In the nucleus of each cell, the DNA molecule is packaged into thread-like structures called chromosomes. Each chromosome is made up of DNA tightly coiled many times around proteins called histones that support its structure.
Chromosomes are not visible in the cell’s nucleus—not even under a microscope—when the cell is not dividing. However, the DNA that makes up chromosomes becomes more tightly packed during cell division and is then visible under a microscope. Most of what researchers know about chromosomes was learned by observing chromosomes during cell division.
Each chromosome has a constriction point called the centromere, which divides the chromosome into two sections, or “arms.” The short arm of the chromosome is labeled the “p arm.” The long arm of the chromosome is labeled the “q arm.” The location of the centromere on each chromosome gives the chromosome its characteristic shape, and can be used to help describe the location of specific genes.
A Recent study conducted by Professor Qin Yuan's team from the Center for Genomics at the Haixia Institute of Science and Technology (Future Technology College) at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University has been published in the prestigious journal Horticulture Research, which is a leading publication in the field of horticultural science.
The gene editing technique CRISPR/Cas9 has allowed researchers to make precise and impactful changes to an organism's DNA to fix mutations that cause genetic disease.
Double haploid technology can dramatically accelerate crop breeding with specifically chosen genetic traits.
Researchers have revealed that the 3D organization of DNA in mouse B cells permits physically distant genes to join together during antibody creation and generate the variety of antibodies required for effective disease defense.
Scientists at the Van Andel Institute and its partners have discovered a critical component of a system that annotates genetic information before it is transferred from fathers to their offspring.
Yourgene Health plc (“Yourgene”), a leading international molecular diagnostics group, today launched the Yourgene® MagBench™ Automated DNA Extraction Instrument and Kit. MagBench solution is available to Sage™ customers across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
A full sequence of the Y chromosome, a feat that has challenged scientists for years, has been accomplished for the first time. In this interview, we speak to Dylan Taylor about this impactful research and how it may shape our understanding of human genetics.
More than 100 experts from across the world, including those from Johns Hopkins University, have worked together to completely sequence the chromosome linked to male development, the final unsolved component of the human genome.
Investigators are learning more about how schizophrenia develops by investigating the most powerful known genetic risk factor.
Artificial intelligence could hold the key to feeding 10 billion people by 2050 in the face of climate change and rapidly evolving pests and pathogens according to researchers at The University of Queensland.
The present understanding of genomic stability and variability is mostly based on a few model species, leaving the scope and generality of these discoveries uncertain.
An international research study led by the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) in Barcelona (Spain), recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, provides a better insight into the evolutionary history of gorillas.
Butterflies and moths share "blocks" of DNA dating back more than 200 million years, new research shows.
An international team of researchers led by Dr. James Umen at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has made a groundbreaking discovery in the world of developmental biology.
What is the easiest way to know if a fruit fly is hungry? Ask a computer.
Scientists have known for decades that genes can be transferred from one species to another, both in animals and plants.
In their study performed, the research group discusses their novel view of euchromatin present in the cell and displays how the disclosed organization is appropriate to genome functions.
According to recent Cedars-Sinai Cancer research, as men age, some of their cells lose the very feature that makes them biological males—the Y chromosome—and this loss impairs the body’s ability to fight cancer.
For those who have maintained a garden, hybrids are well-known, from disease-resistant tomatoes to Stargazer lilies.
If you've ever kept a garden, you're probably familiar with hybrids, from disease-resistant tomatoes to Stargazer lilies.