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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).

New study figures out which patients will react to immunotherapy

According to a new study, patients with head and neck cancer who have more chromosome 9 genetic material in their cancer cells survive three times longer after accepting immunotherapy than patients who have less of it.

From New York University (NYU) 15 Nov 2022

HIV’s covert methods of evading treatment and immunity

According to Duke Health researchers, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) appears to be driven into a latent state, lurking in cells only to erupt once more. This immune response likely evolved to help fight infections.

15 Nov 2022

Statistical methodology uncovers changes in genomic data

A novel statistical technique makes it easier to find biologically significant changes in genomic data that span multiple conditions, like cell types or tissues.

From Penn State University 15 Nov 2022

Researchers create genetic 'devices' to perform computations like artificial neural circuits

Bringing together concepts from electrical engineering and bioengineering tools, Technion and MIT scientists collaborated to produce cells engineered to compute sophisticated functions – "biocomputers" of sorts.

15 Nov 2022

First-ever pedigree provides insights for maximizing genetic diversity in aquarium-bred corals

Corals bred in public aquaria provide novel research opportunities and a healthy stock for outplanting into the wild, essential components of a thriving future for coral reef ecosystems, which support around 25% of all life in Earth's oceans.

15 Nov 2022

Exploring behavioral variation in a non-captive animal population

For the first time, researchers demonstrate that monkeys with a more social nature—those that groom or are groomed more frequently and with more grooming partners—have a better gut microbiome.

15 Nov 2022

New insights into the genetics underlying autism spectrum

At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), scientists have untangled new genes and genetic changes linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the biggest autism whole genome sequencing analysis so far.

14 Nov 2022

Genetically modifying plant protein to yield more vegetable oil

At the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), researchers have been successful in genetically modifying a plant protein that is accountable for oil accumulation in edible nuts and plant seeds.

From Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU Singapore) 11 Nov 2022

Role of adolescent lifestyle in biological aging

According to findings published in eLife, genetics may contribute to the explanation of the connection between unhealthy lifestyles and increased biological aging in young adults.

10 Nov 2022

Short-term tomato consumption alters gut bacteria toward a more favorable profile

Two weeks of eating a diet heavy in tomatoes increased the diversity of gut microbes and altered gut bacteria toward a more favorable profile in young pigs, researchers found.

9 Nov 2022

Multidisciplinary analysis of WGS improves diagnostic rates

The NHS Genomic Medicine Service, launched by the Department of Health in the United Kingdom in 2018, enables patients with unusual conditions to have their complete genetic code evaluated in the hopes of gaining a critical diagnosis.

From University College London 8 Nov 2022

DNA barcoding tracks the progression of tumor cells through time

According to a recent study from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, some cancer cells can use parallel mechanisms to elude immune system defenses and withstand immunotherapy treatment.

8 Nov 2022

Researchers uncover a mechanism of flowering plant sperm compaction

Sperm cells have compact bundles of DNA, yet exactly how and why sperm cell nuclei are condensed in flowering plants has been a mystery, until now.

4 Nov 2022

Role of p53-mediated metabolism in preventing genomic instability

The gene that codes for the protein p53 is most likely the most significant factor in defending human cells against DNA-damaging agents that cause cancer. The protein permits cells to repair DNA damage and so prevents the formation of malignancies, earning it the nickname “guardian of the genome.”

4 Nov 2022

Gene editing technique makes new kinds of research possible in animal models

Working in teeny tiny worms, scientists can now test the effects of thousands of genetic mutations in one fell swoop.

3 Nov 2022

RNA-edited regions in brain shed light on neurodevelopment and disease

Numerous sites in the brain where RNA is altered over the course of a person’s lifespan through a process known as adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing have been identified by Mount Sinai researchers.

3 Nov 2022

Novel technique expedites research into the genetics of aging

A novel technique for identifying the genes that are important for aging has been discovered by scientists at North Carolina State University.

3 Nov 2022

New method reveals how photosynthetic microalgae interact with their environment

Microalgae are algae too small to see with the human eye that live in both fresh and sea water. They are responsible for half of fixation of carbon that occurs on Earth through photosynthesis.

2 Nov 2022

DNA-based nanotransporters could improve treatment of cancers, other diseases

A team of Canadian researchers from Université de Montréal has designed and validated a new class of drug transporters made of DNA that are 20,000 times smaller than a human hair and that could improve how cancers and other diseases are treated.

2 Nov 2022

Combination of microscopy and DNA analysis yields new insights into polar cod’s diet

An essential component of the Arctic food chain is polar fish. Along with colleagues from KU Leuven and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Sarah Maes (KU Leuven) and Fokje Schaafsma (Wageningen Marine Research) examined the diet of polar cod from the Barents Sea.

1 Nov 2022