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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).

New Genomic Score Predicts Risk of Progression in Multiple Myeloma

A new risk assessment score developed by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard reveals how multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, begins and progresses from precancerous to malignant states by tracing DNA mutations.

24 May 2025

Gene Loss and Gain Shaped the Evolution of Relapsing Fever Bacteria

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and UCL have analyzed ancient DNA from Borrelia recurrentis, a type of bacteria that causes relapsing fever, pinpointing when it evolved to spread through lice rather than ticks, and how it gained and lost genes in the process.

24 May 2025

Study Reveals How Introns Multiply and Move Across Genomes

DNA is the genetic code that provides the biological instructions for every living species, but not every bit of DNA helps the species survive. Some pieces of DNA are more like parasites, along for the ride and their own survival.

24 May 2025

Uncovering How Cholera Evaded Phages For Epidemic Success

Cholera bacteria engage in microscopic battles with phages, influencing pandemic dynamics and highlighting the role of viral defenses in outbreak management.

23 May 2025

Reversible DNA Modification Controls Replication and Gene Activity

Study uncovers ADP-ribosylation's role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, showing how DNA modification controls replication and gene expression for survival.

23 May 2025

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents Enhance Yield and Antibacterial Activity of Zanthoxylum bungeanum

NADES treatments significantly boost essential oil yield and antibacterial activity in Zanthoxylum bungeanum, offering a natural solution to food contamination.

23 May 2025

Scientists Develop Method to Overcome Key Limitations of Cryo-EM

Sample loss has been a persistent problem in cryo-EM, a high-tech method for creating 3D models of molecules that reveals their inner structures.

22 May 2025

Study Reveals Epigenetic Clues Behind Autism Development

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition affecting the brain's development and often affects the ability of a person to perceive sensory information and social cues and socialize with others.

22 May 2025

New CRISPR Technology for Precise RNA Delivery in Neurons

Proteins produced by RNA segments can aid in the repair of damaged neurons in human bodies.

22 May 2025

Unraveling the Co-Evolution of Human Height and Basal Metabolic Rate

Taller stature and a higher basal metabolic rate are two characteristics that distinguish modern humans from non-human primates. A genetic variant that helped these traits co-evolve was discovered by researchers and published in Cell Genomics.

22 May 2025

Ultra-Rapid Genetic Test Revolutionizes Brain Tumor Diagnosis

Scientists and medics have developed an ultra-rapid method of genetically diagnosing brain tumors that will cut the time it takes to classify them from 6-8 weeks, to as little as two hours – which could improve care for thousands of patients each year in the UK.

21 May 2025

Cell Painting Technology Reveals Potential Cancer-Fighting Flavonoids

A team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine has identified flavonoids, natural compounds found in plants, that are toxic to bladder cancer cells cultured in the lab.

21 May 2025

Compression Drives Aggressive Behavior in Liver Cancer Cells

Yale researchers are providing new insights into how physical forces, such as cells being compressed in physically restrictive environments, play key roles in cancer progression.

21 May 2025

TEAD Proteins Switch Partners to Drive Neural Cell Maturation

The basic mechanisms that control neural development are intricate, and as research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital shows, the underlying motivations may even seem contradictory.

21 May 2025

How LEM-3 Cleaves DNA Bridges During Cell Division Revealed

If DNA bridges remain between chromosomes after cell division, chromosomes become improperly segregated, resulting in genetic instability and cancer.

20 May 2025

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