DNA News and Research

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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).

Researchers analyze individual cells to build an atlas of the human heart

Scientists have created a cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart, to understand how this vital organ functions, and to shed light on what goes wrong in cardiovascular disease.

25 Sep 2020

Scientists uncover new parvovirus strategy for reaching the cell nucleus

Researchers at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, in collaboration with American scientists, have uncovered a new parvovirus strategy for reaching the cell nucleus which is their site of replication.

25 Sep 2020

Genome duplications play a major role in the development and evolution of plants

Genome duplications play a major role in the development of forms and structures of plant organisms and their changes across long periods of evolution.

24 Sep 2020

Researchers identify a driver of drug resistance in some cancers

Patients with BRCA1/2 mutations are at higher risk for breast, ovarian and prostate cancers that can be aggressive when they develop - and, in many cases, resistant to lifesaving drugs.

24 Sep 2020

Study sheds light on the evolution of cheating and cooperative behaviors within different organisms

Cheating mitochondria can exploit cellular mechanisms for dealing with the scarcity of food in a worm, although this can decrease its wellbeing

24 Sep 2020

ADHD study reveals genetic differences between African Americans and people of European ancestry

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have shown there may be key genetic differences in the causes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between African Americans and people of European ancestry, which may play an important part in how patients of different ethnic backgrounds respond to treatments for this condition. The findings were published online by the journal Scientific Reports.

23 Sep 2020

Scientists uncover new pathway to protect plants from fungal infection

Widespread fungal disease in plants can be controlled with a commercially available chemical that has been primarily used in medicine until now. This discovery was made by scientists from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the University of the State of Paraná in Brazil.

23 Sep 2020

Irisin hormone could have therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) suggests that irisin, a hormone secreted from muscles in response to exercise, could have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients.

23 Sep 2020

New technology to unlock the secrets of plant genomes in high resolution

The genomes of all higher life forms are stored in the cell nucleus on chromosomes. Chromosomes are composed of strands of the DNA molecule.

22 Sep 2020

Genetic differences between domesticated and wild chickens linked to epigenetic changes

Some of the genetic differences that have arisen between domesticated chickens and their wild ancestors, the red junglefowl, are linked to epigenetic changes, according to a new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

22 Sep 2020

Researchers develop new tools that control the balance of genetic inheritance

In the last 10 years, scientists have designed a range of novel tools that regulate the balance of genetic inheritance.

From UC San Diego 22 Sep 2020

Study shows removal of specific gene makes poxviruses harmless

According to a new study, the removal of a single gene makes poxviruses—a lethal family of viral infections that spread from animals to humans—harmless.

From University of Surrey 22 Sep 2020

Human genetics: New insights into our own biology

Who are we? Where did we come from? How did we get here? Throughout the ages, humans have sought answers to these questions, pursuing wisdom through religion, philosophy, and eventually science.

21 Sep 2020

Public attitudes toward data sharing can hinder genomics research

More work is required to increase the levels of public trust in how genetic information is used to meet its promise to improve medicine and human health.

21 Sep 2020

New mathematical tools reveal the evolution and spread of tumors

Interpreting the particular mutations that play a role in different forms of cancer is crucial to enhance diagnosis and treatment.

21 Sep 2020

Study may lead to better treatments for cancer and developmental syndromes

The most rudimentary activity of a living thing is to change one copy of its genome into two copies, creating one cell into two.

18 Sep 2020

Proteins act as compasses to guide stem cell division in plants

The stem cells tasked with creating and maintaining biological tissues have a difficult job. They have to precisely divide to form new specialized cells, which are destined to different fates even though they contain identical DNA. An obvious question then is: How do the cells divide in all the right ways to produce a healthy tissue?

18 Sep 2020