Genetics News and Research

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Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.

Challenging the Assumption of Genetic Homogeneity in European Ancestry

Previous studies studying the genomes of people with European heritage might have reported misleading results because they did not adequately account for population structure, according to a new study.

8 Nov 2023

Unearthing Beal’s Time Capsule: The 144-Year-Old Seed Experiment

In April of 2021, a clandestine gathering took place on the Michigan State University campus, where four plant scientists from the university unearthed a bottle filled with seeds that had been buried over 144 years ago by the renowned MSU botanist, William J. Beal.

8 Nov 2023

SPT5 Identified as a Potential Target Protein for Treatment of MYC-Dependent Cancers

MYC proteins play an important role in many types of cancer. A research team at the University of Würzburg has now succeeded in indirectly influencing these proteins - with clear consequences for the tumor.

8 Nov 2023

Epidemiology and Genetic Underpinnings of Clonal Hematopoiesis

A comprehensive new study from deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, published today in Nature Genetics, provides insights into the epidemiology and somatic and germline genetics of clonal hematopoiesis.

7 Nov 2023

Epigenetic Changes Drive Cancer Development

Every cell makes its own proteins by accessing the genetic information on its genes. Changes in this information, called mutations, may ruin the function of the affected proteins.

7 Nov 2023

Understanding the Dynamic Regulation of Manchette Microtubules in Sperm Development

A team of researchers, led by Wenxiang Meng from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has demonstrated that the deletion of the calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated protein 1 (CAMSAP1) gene in mice, which is associated with the minus ends of non-centrosomal microtubules, results in a condition known as oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

6 Nov 2023

Prime Editing and Base Editing Could Revolutionize Treatment for Phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare newborn genetic disease that impacts between 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 20,000 people, depending on the individuals' genetic ancestry. PKU causes an amino acid-;called phenylalanine (Phe)-;to build up in the bloodstream.

3 Nov 2023

Obesity Susceptibility may be Written Into Molecular Processes of Human Cells

A susceptibility to gain weight may be written into molecular processes of human cells, a Washington State University study indicates.

2 Nov 2023

Developing New Strategies for Soybean Molecular Breeding

The soybean (Glycine max) stands as a significant economic crop, offering valuable resources such as edible oil, plant-based protein, and various essential nutrients for human consumption.

31 Oct 2023

Genetics can Improve the Diagnostic Value of Cyanobacterial Biomarkers

Cyanobacteria are a key species in Earth's history, as they introduced atmospheric oxygen for the first time. The analysis of their evolution therefore provides important insights into the formation of modern aerobic ecosystems.

30 Oct 2023

A New Grape Downy Mildew Resistance Gene for the Wine Industry

Scientists at Cornell University have unearthed a novel gene conferring resistance to grape downy mildew, providing the wine and grape industry with a potent weapon to combat this destructive ailment.

27 Oct 2023

Uncovering New Insights Into Primate Brain Evolution

In a recent research investigation, scientists from Yale University unveiled the molecular pathways responsible for the developmental distinctions that set primates apart from mice.

27 Oct 2023

Unraveling the Impact of Genetic Mutations on Future Generations

Regarding the structure of the human genome, it is only a matter of time until detrimental genes, which have the potential to jeopardize future generations, emerge within a population.

26 Oct 2023

New Research Program Aims to Understand Key Metabolites That Encourage Plant-Bacterial Nutrient Exchanges

Sustainable agricultural practices are necessary to mitigate climate change and produce more food, fiber, and renewable fuels.

24 Oct 2023

Kingfisher Genes Reveal Secrets of How They Dive Without Sustaining Brain Damage

If you've ever belly-flopped into a pool, then you know: water can be surprisingly hard if you hit it at the wrong angle. But many species of kingfishers dive headfirst into water to catch their fishy prey.

24 Oct 2023

Reassessment of the Role of Background Mutations in Genome Editing

More than a thousand years ago, tomatoes evolved through natural mutations. After human evolution, they cherry-picked tomatoes with preferred traits.

20 Oct 2023

The Story of Sapiens and Neanderthals as Told by Genomes

Neanderthals, who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years on the western half of the Eurasian continent, gave way to Homo sapiens, who had come from Africa, some 40,000 years ago.

19 Oct 2023

"Old School" Genetics may be Just Fine for Species Conservation, Study Suggests

In the world of threatened and endangered species conservation, the genomic revolution has raised some complicated questions: How can scientists justify assessing species genetic diversity without consulting entire genomes now that they can be sequenced?

17 Oct 2023

Study Uncovers Genes in Gut Microbe That Play Key Role in Early Colonization After Fecal Microbe Transplant

Fecal microbe transplants from healthy donors can treat patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. However, after tens of thousands transplants,

16 Oct 2023

Fruit Fly Model Provides Insights into Pathogenesis of New Genetic Disorder

Research conducted in the laboratory of Dr Hugo J. Bellen, a Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital, has identified a novel disorder linked to gain-of-function variants in the DOT1L gene.

16 Oct 2023