DNA News and Research

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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 Research Challenges the Static View of Chromosome Shape

An international team of researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, Imperial College London, Waseda University, and the Cancer Institute of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research has reshaped the concept of chromosome shape, discovering that they are not always stable X-shaped structures but are constantly in flux as cell division occurs.

24 Sep 2025

Gut Microbes Influence Human Genes and Health

The trillions of microbes that live in the human gut may play a bigger role in health than previously thought, according to a new research by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

24 Sep 2025

Oligo-Barcodes Enable High-Resolution Chromosome Mapping in Tropical Fruits

Karyotype analysis plays a central role in cytogenetics, helping to reveal evolutionary processes and species relationships.

23 Sep 2025

Chromatin Accessibility Shapes Growth and Stress Response in Blue Mold

Blue mold, caused by Penicillium expansum, is one of the most destructive postharvest diseases, leading to economic losses across fruit supply chains.

23 Sep 2025

Innovative Alternative Gene Editing Approach May Be Safer Than CRISPR

Genetic editing holds promise to treat incurable diseases, but the most popular method - CRISPR - sometimes does more harm than good.

22 Sep 2025

Novel Chromosome Identification System Overcomes Longstanding Bottleneck in Alfalfa Cytogenetics

Karyotype analysis is fundamental to understanding genetic makeup, diversity, and adaptation in plants. Yet, distinguishing individual chromosomes remains challenging in species with small, uniform chromosomes and complex polyploid genomes such as alfalfa.

22 Sep 2025

Modified Cas9 Proteins Dramatically Lower Error Rates in Prime Editing

A genome-editing technique known as prime editing holds potential for treating many diseases by transforming faulty genes into functional ones.

18 Sep 2025

Carbon Starvation Drives Metabolic and Epigenetic Reprogramming in Grapevine Cells

Plants rely on sugars not only as energy sources but also as regulators of cellular activities. Carbon starvation disrupts central metabolism, impairs growth, and forces cells to recycle stored resources.

18 Sep 2025

The First Parent-Of-Origin Gene Atlas of The Mammary Gland

This study maps dynamic gene expression in mouse mammary glands, revealing insights into lactation, maternal health, and breast cancer risk through imprinting.

18 Sep 2025

Tracing Evolutionary Roots of the Genetic Code

Genes are the building blocks of life, and the genetic code provides the instructions for the complex processes that make organisms function.

17 Sep 2025

Reconstructing Human Mitochondrial Transcription in Unprecedented Detail

Aging, neurological diseases and our bodies' stress response are all linked to the tiny power plants inside each cell known as mitochondria.

17 Sep 2025

Discovery of R-Loops Reveals Key Vulnerability in HIV-1 Life Cycle

Researchers at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Heidelberg University Hospital have decoded a previously unknown mechanism by which HIV-1 selects its integration targets in the human genome.

17 Sep 2025

Loss of Zfy Genes Explains Why Some Sperm Fail

A study at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa by researchers from the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) found that losing a crucial male fertility gene causes infertility and alters the expression of hundreds of other genes.

17 Sep 2025

CRISPR Breakthrough Makes Cacao Plants More Resistant To Deadly Disease

This study shows CRISPR-Cas9 modifications to the TcNPR3 gene in cacao reduce Phytophthora susceptibility, supporting eco-friendly agricultural practices.

17 Sep 2025

Soil DNA Reveals Hundreds of Unknown Bacterial Genomes

Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil beneath our feet has a vast hidden reservoir of untapped lifesaving compounds.

16 Sep 2025

Microbial Molecule Controls Cancer Progression and Boosts Chemotherapy

An international team of scientists led by researchers from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), Imperial College London, and the University of Cologne discovered that microbes associated with tumors produce a molecule that can control cancer progression and improve chemotherapy efficacy.

15 Sep 2025