Genetic News and Research

RSS

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

Revealing the Genetic Mechanisms Driving SARS-CoV-2 Variants

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, exhibits a troubling tendency to produce variants frequently.

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

Study Uncovers Rare Fosa Predation Events on Critically Endangered Lemurs

What can be done when one threatened animal kills another? Scientists studying critically endangered lemurs in Madagascar confronted this difficult reality when they witnessed attacks on lemurs by another vulnerable species, a carnivore called a fosa.

22 Apr 2024

Researchers Identify Link Between Mitochondrial Depletion and Protein Build-Up in Neurons

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have identified how proteins collect abnormally in neurons, a feature of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

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

Soil Bacteria Use Umbrella Toxins to Fight Back

Scientists have found that soil bacteria called Streptomyces secrete toxic protein particles in the shape of umbrellas that are meant to suppress competitors, particularly those that belong to their species.

18 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

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

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

Genomic Research Unravels Arabica Coffee's Ancient Origins

The key to growing coffee plants that can better resist climate change in the decades to come may lie in the ancient past.

16 Apr 2024

Exercise Intervention Reduces Fat Accumulation Associated with Aging

Scientists have discovered that a type of fat accumulates as tissue ages and that this accumulation can be reversed through exercise.

16 Apr 2024

New Delivery System Opens the Door to Gene-Silencing Therapy

The next generation of medications, known as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), works by preventing the transmission of damaging genetic messages.

16 Apr 2024

Nasal Cells in Children Shield Against Severe COVID-19

Children usually have milder COVID-19 symptoms; this could be due to differences in how elderly and young people's nasal cells react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

16 Apr 2024

Can Pets Harbor and Spread Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?

According to new research, pet dogs and cats are major contributors to the spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

15 Apr 2024

Genetic Link to Persistent HPV Infections Identified

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the second most common cancer-causing virus, accounting for 690,000 cervical and other cancers each year worldwide.

15 Apr 2024

Research Uncovers Genetic Basis of Macroalgae Multicellularity

A deep dive into macroalgae genetics has uncovered the genetic underpinnings that enabled macroalgae, or "seaweed," to evolve multicellularity.

15 Apr 2024

Genomic Deletions Drive Development of Melanoma Drug Resistance

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. With global incidence rates rising, new, more effective treatments are necessary to alleviate the health burden of the disease. Important advances in recent years include doctors using genetic tests to look for specific mutations they can target for more personalised, effective treatment.

15 Apr 2024