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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.

New Genetic Pathway Explains Why Some Citrus Fruits Taste Less Sour

The characteristic sour-sweet balance of citrus fruits is largely defined by citric acid accumulation in the vacuoles of juice sacs.

10 Nov 2025

Human Pangenome Research Opens a New Chapter in Precision Medicine

In May 2023, the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC) released the first draft of the human pangenome reference sequence, which integrated genomic data from 47 individuals representing genetic diversity and added 119 million base pairs of euchromatic polymorphic sequences.

10 Nov 2025

Researchers Find "Hidden" Mutations by Tracing Protein Isoforms

Approximately 25 million individuals in the United States are affected by a rare genetic disorder, and a significant number of them face challenges not only due to the absence of effective treatments but also because of insufficient information regarding their condition.

10 Nov 2025

St. Jude Scientists Discover Hidden Binding Pocket in Nuclear Receptors

A study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital uncovered an alternative binding pocket within nuclear receptors, revealing a much-needed new therapy route for this important class of drug targets.

7 Nov 2025

Comprehensive Kinase Atlas Redefines Regulation of Gene Transcription Machinery

The enzyme RNA polymerase II transcribes genes into messenger RNA. This process is guided by modifications to the enzyme's "tail" called phosphorylation patterns.

7 Nov 2025

TRV-Mediated Gene Editing System Transforms Tomato Functional Genomics

CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized plant genome editing, yet its application in tomato remains limited due to the plant's recalcitrance to transformation and regeneration.

7 Nov 2025

Scientists Reveal Nonenzymatic Role of NUDT5 in Purine Pathway Regulation

Inside every cell, a finely tuned metabolic network determines when to build, recycle, or stop producing essential molecules.

7 Nov 2025

Transforming Stomach Cells into Insulin Factories for Diabetes Treatment

Type 1 diabetes is caused by an insufficient production of the hormone insulin by cells in the pancreas called beta cells and estimated to affect 9.5 million people worldwide.

7 Nov 2025

Two Genetic Mapping Approaches Reveal Distinct Sides of Disease Biology

The two main approaches for discovering disease genes reveal distinct aspects of biology, a new study shows.

6 Nov 2025

Ferroptosis Suppression Identified as a Key Driver of Lung Cancer Growth

NYU Langone Health researchers found that a type of cell death caused by a buildup of highly reactive molecules suppresses lung tumor growth.

6 Nov 2025

Warmer Temperatures Drive Faster Immune Responses Through Myosin II Activation

Temperature is a key physiological factor that determines the speed of immune reactions. While this may seem obvious, it has remained largely unexplored at the single-cell level-until now.

5 Nov 2025

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Accurately Recreate the RNA Folding Process

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is one of life's most versatile molecules, with roles going far beyond being a messenger of genetic code, as it is fundamentally involved in gene regulation, processing, and maintenance across all living systems.

5 Nov 2025

RNA Molecules Alter Genome Structure to Silence Critical Neuronal Genes During Stress

What if the brain's response to stress could be read not in fleeting neurotransmitter bursts, but in the quieting of genes deep inside chromatin? Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have now shown that stress hormones may silence crucial neuronal genes through an unexpected class of RNA molecules that operate not by encoding proteins, but by reshaping the genome's architecture.

5 Nov 2025

New Genomic Method Unlocks Diagnoses for Rare Conditions

A new genomic method has enabled multiple people with rare conditions to receive diagnoses that were previously unattainable by identifying complex structural genetic changes that are often missed by standard tests.

4 Nov 2025

Weill Cornell Scientists Develop Safe and Precise Tool to Control Gene Activity

Investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a versatile and non-toxic technology for controlling the activity of any gene in a cell. Such "gene-switch" tools allow scientists to "turn on" or "turn off" a target gene to study how it works, model diseases and design new therapies.

4 Nov 2025

Reactivating a Naturally Occurring Gene Promotes Heart Repair and Regeneration

A naturally occurring gene called Cyclin A2 (CCNA2), which turns off after birth in humans, can actually make new, functioning heart cells and help the heart repair itself from injury including a heart attack or heart failure when the gene is turned back on.

4 Nov 2025

Study Reveals Shared Genetic Roots Between ALS and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), share physical similarities but have been largely viewed as genetically distinct.

3 Nov 2025

Study Unveils the Complete Biosynthetic Loop Regulating Tannin Production in Strawberries

Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs), including gallotannins and ellagitannins, are essential polyphenolic compounds that influence fruit taste, antioxidant capacity, and stress tolerance. Although condensed tannin biosynthesis has been well studied, the enzymatic processes governing HT formation remain unclear.

3 Nov 2025

Scientists Build the First Cellular Atlas of the World’s Deadliest Mosquito

The most dangerous animal in the world just got easier to study-and perhaps defeat one day.

3 Nov 2025

Frazzled Protein Found to Shape Fast Neural Connections in Fruit Flies

Florida Atlantic University neuroscientists have uncovered a surprising role for a protein named "Frazzled" (known as DCC in mammals) in the nervous system of fruit flies, showing how it helps neurons connect and communicate with lightning speed.

3 Nov 2025