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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.

Epigenetics May Spark Tumors Without DNA Mutations

Scientists from the CNRS are part of a research team that has found that epigenetic changes, or modifications that affect the regulation of gene expression, can be the sole cause of cancer, one of the world's leading causes of death.

25 Apr 2024

Largest Plant DNA Study Ever Unveils Flowering Plant Tree of Life

The most up-to-date understanding of the flowering plant tree of life is presented in a new study published today in the journal Nature by an international team of 279 scientists, including three University of Michigan biologists.

25 Apr 2024

Immune System's Standby Mode: Healthy Tissue Keeps Defenses Ready

When pathogens invade the body, the immune system must react immediately to prevent or contain an infection.

25 Apr 2024

Ancient Gene Holds Key to Mammalian Gliding

People say "When pigs fly" to describe the impossible. But even if most mammals are landlubbers, the ability to glide or fly has evolved again and again during mammalian evolution, in species ranging from bats to flying squirrels.

25 Apr 2024

Using State-of-the Art Imaging to Understand Lipid Dysfunction in Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease causes significant problems with memory, thinking and behavior and is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 50 million people around the world each year.

24 Apr 2024

Small RNA-Binding Protein Promotes Prime Editing Efficiency

Through years of engineering gene-editing systems, researchers have developed a suite of tools that enable the modification of genomes in living cells, akin to 'genome surgery'.

23 Apr 2024

Study Uncovers Cells' Surprising Strategy to Control Signaling Pathways

Healthy cells respond appropriately to changes in their environment. They do this by sensing what's happening outside and relaying a command to the precise biomolecule in the precise domain that can carry out the necessary response.

23 Apr 2024

The Potential Impact of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing on Controlling Chagas Disease

The principal vector of Chagas disease, a serious public health hazard in Central and South America as well as the southern United States, is kissing bugs, also known as triatomine bugs.

23 Apr 2024

Enhancing Drug Discovery Through Automated Protein Labeling

Exact protein observation in cells is crucial for many scientific fields, but it has proven to be a difficult technical task, particularly in living cells where each protein needs to have its fluorescent label applied separately.

22 Apr 2024

Protein TRBP's Regulatory Role in Immune Response to Viral Infections Uncovered

Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells.

22 Apr 2024

The Genetic Secret Behind Human Skull Morphology

Researchers at the Universities of Helsinki, Barcelona, and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have discovered a single nucleotide alteration that is crucial to the evolution of human skull morphology and influences the expression of the TBX1 gene and the formation of the skull base.

18 Apr 2024

U of T Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery in DNA Repair Mechanism

Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a DNA repair mechanism that advances understanding of how human cells stay healthy, and which could lead to new treatments for cancer and premature aging.

18 Apr 2024

Placenta's Role in Gestational Diabetes Revealed

A recent study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute has discovered that a deficiency in placental expression of the gene insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGFBP1) and low circulating levels of IGFBP1 are linked to insulin resistance during pregnancy, indicating a potential risk factor for the onset of gestational diabetes.

17 Apr 2024

Review Explores Genetic Basis of Flower Color Diversity in Rhododendron

A research team has made strides in uncovering the genetic foundations of flower color variation within the Rhododendron genus.

17 Apr 2024

Mapping Gene Signatures Unveils How Lewy Bodies Impact Brain Cells

A new study by scientists at Van Andel Institute provides an initial glimpse into the intricate molecular changes taking place in brain cells with Lewy bodies, crucial pathological markers of Parkinson’s disease and certain dementias.

17 Apr 2024

Mysterious Plasmid in Human Gut Holds Potential for Health Hazard Detection

A component of the human intestinal flora that has been little studied to date is the focus of a new study.

17 Apr 2024

First Single-Cell Atlas for the Water Nymph Worm Published

An international team of scientists including B. Duygu Özpolat at Washington University in St. Louis has published the first single-cell atlas for Pristina leidyi (Pristina), the water nymph worm, a segmented annelid with extraordinary regenerative abilities that has fascinated biologists for more than a century.

16 Apr 2024