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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).

Genome of domesticated banana varieties contains traces of three unknown ancestors

Bananas are thought to have been first domesticated by people 7,000 years ago on the island of New Guinea.

10 Oct 2022

Broadening the scope of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing systems

A group of Northwestern University researchers has created a novel gene editing platform that might influence the future application of a nearly infinite library of CRISPR-based therapeutics.

7 Oct 2022

Genomic research helps in tackling the fatal complications of fungal infections

An important genetic discovery made by a research team led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst scientist sheds new light on the application of the drug caspofungin to treat the deadly fungal infection Aspergillus fumigatus, which claims the lives of about 100,000 severely immunocompromised individuals every year.

7 Oct 2022

A remarkable finding reorients attempts to cure liver disease

A long-running debate in gastroenterology has been settled by WEHI researchers who have shown that prevalent liver diseases are not caused by inflammatory cell death as previously believed.

From Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) 7 Oct 2022

Multi-institutional project aims to deepen the understanding of a versatile bioenergy crop

Principal Investigator, Andrea Eveland, Ph.D., associate member at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, will lead a multi-institutional project to deepen the understanding of sorghum, a versatile bioenergy crop, and its response to drought.

6 Oct 2022

Making synthetic biology applications feasible using RNA origami

Synthetic biology aims to acquire comprehensive control over biological functions to produce designer organisms for a range of commercial, diagnostic, and therapeutic uses.

6 Oct 2022

Cell illumination and targeted cell editing using RNA-based editing technology

An RNA-based editing tool has been developed by Duke University researchers, which targets specific cells rather than genes. Any cell type can be precisely targeted, and any protein of interest can be added only to that cell type.

6 Oct 2022

New insight into human genome evolution

Researchers discovered that in one out of every 4,000 births, some of the genetic code from the mitochondria—the “batteries” that power human cells—inserts itself into the DNA, giving a startling new insight into how humans evolve.

6 Oct 2022

Research team outlines three-step technique that lets human body defend against Hep B

A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has unraveled the precise operation of this defensive mechanism after finding a crucial protein complex that is active when our body is infected by the virus, paving the path for novel treatment targets.

5 Oct 2022

A strong enzyme that functions similar to a Swiss army knife

Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, have a superpower that likely contributes to their extreme success as waterway invaders. They have a remarkable capacity to store nitrogen and energy in their cells for use when necessary.

3 Oct 2022

Single-cell functional tool screens active ARB in native soils

Soil antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses significant health risks due to the possibility of transfer to humans via direct contact and the food chain.

3 Oct 2022

Using in vivo self-assembled siRNA as part of combination therapy for ulcerative colitis

There is still a large unmet medical need for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, despite recent improvements in the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of ulcerative colitis.

30 Sep 2022

“Junk” DNA could provide access to innovative treatments for neurological conditions

The breakthrough study from the University of Sheffield’s Neuroscience Institute and Healthy Lifespan Institute offers critical new insights into the so-called junk DNA, or DNA that was previously believed to be unimportant to the coding of the genome, and how it affects neurological disorders like Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Alzheimer’s.

29 Sep 2022

New insights into the regulatory mechanisms of cell fate decisions

The Babraham Institute’s Reik lab’s study has improved the understanding of the function of DNA methylation during the early stages of development.

29 Sep 2022

Genome of the earliest common ancestor of all mammals identified

From a platypus to a blue whale, all living mammals today are derived from a single ancestor that existed around 180 million years ago. Although nothing much is known about this species, an international team of experts has now computationally rebuilt how its DNA is organized.

From The University of California, Davis 28 Sep 2022

Radical theory examines how charged macromolecules self-assemble

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that uniformly charged macromolecules, or molecules like proteins or DNA, which contain a large number of atoms all with the same electrical charge, can self-assemble into very large structures.

27 Sep 2022

Tiny DNA strand net in a low-cost test platform traps COVID-19 virus

According to a new study, tiny nets made of DNA strands can capture the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19, illuminating it for a quick yet accurate diagnostic test and preventing it from infecting cells, suggesting a new potential path to antiviral treatment.

26 Sep 2022

Carp virus provides significant insights into immunology

In an article published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, the team led by Prof. Alain Vanderplasschen, a virologist and immunologist at the University of Liège, describes 10 years of research on how a carp virus uses a protein domain called Zalpha (Zα) to inhibit the host cell’s defense mechanisms.

26 Sep 2022

Modification of the lignin “chemical code”

According to a recent study, it is possible to genetically alter the lignin chemistry of plants to improve their ability to recover from drought without compromising the size of the plant or seed production.

22 Sep 2022

Researchers use bacteria to create artificial cells that function like living cells

Researchers have used bacteria to create sophisticated synthetic cells that imitate the activity of genuine cells.

15 Sep 2022

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Genome of domesticated banana varieties contains traces of three unknown ancestors

Broadening the scope of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing systems

Genomic research helps in tackling the fatal complications of fungal infections

A remarkable finding reorients attempts to cure liver disease

Multi-institutional project aims to deepen the understanding of a versatile bioenergy crop

Making synthetic biology applications feasible using RNA origami

Cell illumination and targeted cell editing using RNA-based editing technology

New insight into human genome evolution

Research team outlines three-step technique that lets human body defend against Hep B

A strong enzyme that functions similar to a Swiss army knife

Single-cell functional tool screens active ARB in native soils

Using in vivo self-assembled siRNA as part of combination therapy for ulcerative colitis

“Junk” DNA could provide access to innovative treatments for neurological conditions

New insights into the regulatory mechanisms of cell fate decisions

Genome of the earliest common ancestor of all mammals identified

Radical theory examines how charged macromolecules self-assemble

Tiny DNA strand net in a low-cost test platform traps COVID-19 virus

Carp virus provides significant insights into immunology

Modification of the lignin “chemical code”

Researchers use bacteria to create artificial cells that function like living cells

Driving Support for Pharmaceutical Testing Through Continuous Innovation

From Memory to Metaplasticity: Unraveling the Brain's Secrets

Revolutionizing Mass Spectrometry: A Deep Dive into Plasmion’s SICRIT® Technology

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