal viruses with the potential to infect humans have discovered a critical protein that could facilitate the spread of a family of organisms known as arteriviruses.

1 Nov 2024

Integrating Multiple Scales to Understand Brain Function

A long-standing goal of neuroscience is to understand how molecules and cellular structures on a microscale give rise to communication between brain regions at the macroscale. A study published in Nature Neuroscience now identifies, for the first time, hundreds of brain proteins that explain inter-individual differences in functional connectivity and structural covariation in the human brain.

1 Nov 2024

Unraveling the Spatial Complexity of Gene Expression with Seq-Scope

A new method, developed by University of Michigan researchers, creates images that are worth many gigabytes of data, which could revolutionize the way biologists study gene expression. Seq-Scope, developed by Jun Hee Lee, Ph.D., Hyun Min Kang, Ph.D., and their colleagues, was first described in Cell in 2021 as the first method to analyze gene expression at sub micrometer-scale spatial resolution.

1 Nov 2024

Study Links Archaic Gene Variant to Health Risks in First Nations Oceanians

An ancient gene mutation among First Nations inhabitants of Oceania may make them more susceptible to infectious diseases like influenza, according to a new study by scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

30 Oct 2024

New Insights into Protein Transport in Plants and Nutrient Uptake

Botanists have come to understand the channels and transporters involved in the uptake and transport of nutrients, yet how are they positioned where they need to be?

30 Oct 2024

Innovative Genomic Technology Uncovers Mechanisms of Marjolin's Ulcer

Researchers utilized specialized genomic technology at the University of Calgary to enhance our understanding of Marjolin's ulcer (MU), a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer that affects chronic wounds that can often arise from established scars like those caused by severe burns.

29 Oct 2024

F-Actin Accumulation Impairs Brain Function in Aging Fruit Flies

Humans aren't the only ones who grow forgetful as they age -; fruit flies do, too. But because fruit flies have a lifespan of only about two months, they can be a useful model for understanding the cognitive decline that comes with aging.

29 Oct 2024

New Insights Into the Role of p53 in Intestinal Inflammation

A group of scientists from Charité – Universitätsmedizin and the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology of the Max Delbrück Center have provided fresh insight into the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis an inflammatory bowel disease that affects an estimated five million people globally and is associated with a higher risk of colon cancer.

28 Oct 2024

Key Regulator of Heart Repair

UCLA researchers identified the protein GPNMB as a key regulator in the heart’s healing process following a heart attack.

28 Oct 2024

Groundbreaking Study Reveals New Insights into Fruit Fly Reproduction

You have likely not spent much time thinking about the uterus of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

28 Oct 2024

Zebrahub Offers Unprecedented Insight into Embryonic Development

When early cartographers undertook perilous expeditions to map unknown corners of the world with sextants, compasses, and hand-drawn diagrams, it's unlikely they imagined that someday anyone with an internet connection would have access to a seamless view of the entire planet from the comfort of their own home.

25 Oct 2024

Mobile Genetic Elements Alter Antagonistic Strategies of Gut Bacteria

Bacteria evolve rapidly in the human gut by sharing genetic elements with each other. Bacteriodales is a prolific order of gut bacteria that trade hundreds of genetic elements.

25 Oct 2024