Genetics and Genomics News and Research

Latest Genetics and Genomics News and Research

Scientists Discover New Embryonic Cell Type that Self-Destructs to Protect the Developing Embryo

Scientists studying gene activity data of the early human embryo have discovered an overlooked type of cell which self-destructs within days of forming, as part of a quality control process to protect the developing foetus.

21 Jun 2023

Review: Role of Alternative Splicing Defects in Major Neurodegenerative Diseases

Alternative splicing, a clever way a cell generates many different variations of messenger RNAs -; single-stranded RNAs involved in protein synthesis -; and proteins from the same stretch of DNA, plays an important role in molecular biology.

21 Jun 2023

Scientists Discover Candidate Genes for Disease Resistance in Wild Grape Plants

A team of scientists – including UC Irvine's Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Brandon Gaut and UC Davis' Professors of Viticulture & Enology Dario Cantù and Andy Walker – has made a significant breakthrough in the battle against a devastating disease affecting grapevines.

20 Jun 2023

Detailed Genome Map to Prevent the Extinction of the Rusty Patched Bumblebee

Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have released a comprehensive, high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumble bees’ genome, supplying new approaches for saving the native pollinator from extinction.

20 Jun 2023

Analysis of Complex Genome Interactions Using “GAM”

Eesearchers at the Max Delbrück Center’s Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology (MDC-BIMSB) have created a method called Genome Architecture Mapping (“GAM”) to see within the genome and see it in dazzling technicolor.

20 Jun 2023

New Method Provides Near-Perfect Control Over the Manipulation of Individual Molecules

Aleksandra Radenovic, Head of the School of Engineering’s Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, has spent years working to enhance nanopore technology, which primarily involves a molecule like DNA through a tiny pore in a membrane to quantify an ionic current.

20 Jun 2023

Establishing the Flour Reference Proteome for Five Wheat Species

The protein composition of the five types of wheat—einkorn, emmer, spelt, durum, and common wheat—and their varieties differ widely.

20 Jun 2023

New Gene Variant can be Modified to Improve the Performance of Rice

Rice that is resistant to some of the worst crop-destroying diseases but can still produce large yields could soon become a reality for farmers worldwide.

20 Jun 2023

Study Reveals Genetic Underpinnings That Allow Highland Mice to Protect Developing Fetuses

Pregnancy at high elevations often is associated with low birth weights and other complications. These challenges occur in a wide range of mammals, from deer mice to human beings.

19 Jun 2023

Understanding How Genes Predispose Humans to Allergies

New research is expanding the scientific understanding of why some people are more allergic than others. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine discovered how genetic changes that modify a specific protein called ETS1 can affect our body’s response to allergens.

16 Jun 2023

New Mechanism to Maintain Astrocyte-Neuron Communication

Neurons and astrocytes are the two types of cells required by the brain to enjoy the scent of morning coffee and freshly baked cookies or to discern the warning smell of something burning.

16 Jun 2023

Utilizing Genome Editing to Encourage High Crop Yields

According to a recent study released in the journal Nature on June 14th, 2023, scientists from the University of California, Davis, and an international team of researchers utilized the genome-editing tool CRISPR-Cas to generate disease-resistant rice plants.

16 Jun 2023

Small RNA Identified as Regulator During Bacterial Infection

Infection risk is always there in those with compromised immune systems. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a typical environmental bacterium, can colonize several body areas, including the lungs.

15 Jun 2023

Investigating the Neandertal Origin of Dupuytren’s Disease

Recent research published by Oxford University Press in Molecular Biology and Evolution demonstrates that Dupuytren’s disease is partially Neandertal in origin.

15 Jun 2023

New Data Shows Gene Expression at Different Stages of Pregnancy

While the exterior features of a woman can alter throughout pregnancy, scientists are surprisingly ignorant about the interior biological changes that take place.

14 Jun 2023

Discovering a Novel Method to Determine the Parent Species of Hybrids

For those who have maintained a garden, hybrids are well-known, from disease-resistant tomatoes to Stargazer lilies.

14 Jun 2023

cBAF Protein Complex Controls the Fate of T Cells

The immune system protects the body from intruders, like bacteria, viruses, or tumors, with its intricate network of proteins, cells, and organs. Cytotoxic T cells are specialized immune cells that can grow into short-lived effector cells that destroy infected or malignant cells in human bodies.

14 Jun 2023

iPSC-Based Model System Helps Study Lung-Specific Mesenchyme

Lung mesenchymal cells, which are crucial components of the lung’s distinctive structure, also play a significant role in disease and injury recovery, but research into their biology and how they start disorders like pulmonary fibrosis is limited.

14 Jun 2023

Reengineering the Cellular Synthetic Machinery to Produce Never-Before-Seen Polymers

Synthetic biologists have become increasingly creative in engineering yeast or bacteria to churn out useful chemicals -; from fuels to fabrics and drugs -; beyond the normal repertoire of microbes.

14 Jun 2023

Heat-Damaged DNA in Food Linked to Possible Genetic Risks

Researchers have newly discovered a surprising and potentially significant reason why eating foods frequently cooked at high temperatures, such as red meat and deep-fried fare, elevates cancer risk. The alleged culprit: DNA within the food that's been damaged by the cooking process.

14 Jun 2023