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A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

Improved efficacy of advanced genome editing with machine learning

Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute have developed a new tool to estimate the probability of successfully introducing a gene-edited DNA sequence into a cell’s genome using the prime editing method.

17 Feb 2023

High diversity in T-cell receptor genes explains diverse response to infections

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have demonstrated that the genes that encode the T cell receptors change significantly between individuals and communities, which could help explain why people react differently to certain diseases.

17 Feb 2023

New insights into genetics of sexually dimorphic fat distribution in humans

Obesity causes many health problems and worsens several chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, however, some obese people are more susceptible to complications than others.

17 Feb 2023

Scientists correct limb length in mouse model of autosomal dominant Robinow Syndrome

Robinow Syndrome is the best known of a set of genetic disorders that affect the growth and development of the skeletal system.

16 Feb 2023

New center at UCLA focuses on the microbiome’s role in disease prevention

Among the most promising areas of scientific inquiry is the study of the human microbiome and its effect on health. To fuel more rapid progress in this field, Andrea and Donald Goodman and Renee and Meyer Luskin have made a $20 million gift to establish the UCLA Goodman–Luskin Microbiome Center.

16 Feb 2023

An innovative strategy for on-demand contraception for men

An experimental contraceptive drug developed by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators temporarily stops sperm in their tracks and prevents pregnancies in preclinical models. The study, published in Nature Communications on Feb. 14, demonstrates that an on-demand male contraceptive is possible.

16 Feb 2023

Novel mechanism of DNA repair occurring in neurons uncovered

"Use it or lose it" goes the adage, applied liberally to everything from our muscles to our minds, especially as we age.

16 Feb 2023

The essential protein needed for immune evasion and tumor cell metabolism

Typically, tumor cells change their energy metabolism and take in more glucose to enable their rapid division and spread. As a result, the body’s immune response to cancer is suppressed by limiting the immune cells’ access to glucose.

15 Feb 2023

How the immune response in the brain aggravates epilepsy

Biologists at the University of Iowa have conclusively connected epilepsy with the brain’s immune system.

15 Feb 2023

Baby kangaroo feces may offer a solution to reduce methane emissions from cattle

Baby kangaroo feces might help provide an unlikely solution to the environmental problem of cow-produced methane.

15 Feb 2023

IGSF3-mediated potassium dysregulation drives glioma-related epilepsy

Glioma is one of the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumors. A common feature of glioma is the presence of localized, intermittent seizures referred to as glioma-related epilepsy, which is known to promote tumor growth. However, the mechanism involved at the molecular level is still not clear.

15 Feb 2023

Study reveals important role of Secretin receptor in regulating drinking behavior under thirst

Animals instinctively find and consume water when feeling thirsty in order to restore body fluid osmolality and plasma volume to their set points.

15 Feb 2023

MD Anderson and Replay launch new company pioneering T cell receptor NK cell therapies

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Replay today announced the launch of Syena, a new oncology-focused product company pioneering T cell receptor (TCR) natural killer (NK) cell therapies.

15 Feb 2023

New family of pharmaceutical compounds that target RNA

In Jennifer Hines’ lab, a group of graduate and undergraduate chemistry students recently discovered a new family of compounds that can target RNA and interfere with its function. In the future, RNA-targeted treatments to treat cancer and metabolic diseases, together with bacterial and viral infections, could be developed using the chemical scaffold found in this research.

15 Feb 2023

Versatile molecular toolbox expands the scope of gene regulation

Rice University scientists have enlisted widely used cancer therapy systems to control gene expression in mammalian cells, a feat of synthetic biology that could change how diseases are treated.

15 Feb 2023

Identifying mechanisms that may promote hair cell regeneration in mammals

Taking a bite of an apple is considered a healthy choice. But have you ever thought about putting in earplugs before your favorite band takes the stage?

14 Feb 2023

Study charts seasonal and circadian genetic variation across the human body

The daily rotation of Earth and its yearly voyage around the Sun marks the natural rhythm of life on the planet.

14 Feb 2023

Study finds similar levels of DNA damage in vapers and smokers

E-cigarettes-; used regularly by more than 10% of U.S. teens and more than 3% of adults-; were once pitched as a healthy alternative to tobacco cigarettes.

14 Feb 2023

UChicago scientists shed light on the longstanding puzzle of RNA methylation

University of Chicago scientists have discovered a new wrinkle in our understanding of how our genes work.

14 Feb 2023

Researchers discover target enzyme for blast disease

A fungus that plagues rice crops worldwide gains entry to plant cells in a way that leaves it vulnerable to simple chemical blockers, a discovery that could lead to new fungicides to reduce the substantial annual losses of rice and other valuable cereals.

14 Feb 2023