Genetic News and Research

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Quicker and affordable method of extracting DNA from elephant dung

With the aid of a novel DNA-collection technique, researchers can now collect genetic data from elephants without endangering the animals or endangering themselves.

16 Jan 2023

Key genes driving cleft lip and palate identified

A research group headed by the University of Iowa recognized three genes that, when deleted, produce cleft lip or palate, a facial abnormality that affects around one in every 1,600 babies in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

13 Jan 2023

Study suggests new strategies for controlling plant biochemistry

Plant biochemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a new level of regulation in the biochemical "machinery" that plants use to convert organic carbon derived from photosynthesis into a range of ring-shaped aromatic molecules.

12 Jan 2023

Breeding climate-proof crops aided by exotic wheat DNA

Research from the Earlham Institute in Norwich, in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), provides much-needed hope for enhancing crop resilience and food security in the face of climate change following a year in which temperature records have been broken.

11 Jan 2023

New gene helps drive the development of the common lung cancer type

At the NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, a team headed by scientists has determined a gene that forces the development of the second most common type of lung carcinoma.

From New York University (NYU) 11 Jan 2023

Designing plants through more-sophisticated genetic editing

Genetic manipulation was used by humans for millennia, long before they worked in lab coats Selective breeding has been employed for a very long time to produce plants and animals of great value, from adorable dogs to palatable fruit.

From The University of Western Australia 11 Jan 2023

Effective anticancer strategy for selective killing of cancer cells

A study team headed by Dr Yuanliang Zhai from The University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) School of Biological Sciences and his associates from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Institut Curie in France discovered a new mechanism of the human MCM2-7 complex in controlling replication initiation, which can be employed as a unique and effective anticancer method with the potential for selective death of cancer cells.

11 Jan 2023

Taste trumps everything, despite some hesitation about gene-edited table grapes

Despite some hesitation about gene-edited foods, taste trumps everything, according to a Washington State University-led survey of U.S. consumers.

10 Jan 2023

Broccoli heads can resemble cauliflower when grown in higher temperatures

As seasoned gardeners know, broccoli heads don't develop properly and can resemble cauliflower when grown in higher temperatures.

10 Jan 2023

Scandinavian gene pool development via DNA analysis

The complex relationships between geography, ancestry, and gene flow in Scandinavia are resolved in a new study based on 297 ancient Scandinavian genomes that were analyzed along with the genomic data of 16,638 modern Scandinavians.

6 Jan 2023

What are the implications of microbiome-directed measures to treat type 2 diabetes?

According to preliminary findings from an ongoing, prospective study headed by Cedars-Sinai researchers, one type of bacteria seen in the gut might contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes, while another might guard against the condition.

5 Jan 2023

Emerging viruses could be easily detected with a simple nasal swab

As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, potentially harmful new viruses can spread throughout the population long before the system for monitoring global public health can catch them.

5 Jan 2023

First-ever chromosome-level genome sequences completed for sharks

The first chromosome level genome sequences for great hammerhead and shortfin mako sharks have shown that both species have experienced major population declines over a 250,000-year history.

5 Jan 2023

Performing grafting and mobile CRISPR for genome editing in plants

An innovative twist to the CRISPR tool—also known as “genetic scissors”—is being utilized to edit plant genomes by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, signaling a methodology change.

4 Jan 2023

New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease

A figure from the paper depicts pathways perturbed in Alzheimer's disease. Below examples are listed for each pathway by major brain cell type. Image Credit: The Picower Institute.

4 Jan 2023

UCR researchers decode the secret language of photosynthesis

For decades, scientists have been stumped by the signals plants send themselves to initiate photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into sugars.

3 Jan 2023

New technique provides an unlimited supply of patient-derived tissues to study AMD

Scientists used patient stem cells and 3D bioprinting to produce eye tissue that will advance understanding of the mechanisms of blinding diseases.

3 Jan 2023

Common food dye can be a potential dietary trigger for IBDs, study shows

Long-term consumption of Allura Red food dye can be a potential trigger of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, says McMaster University's Waliul Khan.

21 Dec 2022

VUMC’s BioVU achieves deep-freeze storage of more than 300,000 biological samples

BioVU, Vanderbilt University Medical Center's biobank, has reached another milestone -; deep-freeze storage of more than 300,000 biological samples.

20 Dec 2022

Structure of the complete virion of S. epidermidis–infecting phage revealed

Scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the structure of a bacterial virus in extraordinary detail.

20 Dec 2022