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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).

"Old School" Genetics may be Just Fine for Species Conservation, Study Suggests

In the world of threatened and endangered species conservation, the genomic revolution has raised some complicated questions: How can scientists justify assessing species genetic diversity without consulting entire genomes now that they can be sequenced?

17 Oct 2023

Study Discovers Fanzors in Eukaryotic Organisms

Snails, algae, and amoebas all have programmable DNA-cutting enzymes called Fanzors, and a recent study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) McGovern Institute for Brain Research has found hundreds of them.

16 Oct 2023

Study Uncovers Genes in Gut Microbe That Play Key Role in Early Colonization After Fecal Microbe Transplant

Fecal microbe transplants from healthy donors can treat patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. However, after tens of thousands transplants,

16 Oct 2023

DNA Methylation Enables Plants Adapt in a Warm World

Plants increasingly need to adapt quickly to preserve their existence as global warming continues to reshape ecosystems.

13 Oct 2023

DNA from 19th Century Fruit Flies Sheds Light on Evolution

Back when the biggest fly enthusiasts of 19th century Sweden -; Carl Fredrik Fallén, for one, and later Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt -; were collecting insects for what would become Lund University's entomological collections, they wondered exactly what was that buzzing coming from their can of raisins.

13 Oct 2023

Researchers Develop Drug Targeting lncRNA TUG1 to Control Brain Tumor Growth in Mice

A new study has unraveled a crucial link between how cancer cells cope with replication stress and the role of Taurine Upregulated Gene 1 (TUG1). By targeting TUG1 with a drug, the researchers were able to control brain tumor growth in mice, suggesting a potential strategy to combat aggressive brain tumors such as glioblastomas.

13 Oct 2023

Attaining Precision Nutrition Through Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Researchers at the School of Medicine discovered new information on how the genes of African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans affect their capacity to utilize Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids for optimal health.

12 Oct 2023

Researchers Unveil Novel Protein Families and Functions in Microbial Communities

Imagine researchers exploring a dark room with a flashlight, only able to clearly identify what falls within that single beam. When it comes to microbial communities, scientists have historically been unable to see beyond the beam -; worse, they didn't even know how big the room is.

12 Oct 2023

Scientists Find Surprise in Renowned Killer Whale Ancestry

Evolutionary biologists have achieved a significant milestone by unraveling the genetic ancestry of a renowned killer whale and its pod.

12 Oct 2023

Shedding Light on the Science of Sourdough Bread

A recent investigation into the microbial ecosystem within sourdough has revealed that the use of various types of flour results in the development of unique bacterial communities.

12 Oct 2023

DNA Aptamer Promotes Cardiomyocyte Differentiation From Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generating specific cell lineages from induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells is the holy grail of regenerative medicine.

12 Oct 2023

The Factors Influencing Egg Cell Development

According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Northwestern Medicine scientists discovered how cytoskeletal proteins influence the growth of developing eggs in fruit flies, findings that advance the field’s understanding of how egg cells form and distinguish themselves from other sister cells.

11 Oct 2023