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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).

Electrochemical biosensor for detecting antibodies

Although it frequently necessitates a challenging laboratory procedure, the quantitative detection of specific antibodies in complex samples like blood can provide information on a variety of diseases.

18 Jan 2023

Insights into the role of the germline in de novo mutation

The male reproductive system is a hotspot for the introduction of new genes. Perhaps that might assist in understanding why fathers tend to pass on more new mutations than mothers do. However, it does not explain why older fathers pass on more mutations than younger fathers.

16 Jan 2023

Ten years and 1,000 studies later, epigeneticists discover problems in their arsenal

Twenty years ago, following the initial sequencing of the human genome, geneticists started carrying out extensive genome-wide association studies to find genomic regions connected to human disease.

16 Jan 2023

Quicker and affordable method of extracting DNA from elephant dung

With the aid of a novel DNA-collection technique, researchers can now collect genetic data from elephants without endangering the animals or endangering themselves.

16 Jan 2023

Importance of involving descendant communities in ancient DNA research

Researchers can track human evolution and make crucial findings about modern populations by analyzing ancient DNA.

13 Jan 2023

Key genes driving cleft lip and palate identified

A research group headed by the University of Iowa recognized three genes that, when deleted, produce cleft lip or palate, a facial abnormality that affects around one in every 1,600 babies in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

13 Jan 2023

Breeding climate-proof crops aided by exotic wheat DNA

Research from the Earlham Institute in Norwich, in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), provides much-needed hope for enhancing crop resilience and food security in the face of climate change following a year in which temperature records have been broken.

11 Jan 2023

New solution to treat diseases caused by exaggerated inflammation

A recent study guided by the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) shows how anticancer drugs reduce inflammation, establishing them as prospective sepsis treatments.

11 Jan 2023

Effective anticancer strategy for selective killing of cancer cells

A study team headed by Dr Yuanliang Zhai from The University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) School of Biological Sciences and his associates from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Institut Curie in France discovered a new mechanism of the human MCM2-7 complex in controlling replication initiation, which can be employed as a unique and effective anticancer method with the potential for selective death of cancer cells.

11 Jan 2023

Chilling tolerance trait in rice with the codon repeats at a single site

A recent study performed by Professor Chong Kang’s group from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has disclosed a fact that a novel cold domesticated repair mechanism for DNA damage in rice.

11 Jan 2023

Taste trumps everything, despite some hesitation about gene-edited table grapes

Despite some hesitation about gene-edited foods, taste trumps everything, according to a Washington State University-led survey of U.S. consumers.

10 Jan 2023

Broccoli heads can resemble cauliflower when grown in higher temperatures

As seasoned gardeners know, broccoli heads don't develop properly and can resemble cauliflower when grown in higher temperatures.

10 Jan 2023

Scandinavian gene pool development via DNA analysis

The complex relationships between geography, ancestry, and gene flow in Scandinavia are resolved in a new study based on 297 ancient Scandinavian genomes that were analyzed along with the genomic data of 16,638 modern Scandinavians.

6 Jan 2023

Researchers expand the known defensive abilities of CRISPR–Cas systems

Viruses can infect bacteria and archaea, just as they can humans. These microbes have evolved their own immune defense mechanisms to combat their pathogens. Bacterial defenses, like CRISPR-Cas systems, contain a variety of proteins and functions that aid bacteria in protecting themselves from foreign intruders.

5 Jan 2023

First-ever chromosome-level genome sequences completed for sharks

The first chromosome level genome sequences for great hammerhead and shortfin mako sharks have shown that both species have experienced major population declines over a 250,000-year history.

5 Jan 2023

Orbit Discovery and SanegeneBio collaborate to identify targeting peptides for RNAi drugs

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From Orbit Discovery 5 Jan 2023

Performing grafting and mobile CRISPR for genome editing in plants

An innovative twist to the CRISPR tool—also known as “genetic scissors”—is being utilized to edit plant genomes by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, signaling a methodology change.

4 Jan 2023

New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease

A figure from the paper depicts pathways perturbed in Alzheimer's disease. Below examples are listed for each pathway by major brain cell type. Image Credit: The Picower Institute.

4 Jan 2023

The detrimental effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy

For the first time, researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland examined the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the epigenome and gene function of the placenta. The epigenome is a molecular coating on a DNA strand that controls how genes are expressed.

4 Jan 2023

Uncovering new function for small RNAs in Salmonella infections

Millions of people get sick from Salmonella each year because they are food-borne pathogens. These bacteria rely on a sophisticated network of genes and gene products that give them the ability to sense environmental conditions to do this.

4 Jan 2023