DNA News and Research

RSS

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).

Researchers Capture the Most Detailed Images of Molecules in Chromatin Condensates

A team of researchers led by HHMI Investigator Michael Rosen has captured the most detailed images yet of the molecules in chromatin condensates — droplet-like structures of compacted DNA.

5 Dec 2025

PLAMseq Revolutionizes Simultaneous Analysis of Genome Proteins and Their Locations

A team from the Andalusian Centre for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER) has developed an innovative technique called PLAMseq (proximity-labelled affinity-purified mass spectrometry plus sequencing) that, for the first time, allows simultaneous analysis of chromatin-associated proteins and their location in the genome in a single experiment.

5 Dec 2025

New Tool Predicts Which Intrinsically Disordered Regions Drive Condensate Formation

Fusion oncoproteins arise when a gene fuses with another gene and acquires new abilities. Such abilities can include the formation of biomolecular condensates, "droplets" of concentrated proteins, DNA or RNA.

4 Dec 2025

Circular Single-Stranded DNA Molecule Can Simultaneously Silence Multiple MicroRNAs

Professor Dongsheng Liu of Tsinghua University, Professor Ziyang Hao of Capital Medical University, and Researcher Yuanchen Dong of the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have collaborated to develop a circular single-stranded DNA molecule capable of simultaneously silencing multiple miRNAs.

4 Dec 2025

Benchmarking DNA Language Models for Precision Genomics

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have performed a comprehensive evaluation of five artificial intelligence (AI) models trained on genomic sequences, known as DNA foundation language models.

4 Dec 2025

Epigenetic Signatures Explain How Andean Highlanders Thrive in Low Oxygen

DNA sequencing technology makes it possible to explore the genome to learn how humans adapted to live in a wide range of environments.

4 Dec 2025

Study Uncovers Principles Guiding Replication Initiation Across the Human Genome

When cells proliferate, genomic DNA is precisely duplicated once per cell cycle. Abnormalities in this DNA replication process can cause alterations in genomic DNA, promoting cellular aging, cancer, and genetic disorders.

4 Dec 2025

Study Reveals How Cells Compensate for Missing Chromosomes

A hallmark of cancerous cells is an abnormal number of chromosomes or chromosome arms, known as aneuploidy.

4 Dec 2025

Study Exposes Ancestry Biases in Current Gene Annotations

Human gene maps contain major blind spots because they were built largely from the DNA sequences of people with European ancestry, according to a study published today in Nature Communications.

4 Dec 2025

Study Reveals ATM-Driven Mechanism Behind Telomere-Induced Senescence

After a finite number of divisions, cells simply give up. As each round of replication trims their telomeres-the protective caps at the chromosome ends-those caps eventually become too short to prevent chromosome ends from being recognized as DNA breaks.

2 Dec 2025

Ambiguous Stop Codons Expand the Genetic Code in Archaea

The beauty of the DNA code is that organisms interpret it unambiguously. Each three-letter nucleotide sequence, or codon, in a gene codes for a unique amino acid that's added to a chain of amino acids to make a protein.

2 Dec 2025

Study Uncovers How Polyploid Plants Harness Transposons for Evolutionary Innovation

Polyploidization, the combination and duplication of genomes, is a major driver of plant evolution and diversification. Yet this process causes "genome shock," leading to rapid activation of transposable elements (TEs).

2 Dec 2025

CRISPR Technologies Transform On-Site Detection of Animal Pathogens

The rapid spread of animal diseases and pathogen evolution have long posed significant threats to the healthy development of animal husbandry.

28 Nov 2025

Real-Time Visualization Reveals the Transcriptional Gearbox

Life's instructions are written in DNA, but it is the enzyme RNA polymerase II (Pol II) that reads the script, transcribing RNA in eukaryotic cells and eventually giving rise to proteins.

28 Nov 2025

Gene Transcription Start Sites Identified as Hidden Mutational Hotspots

Researchers have discovered new regions of the human genome particularly vulnerable to mutations. These altered stretches of DNA can be passed down to future generations and are important for how we study genetics and disease.

27 Nov 2025

Mitochondrial Mutation Found to Rewire Immune Function

Scientists have discovered how a mitochondrial mutation rewires immune function in a model of inherited primary mitochondrial disorders, which often lead to severe disability and death.

27 Nov 2025

Scientists Uncover Inner Workings of Biomolecular Condensates Linked to ALS

Inside the cell reside many tiny assembly factories and warehouses that gather together all of the proteins and RNAs-which carry out instructions from our DNA-that a living being needs.

27 Nov 2025

Scientists Map How Transcription Factors Interpret DNA Sequences

With a new study in the journal Cell, researchers at Stanford University and Stockholm University have contributed to increased knowledge about gene regulation in human cells.

27 Nov 2025

DNA Rigidity Inside the Nucleosome Regulates INO80 Positioning

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have shown that DNA inflexibility, or rigidity, inside the nucleosome regulates the positioning of INO80. This highlights that the physical structure and shape of DNA, not just genetic information, are key components of DNA transcription.

26 Nov 2025

Scientists Reveal How Memory T Cells Persist Across the Body

Memory T cells are a special type of white blood cell that "remember" past infections and vaccines, helping our bodies to quickly respond if we encounter the same germs again.

25 Nov 2025