Genetics News and Research

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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.

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

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

Study Identifies Key Yield Traits in Complex Banana Genome

Banana breeding is notoriously difficult. Most cultivated bananas are sterile triploids with limited recombination and long growth cycles.

11 Jun 2025

New Platform Technology Promises to Generate Hard-to-Get Human Cells

This study presents a fast method for generating human microglia from iPSCs, paving the way for breakthroughs in neurodegenerative disease research.

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

Mapping the Genetic Blueprint of Flowering Chinese Cabbage

Flowering Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis var. parachinensis), known for its tender stalks and vibrant greens, has long been a dietary mainstay in southern China and beyond.

9 Jun 2025

Unraveling the Genetic Roots of Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

One of the most frequent side effects of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is iron deficiency and anemia, which can be made worse by a genetic mutation linked to Crohn’s disease, according to a study conducted by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

9 Jun 2025

Breakthrough Gene Discovery Uncovers a Master Switch for Food Intake

The Gpr45 gene is linked to food intake regulation, offering insights for obesity therapies. Study utilizes Automated Meiotic Mapping for gene identification.

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

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