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Genome of Xerces Blue Butterfly Reveals Extinction Story

The Xerces Blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) was native to the coastal dunes of San Francisco, in the United States. As the city grew, much of the butterfly's habitat was destroyed and its population was relegated to Golden Gate National Park.

12 Jul 2023

First 'Living Digital Camera' Stores Images in DNA

In a world first, a 'biological camera' bypasses the constraints of current DNA storage methods, harnessing living cells and their inherent biological mechanisms to encode and store data.

12 Jul 2023

The Mechanism of Immune Memory Development

The memory of the immune system depends on distinctive epigenetic traits and a particular 3D arrangement of the DNA in the nucleus of memory cells, allowing for rapid activation of these cells, according to a team of researchers from the Erasmus University Medical Center, the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute.

12 Jul 2023

Lipe Gene Plays Pivotal Role in Retinal Health, Study Finds

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a gene called Lipe that appears to be pivotal to retinal health, with mutations spurring immune activation and retinal degeneration.

12 Jul 2023

New Insights Into How Genes Are Activated

Genetic information contained within DNA has to be read by specific proteins that enable the process of gene activation to begin – but in many cases, these proteins can't access their targets because DNA strands are bundled up to control what genes are used in the wide range of different cell types.

12 Jul 2023

Whole Genome Sequencing More Effective Than Targeted Gene Sequencing in Detecting Genetic Disorders

A new national study, led by researchers at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, has found whole genome sequencing (WGS) to be nearly twice as effective as a targeted gene sequencing test at identifying abnormalities responsible for genetic disorders in newborns and infants.

12 Jul 2023

New Culture System may Improve Efficiency and Safety of Genome Editing in HSCs

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare cells found in the bone marrow that produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

11 Jul 2023

T cells are Sensitive to Genetic Disturbances Within Mitochondrial Power Plants

All cells have their own power plants, called mitochondria. There are often more than 100 mitochondria per cell and each possesses their own genome, which in turn contains genes responsible for energy production.

7 Jul 2023

Genetic Changes in Maize Reveal Trade-Offs in Heat Tolerance

The ability of crops to withstand heat is critical to our food system's resilience to climate change. A study published in the open access journal PLOS Genetics by Aaron Kusmec at Iowa State University; Ames, Iowa, United States and colleagues suggests that trait selection through plant breeding has increased maize's tolerance to moderate heat stress over time; however, its tolerance to severe heat stress has decreased.

7 Jul 2023

Researchers Develop New Way to Genetically Suppress Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes

Malaria remains one of the world's deadliest diseases. Each year malaria infections result in hundreds of thousands of deaths, with the majority of fatalities occurring in children under five.

6 Jul 2023

Study Uncovers Candidate Genes That may Drive Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A study of the genetic variation that makes mice more susceptible to bowel inflammation after a high-fat diet has identified candidate genes which may drive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans.

6 Jul 2023

New Method Reveals How Hepatitis C Virus Evades Immune System

With a new method for examining virus samples researchers from the University of Copenhagen have solved an old riddle about how Hepatitis C virus avoids the human body's immune defenses.

6 Jul 2023

Glutaminase 2 Plays a Key Role in Glucose Homeostasis

Glutaminase 2 (GLS2) is a master regulator of glutaminolysis. GLS2 converts glutamine to glutamate, thereby playing a role in cellular energy production. GLS2 is abundant in the liver, and is also found in pancreatic β-cells. However, the role of GLS2 in pancreatic islets – in which both ɑ- and β- cells are present – associated with glucose metabolism is currently unknown.

6 Jul 2023

Negative Modulation of Arabidopsis Salinity Tolerance by CONSTANS Protein

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)’s photoperiodically controlled flowering and circadian pathways are primarily regulated by CONSTANS (CO), a well-known B-box family member.

5 Jul 2023

Gut Microbes Could Be Harnessed to Block Mercury Absorption

New research by a team at Pennsylvania State University suggests that microbes in the human gut could be harnessed to block absorption of toxic metals like mercury and help the body absorb useful nutritional ones, like iron.

5 Jul 2023

Host Genetics Affects Composition of Switchgrass Root Microbiome

Plants provide a home for a wide diversity of microbes, especially in their roots. In turn, these communities can provide important benefits for the host.

5 Jul 2023

Deep Learning Model Accurately Predicts RNA-Targeting CRISPR Activity

According to new research published in Nature Biotechnology, artificial intelligence can predict on- and off-target behavior of CRISPR tools that target RNA rather than DNA.

5 Jul 2023

Genetically Modified iPS Cell Applications for Fabry Disease

iPS cells have had a significant impact on biology and medicine, and they are expected to increase regenerative medicine. Clinical trials with various cell types derived from iPS cells have been performed since 2014 when a sheet of retinal pigment epithelial cells obtained from iPS cells was transplanted into patients with age-related macular degeneration.

4 Jul 2023