Genetic News and Research

RSS

New Study Reveals How Introns Jump Between Species Without Viral Help

Jumping genes are parasites in the genetic material of bacteria, plants, animals and humans. They are released into the cell as small RNA molecules from ribonucleic acid (RNA) and possess complex mechanisms for inserting themselves into other parts of the genetic material within the cell, thereby often conferring new properties on the cell and thus accelerating evolution. There are also jumping genes that free themselves from the RNA using an RNA enzyme. These ribozymes or self-splicing introns are a special group of jumping genes.

22 Jun 2026

New Research Examines How Blood Cancer Mutations Progress from Healthy States

Researchers have found that a genetic mutation associated with a rare group of blood cancers does not always result in development of the disease. The work provides insight into the initial phases of the disease and may eventually lead to tailored monitoring techniques that improve patient outcomes.

22 Jun 2026

Single-Cell Analysis Uncovers How Cancer Tumors Diversify and Resist Treatment

A comprehensive multi-cancer study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has revealed that cancer cells within tumors are genetically diverse, yet all carry the same core genetic changes that can be traced back to a common ancestral cell, providing a single-cell view of how tumors adapt, survive and diversify. Understanding this helps explain why some cancer cells manage to survive treatments, paving the way for more tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

22 Jun 2026

Researchers Map Molecular Pathways Behind Diverse Autism Genes

Hundreds of genes have been linked to autism, yet the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms behind it remain largely unclear.

19 Jun 2026

Taste and Smell Genetic Receptors Shape Long-Term Disease Risks

Imagine if a doctor could look at your DNA and predict not just your disease risk, but also which foods you're drawn to – and whether those cravings are quietly protecting you.

19 Jun 2026

Maternal Diet Fatty Acid Enriches Long Term Offspring Immune Health

Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), the most abundant trans fatty acid found in human breast milk, helps boost immune system development and has long-lasting effects on immune system health in mice, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Chicago.

19 Jun 2026

AI-Designed Protein Nanocages Pave Way for Advanced Drug Delivery

An international research team led by a Korean scientist has succeeded in designing large-scale protein structures that faithfully replicate the self-assembly principles found in naturally occurring viruses, using artificial intelligence (AI).

18 Jun 2026

Ancient Plague Killed Hunter Gatherers Long Before Medieval Cities

Plague is commonly associated with rats, crowded medieval cities, and the epidemics that swept across Europe during and after the Middle Ages.

18 Jun 2026

Migrating Neurons Break and Repair Their Own DNA During Brain Cortex Formation

Newborn nerve cells must squeeze through crowded, narrow spaces-through dense tissue, past other cells, between fibers-to reach the areas where they form neural circuits in the brain cortex.

18 Jun 2026

Newly Identified Cell Surface Receptor Triggers Rapid Neuron Growth

Cells have surface receptors that couple to proteins and other molecules to initiate or inhibit certain behaviors.

18 Jun 2026

RNA-Based Barcoding Tool Tracks Virus-Host Interactions Inside Bacterial Communities

An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between bacteriophages - viruses that infect bacteria - and their bacterial hosts, offering a powerful new tool for next-generation microbiome engineering.

17 Jun 2026

Zombie Cells Help Develop Crucial Blood-Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid Barriers

Among the body's most crucial protective features are the brain barrier systems, including the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barriers.

17 Jun 2026

Genome Sequencing Unlocks Ancestral History of North Atlantic Founder Population

Genome sequencing has revealed insights into how current-day residents of the Faroe Islands can trace their ancestry to a North Atlantic founder population and how evolutionary forces have shaped their genomes since.

17 Jun 2026

Single Cell Tracking Explains Why Certain Cancer Cells Survive Treatments

17 Jun 2026

Molecular Cell Study Explains Gut Microbiome Impact on Liver Genes

A local research study led by scientists from the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) has uncovered how the gut microbiome can influence gene activity in the liver by acting on short stretches of regulatory DNA that function like molecular "switches".

16 Jun 2026

Mapping Tiny Genetic Variations to Better Predict Future Global Pandemics

Most pandemics start when a pathogen spreads from animals to humans. It's a leading explanation for the COVID-19 pandemic: the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is a cousin to coronaviruses that live in bats.

16 Jun 2026

One Breakthrough DNA Test Replaces Fifteen Standard Rare Disease Diagnostics

A new test provides a much more complete picture of DNA than current standard diagnostics and leads to a diagnosis more often.

15 Jun 2026

New Retinal Cell Discovery Paves Way for Sight-Restoring Transplants

A new understanding of retinal cell development may help pave the way for future retina transplants, which could restore sight to people whose conditions currently have no effective treatments, according to researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

15 Jun 2026

Scientists Discover Genetic Root of Rare Childhood Inflammatory Skin Disorder

An international team of researchers has identified a genetic cause for a rare inflammatory skin condition.

15 Jun 2026

Phage Surface Proteins Act as Molecular Anchors to Attach Cells

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria and are not considered human pathogens. Yet researchers at the Translational Microbiology Laboratory of the Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, have shown that some gut phages can also physically interact with human cells.

13 Jun 2026