Genetics News and Research

RSS

Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.

Chitin Facilitates Gene Transfer Across Species Through Natural Transformation Among Vibrio cholerae

A study in PNAS reveals that chitin promotes gene transfer in marine environments by binding environmental DNA and enhancing natural transformation in Vibrio cholerae, with implications for microbial evolution and ecosystem diversity.

6 Jun 2025

UC Davis Study Links Specific microRNAs to Mental and Neurological Disorders

A study in Nature Aging from researchers at the UC Davis School of Medicine has identified specific microRNAs - non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression within cells - that likely contribute to bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Parkinson's disease.

5 Jun 2025

Ochsner Health Shares Blueprint for Integrating Pharmacogenomics into Clinical Practice

In a report recently published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, the Ochsner Health system delves into the multifaceted implementation of pharmacogenomics-a rapidly evolving field that examines how genetics influence individual responses to medication.

5 Jun 2025

Blocking Viral Enzyme Boosts Brain Immunity Against HSV-1

Infections caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can lead to HSV-1 encephalitis-a rare but deadly condition that inflames the brain.

4 Jun 2025

Canine DNA Reveals New Genes Linked to Gastric Cancer In Humans

Dogs share our homes, our habits and sometimes, our diseases. Gastric cancer is rare in dogs, but when it does strike, it closely resembles gastric cancer in humans: subtle clinical signs, comparable tumor subtypes, late-stage diagnosis and poor outcomes.

3 Jun 2025

Evolution of Cancer Genomes During Metastasis

Research on cancer metastasis uncovers genetic complexities, showing that copy-number alterations play a key role in tumor evolution and treatment resistance.

3 Jun 2025

Repairing DNA Double-Strand Breaks May Improve Genomic Stability by Limiting Organelle-to-Nucleus Gene Transfer

A new study in Nature Plants reveals that DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) pathways help prevent gene transfer from organelles to the nucleus in plants. Disruption of DSBR increases the risk of genomic instability through endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT).

2 Jun 2025

Meta-Analysis Identifies Genome-Level Associations of FOXP4 Gene With Long COVID

New genome-wide meta-analysis shows FOXP4 gene variants elevate the risk of long COVID (PASC), linking genetic predisposition to persistent symptoms and lung dysfunction. Findings support tailored treatment approaches.

30 May 2025

Cobraa: A Coalescence-Based Model Infers a Structured Ancestry Shared by Modern-Day Humans

The Cobraa model offers insights into human evolution, detailing ancestral population dynamics and genetic admixture events over the last 1.5 million years.

28 May 2025

Cold Adaptation in Rice Offers New Insights into Evolution

Chinese researchers recently discovered molecular evidence supporting Lamarckism, a long-debated theory from the early 19th century that suggests acquired traits can be inherited.

27 May 2025

RNA Editing and Transcriptional Switching Shape Fungal Antiviral Response

The expression of symptoms of viral infections is a byproduct of complex virus-host molecular pathways. These remain largely unknown, especially in the case of fungus-virus pathogen systems.

24 May 2025

Machine Learning Reveals Molecular Profile Differences in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Scientists aiming to advance cancer diagnostics have developed a machine learning tool that is able to identify metabolism-related molecular profile differences between patients with colorectal cancer and healthy people.

24 May 2025

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