X chromosome News and Research

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Female Hearts Rely on Molecular Safeguard to Avoid Failure

Men and women are not born with the same risk of heart disease, and for decades scientists have struggled to explain why. A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, published in Genes & Development, offers a striking answer: the female heart depends on a molecular safeguard that the male heart can largely do without - and when that safeguard is removed, female hearts fail while male hearts keep beating.

20 Jul 2026

Crucial X Chromosome Protein Protects Female Hearts From Fatal Failure

Men and women are not born with the same risk of heart disease, and for decades scientists have struggled to explain why.

17 Jul 2026

Biologists Capture Snapshot of Evolutionary Transition in Y Chromosome Gene

The study, published in Volume 153, Issue 9 of the journal Development on May 14, 2026, by The Company of Biologists, is the first to precisely map endogenous UTY occupancy across the human genome and demonstrate that UTY remains functionally involved in transcriptional regulation during early human development.

8 Jun 2026

Researchers Map an Unprecedented Gene Journey From the X to Y Chromosome

The humble Y chromosome may be the smallest chromosome in the mammalian genome (and getting even smaller), but it is mighty: genes on the Y chromosome are critical for fertility in males.

2 Jun 2026

Ancient Mating Patterns Shaped Neanderthal DNA Loss on Human X Chromosome

The human genome is a rich, complex record of migration, encounters, and inheritance written over thousands of millennia.

27 Feb 2026

Targeted Genetic Testing Revolutionizes Diagnosis of X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism

Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a targeted genetic test to improve diagnosis for X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), a rare and disabling movement disorder that affects primarily men of Filipino ancestry.

17 Nov 2025

Texas A&M Researchers Use AI to Identify a Genetic Time Capsule for Distinguishing Species

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have utilized cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods to identify a region of the X chromosome that has maintained the distinctiveness of mammal species for millions of years.

13 Nov 2025

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Barr Body and Aging

Aging in female mice shows increased gene activity on the second X chromosome, offering insights into cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders.

28 May 2025

Geisinger Scientists Uncover Genetic Basis for Sex-Based Height Variation

Geisinger's study reveals Y chromosome genes significantly influence height differences between sexes, highlighting genetic factors beyond hormones.

21 May 2025

Guinea Pig Modeling To Study Human Preimplantation and Embryogenesis

Research on guinea pig embryos uncovers similarities to human embryogenesis, advancing understanding of preimplantation stages and reproductive techniques.

23 Apr 2025

New Research Sheds Light on Y Chromosome’s Role in Male Infertility

Researchers at the Crick have uncovered which genes on the Y chromosome regulate the development of sperm and impact fertility in male mice.

24 Jan 2025

Echidna Genome Sheds Light on Complex Sex Chromosome Evolution

A nearly gapless genome sequence of the echidna, an egg-laying mammal with multiple sex chromosomes, helps researchers to track genomic reorganization events that gave rise to a highly unusual sex determination system.

9 Jan 2025

New Genetic Link to Autism Identified

New research published in The American Journal of Human Genetics has identified a previously unknown genetic link to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study found that variants in the DDX53 gene contribute to ASD, providing new insights into the genetic underpinnings of the condition.

20 Dec 2024

Researchers Uncover Method to Boost Stem Cell Production Using Interferon Gamma

Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have discovered a treatment which accelerates the production and quality of pluripotent stem cells in mice.

8 Aug 2024

Study Explores the Role of Sex-Biased Gene Expression in Autism Risk During Prenatal Development

The cortex of prenatal donors to determine differentially expressed genes based on sex and potentially identify molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to ASD.

7 Aug 2024

Unraveling the Complexities of X Chromosome Inheritance

A new study published in Nature Genetics by the Lymphoid Development Group at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences has reveals that the contribution of cells expressing maternal or paternal X chromosomes can be selectively skewed in different parts of the body.

26 Jul 2024

Study Uncovers Link Between Genetic Variants and Mosaic Loss of X Chromosome in Aging Women

Researchers have identified inherited genetic variants that may predict the loss of one copy of a woman's two X chromosomes as she ages, a phenomenon known as mosaic loss of chromosome X, or mLOX.

13 Jun 2024

Genetic Clues Unveil New Insights into Restless Leg Syndrome

Scientists have discovered genetic clues to the cause of restless leg syndrome, a condition common among older adults.

6 Jun 2024

Unveiling the Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Centromeres Across Primates

A genomic study of human and selected nonhuman primate centromeres has revealed their unimaginable diversity and speed of evolutionary change.

4 Apr 2024

Mosaic Turner Syndrome Identified in 2500-Year-Old Briton: Ancient DNA Reveals Hidden History

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, working with University of Oxford, University of York and Oxford Archaeology, have developed a new technique to measure the number of chromosomes in ancient genomes more precisely, using it to identify the first prehistoric person with mosaic Turner syndrome (characterized by one X chromosome instead of two [XX]), who lived about 2500 years ago.

16 Jan 2024