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A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

Ancient Viral DNA Plays a Key Role in Embryonic Development

More than half of the human genome is made up of thousands of remnants of ancient viral DNA, known as transposable elements, which are pervasive across the tree of life.

21 Jan 2025

Mapping of Neuronal IL-1R1 Expression in the Mouse Brain Sheds Light on Mood and Memory

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key molecule involved in inflammation and plays an important role in both healthy and diseased states.

20 Jan 2025

RNA, Not DNA, Drives Acute Sunburn and Skin Damage

Sunburn has traditionally been attributed to UV-induced DNA damage. However, a new study by the University of Copenhagen and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, reveals that RNA, another vital cellular molecule, plays a major role in triggering acute sunburn reactions.

20 Jan 2025

Unveiling the Interplay of DNA and RNA Epigenetics

The genes contain all the instructions the human body needs to function, but their expression must be carefully regulated to guarantee that each cell performs its function as best it can.

20 Jan 2025

Understanding the Impact of Microbial Associations on Insect Evolution

The evolutionary success of leaf beetles, the most varied herbivores on Earth, was investigated by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Max Planck Institute of Biology in Tübingen, Germany, and a group of scientists from around the world.

20 Jan 2025

GET Model Unveils Gene Regulation with Unmatched Accuracy Across Cell Types

GET, a novel computational model, accurately predicts gene activity by analyzing chromatin accessibility and DNA sequences across diverse human cell types.

20 Jan 2025

Deep Sea Foraminifera Species Unveil Secrets of Life in Extreme Environments

Most life on Earth relies on the sun's energy for survival, but what about organisms in the deep sea that live beyond the reach of its rays? A new study led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), published in The ISME Journal, sheds light on how a species of foraminifera, single-celled organisms found in almost all marine habitats, thrives in a dark, oxygen-free environment.

17 Jan 2025

Researchers Develop Method to Produce Strigolactones Using Microbial Cell Factories

Sometimes just using a different tool makes the job a whole lot easier. A team of researchers co-led by the University of California San Diego has developed a method to produce a special class of plant hormones, known as strigolactones, at unprecedented levels using microbial cell factories.

17 Jan 2025

Study Unveils Surprising Cause of Brain Cell Death in Huntington's Disease

Scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, and McLean Hospital have discovered a surprising mechanism by which the inherited genetic mutation known to cause Huntington's disease leads to the death of brain cells.

17 Jan 2025

Inflammasome Helps Block Malignancy in Blood Stem Cells

A group of immune proteins called the inflammasome can help prevent blood stem cells from becoming malignant by removing certain receptors from their surfaces and blocking cancer gene activity, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

17 Jan 2025

Gene-Edited Bacteria Increases Nitrogen Fixation in Corn

If corn ever felt envious of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing may one day level the playing field.

17 Jan 2025

New study reveals how genes switch on and off in human cells

An international group of scientists has made a significant advancement in their understanding of the regulation of gene expression throughout the human genome.

17 Jan 2025

New Approach Aims to Make CRISPR Therapy Safer and More Effective

CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing tool that holds enormous potential for treating genetic diseases by allowing scientists to cut, replace, or delete mutations in DNA.

16 Jan 2025

Researchers Develop Strategy to Boost Pharmaceutical Production in CHO Cells

An international team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego has developed a new strategy to enhance pharmaceutical production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which are commonly used to manufacture protein-based drugs for treating cancer, autoimmune diseases and much more.

16 Jan 2025

Researchers Develop Method to Visualize Nanocarriers at Single-Cell Level

How can we ensure that life-saving drugs or genetic therapies reach their intended target cells without causing harmful side effects? Researchers at Helmholtz Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) and Technical University Munich (TUM) have taken an important step to answer this question.

16 Jan 2025

Study Reveals Key Ion Channel in Extracellular Vesicles for Cargo Transport

Scientists have revealed the secret to the structural integrity of tiny particles that transport cargo from cell to cell through blood vessels and bodily fluids: special proteins that keep their membranes intact as they negotiate shifting electrical impulses in different biological environments.

16 Jan 2025

Epigenetic Mechanism Controls Placental Blood Vessel Formation

If the development of blood vessels in the placenta is impaired, fetal growth retardation may result. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Mannheim Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University discovered that the correct development of functioning blood vessels in the mouse placenta is controlled epigenetically: One of the enzymes that modify gene activity using methyl groups is responsible.

16 Jan 2025