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).

Frog Egg Extracts Illuminate the Untangling Mechanism of DNA Knots

Research reveals how G-quadruplex DNA structures are untangled, highlighting a role for RNA in genome stability and potential cancer therapy strategies.

13 Jun 2025

New Genetic Marker Panel Aims to Save Koalas from Extinction

Standardized genetic testing for koalas at UQ is a game-changer for conservation, improving collaboration and understanding of genetic diversity in populations.

13 Jun 2025

Flipped DNA Segments Help Fish Rapidly Evolve into New Species

Researchers have found that chunks of 'flipped' DNA can help fish quickly adapt to new habitats and evolve into new species, acting as evolutionary 'superchargers'.

13 Jun 2025

Metagenomic Study Examines Combined Effects of Global Change on Soil Microbes

Metagenomic analysis shows that combined global change factors reshape soil microbial composition and function, highlighting limits of single-stressor studies.

12 Jun 2025

New Frontier in Understanding Brain Development and Rare Diseases

A groundbreaking study identifies unknown genetic disorders affecting brain development, offering new insights into neurodevelopmental conditions and diagnoses.

11 Jun 2025

The Role of Metabolism in Bacterial Survival and Resistance

Ciprofloxacin induces bioenergetic stress in E. coli, boosting survival rates and resistance development. Metabolic shifts challenge antibiotic effectiveness.

10 Jun 2025

A New Strategy for High-Fidelity CRISPR Editing in Tomatoes

Gene targeting (GT) via homologous recombination (HR) is a powerful tool for precise genome editing, but its application in plants is limited due to the dominance of canonical non-homologous end-joining (cNHEJ) in double-strand break (DSB) repair.

10 Jun 2025

Giant Viruses Discovered to Influence Marine Ecosystems and Algal Blooms

Giant viruses play a role in the survival of single-celled marine organisms called protists. These include algae, amoeba, and flagellates, that form the base of ocean food webs.

9 Jun 2025

Zebrafish Model Offers Hope for Treating Ultra-Rare Muscle Disease

Can a small fish help identify possible treatments for an ultra-rare inherited disease found in an Alabama boy? The genetic disease is XMEA, which progressively weakens the muscles and can affect the liver and heart.

6 Jun 2025

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

New Aging Clock Links Intrinsic Capacity to Immune Health and Longevity

A team of international researchers has developed a new biological age "clock" that estimates how well someone is aging, not just how "old" they or their various organs might be.

5 Jun 2025

Base Editing Breakthrough Brings Hope for Genetic Disease Treatment

You may have seen it in the news recently: a baby in Pennsylvania with a rare genetic disorder was healed with a personalized treatment that repaired his specific genetic mutation.

5 Jun 2025

Novel RNAs from Jumping Genes Produce Reverse Transcriptase Activity in Aging Neurons

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects more than a tenth of Americans aged 65 and older.

5 Jun 2025

PPP2R1A Gene Mutations Improve ATR Inhibitor Drug Effectiveness in Ovarian Clear Cell Cancers

A study in Oncogene shows that PPP2R1A mutations increase sensitivity to ATR inhibitors in ARID1A-mutant ovarian clear cell carcinoma, suggesting a potential biomarker for improved treatment strategies.

5 Jun 2025

Gene Editing Using CRISPR and AAV6 Impacts Long-Term Regeneration of Blood Stem Cells

Scientists at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), Milan, have found that gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 in combination with AAV6 vectors can trigger inflammatory and senescence-like responses in blood stem cells, compromising their long-term ability to regenerate the blood system.

4 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

Exon-Specific Analysis Uncovers Novel Insights into Psychiatric Disease

This research highlights the role of exons in mental illnesses, offering new perspectives on genetic factors that influence psychiatric disorder development.

3 Jun 2025