Genomics

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New Label-Free Breakthrough for Studying Bacterial Shape Diversity

Scientists have long known that bacteria come in many shapes and sizes, but understanding what those differences mean has remained a major challenge, especially for species that can't be grown in the lab.

2 Dec 2025

Unraveling How GFAP Mutations Disrupt Mitochondria in Alexander Disease

Some brain disorders are straightforward, such as the direct frontal lobe assault of a concussion or traumatic brain injury. Others, like Alexander disease, are akin to guerilla warfare.

2 Dec 2025

Ambiguous Stop Codons Expand the Genetic Code in Archaea

The beauty of the DNA code is that organisms interpret it unambiguously. Each three-letter nucleotide sequence, or codon, in a gene codes for a unique amino acid that's added to a chain of amino acids to make a protein.

2 Dec 2025

Study Uncovers How Polyploid Plants Harness Transposons for Evolutionary Innovation

Polyploidization, the combination and duplication of genomes, is a major driver of plant evolution and diversification. Yet this process causes "genome shock," leading to rapid activation of transposable elements (TEs).

2 Dec 2025

CRISPR Technologies Transform On-Site Detection of Animal Pathogens

The rapid spread of animal diseases and pathogen evolution have long posed significant threats to the healthy development of animal husbandry.

28 Nov 2025

Real-Time Visualization Reveals the Transcriptional Gearbox

Life's instructions are written in DNA, but it is the enzyme RNA polymerase II (Pol II) that reads the script, transcribing RNA in eukaryotic cells and eventually giving rise to proteins.

28 Nov 2025

New Regulatory Pathway Enhances Key Aroma Compound in Wine Grapes

β-Damascenone is a key norisoprenoid compound responsible for characteristic floral and fruity aromas in grapes and wines, particularly those from non-aromatic varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

27 Nov 2025

Gene Transcription Start Sites Identified as Hidden Mutational Hotspots

Researchers have discovered new regions of the human genome particularly vulnerable to mutations. These altered stretches of DNA can be passed down to future generations and are important for how we study genetics and disease.

27 Nov 2025

Scientists Map How Transcription Factors Interpret DNA Sequences

With a new study in the journal Cell, researchers at Stanford University and Stockholm University have contributed to increased knowledge about gene regulation in human cells.

27 Nov 2025

DNA Rigidity Inside the Nucleosome Regulates INO80 Positioning

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have shown that DNA inflexibility, or rigidity, inside the nucleosome regulates the positioning of INO80. This highlights that the physical structure and shape of DNA, not just genetic information, are key components of DNA transcription.

26 Nov 2025

Discovery Reveals Unexpected Role for OTULIN in Controlling Tau Expression

Scientists have uncovered a surprising mechanism by which a brain enzyme called OTULIN controls the expression of tau, the protein that forms toxic tangles in Alzheimer's disease.

26 Nov 2025

Novel Mechanism for Epigenetic Patterning in Plants

Every cell within an organism shares an identical genetic blueprint. Their distinct identities stem from epigenetics—precise chemical markers that dictate gene expression.

24 Nov 2025

Genetic Analysis Uncovers Six Distinct Lineages of Global Tea Germplasm

Using 150 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers across 252 tea accessions from India and China, researchers identified six major genetic groups, including the small-leafed sinensis and five broadleaf assamica populations from India, Indochina, and Yunnan. The

22 Nov 2025

New Polygenic Risk Scores Transform Disease Prediction for Han Chinese Populations

Researchers at Academia Sinica have developed the first population-specific polygenic risk score (PRS) models for people of Han Chinese ancestry, achieving unprecedented accuracy in predicting risks for common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders.

22 Nov 2025

New Cloaked CRISPR Technology Reveals Hidden Gene Targets for Cancer Metastasis

The immune system plays a crucial role in fighting tumors and metastases. Consequently, it is decisive to conduct cancer research in mouse models with an immune system that is as natural as possible – which is easier said than done.

21 Nov 2025

Chaperone-Shielding Mechanism Regulates Protein Glycosylation

Proteins are often called the building blocks of cells, but even those building blocks need to be built. One of the most important steps in the process of building proteins is glycosylation, when sugar molecules (glycans) are attached to the maturing protein.

20 Nov 2025

Genetic Insights Reveal Key Drivers of Bone Density in Children

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) revealed important genetic components that affect bone density in children and adolescents.

20 Nov 2025

Discovery Reveals Greater Epigenetic Complexity in Unicellular Life

Multicellular organisms (animals, plants, human) all have the ability to methylate the cytosine © base in their DNA. This process, a type of epigenetic modification, plays an important role in conditions such as cancer and processes such as aging.

19 Nov 2025

Neurons and Other Nondividing Cells Respond Differently to CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing

The gene editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 is changing what's possible for treating a wide range of diseases caused by genetic mutations.

18 Nov 2025

CRISPR Gene Editing Reverses Chemotherapy Resistance in Lung Cancer

In a major step forward for cancer care, researchers at ChristianaCare's Gene Editing Institute have shown that disabling the NRF2 gene with CRISPR technology can reverse chemotherapy resistance in lung cancer. The approach restores drug sensitivity and slows tumor growth.

18 Nov 2025