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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).

New Computational Approach Speeds Up Genetic Variant Analysis for Disease Risk

Argonne computer scientists enabled a new research modality in the search for causality among genetic variants for a given disease.

18 Feb 2025

Understanding the World Beyond DNA and Genes

Curled up inside every single one of the trillions of cells in the human body is six feet of DNA, spooled tightly and carrying the genetic instructions that govern so much of who a person becomes.

17 Feb 2025

Hospital Sink Drains: A Hidden Bacteria Hotspot Despite Cleaning

Researchers from Spain conducted a study on sink drains across various wards in a contemporary university hospital that follows advanced cleaning protocols.

17 Feb 2025

New Atlas Maps How Aging Breast Tissue Contributes to Cancer Risk

Aging is a privilege, but it also brings risks-including an increased likelihood of developing age-related diseases including cancer.

14 Feb 2025

Infant Cystic Fibrosis Linked to Stunted Microbiome Development

Findings from a new Dartmouth-led study, published in the journal mBio, highlight key differences in the gut microbiome (communities of bacteria) of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to that of healthy infants, and how these alterations may adversely affect their health.

14 Feb 2025

How Bacteriophages Build a Protein-Based Nucleus to Outsmart Bacteria

Jumbo phages utilize a complex protein import system, with Imp1 as a key gatekeeper, to transport proteins into their protective nucleus-like compartment.

14 Feb 2025

New Study Unlocks Secrets of Worms' Lipid-Based Surface Chemistry

A new study has revealed the clearest-ever picture of the surface chemistry of worm species that provides groundbreaking insights into how animals interact with their environment and each other.

13 Feb 2025

Lung Cancer Cells Develop Electrical Autonomy to Aid Tumor Growth

Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute have found that some particularly aggressive lung cancer cells can develop their own electric network, like that seen in the body's nervous system.

13 Feb 2025

Understanding the Complex Architecture of the Minor Spliceosome

In human cells, only a small proportion of the information written in genes is used to produce proteins. How does the cell select this information? A large molecular machine called the spliceosome continuously separates the coding and non-coding regions of our genes – and it's doing this even as you read these lines.

13 Feb 2025

Study Reveals Limits of Epigenetic Clocks in Predicting Biological Age

Epigenetic clocks show varying accuracy across tissues, underscoring the need for tissue-specific calibration in biological age assessments and health research.

13 Feb 2025

DNA Methylation Governs Citric Acid Production in Lemons

Lemons owe their signature tang to citric acid, yet the molecular mechanisms governing its accumulation have long remained a mystery.

12 Feb 2025

Mismatch Repair Genes Found to be Key Drivers of Huntington's Disease

A new UCLA Health study has discovered in mouse models that genes associated with repairing mismatched DNA are critical in eliciting damages to neurons that are most vulnerable in Huntington's disease and triggering downstream pathologies and motor impairment, shedding light on disease mechanisms and potential new ways to develop therapies.

12 Feb 2025