Genetics and Genomics News and Research

Latest Genetics and Genomics News and Research

Is Calcium Signaling the Bridge Between Unicellular and Multicellular Life?

Calcium-dependent signaling in S. rosetta uncovers mechanisms of cellular coordination, shedding light on the evolution of multicellularity and sensory systems.

16 Jan 2025

Unrepaired DNA Damage Can Persist for Years and Lead to Cancer Mutations

While most known types of DNA damage are fixed by our cells’ in-house repair mechanisms, some forms of DNA damage evade repair and can persist for many years, new research shows. This means that the damage has multiple chances to generate harmful mutations, which can lead to cancer.

15 Jan 2025

Genetic Analysis Sheds Light on How Staphylococcus aureus Evades the Immune System

The most detailed study to date on the mechanisms by which a common type of bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, adapts to living on the human body could help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of certain infections.

15 Jan 2025

New Genetic Risk Factor Identified for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Researchers have identified a novel genetic risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing new insights into the virus' ability to invade human cells. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that spreads COVID-19.

15 Jan 2025

Base Editing Technique Extends Lifespan in Prion Disease Mouse Model

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have developed a gene-editing treatment for prion disease that extends lifespan by about 50 percent in a mouse model of the fatal neurodegenerative condition.

15 Jan 2025

Understanding RapA's Function in E. coli R-loop Control

From a genetic perspective, it is the worst-case scenario for a bacterium: during transcription, freshly created RNA adheres to its DNA template to form a three-stranded structure called an R-loop.

15 Jan 2025

The Role of Genetics and Environment in Plant Domestication

University of Southampton researchers have suggested that certain wild plant species possess specific traits that make them more suitable for human cultivation than others.

15 Jan 2025

Researchers Predict U.S. Dementia Cases Will Double by 2060

Unveiling a looming health crisis: how shifting demographics and genetic risks are driving a dramatic rise in dementia cases.

14 Jan 2025

A Novel Mechanism for Enhancing Root Growth in Response to Drought

Researchers have learned how drought causes plants to modify their root systems so they grow deeper into the ground to reach water reserves.

13 Jan 2025

Is it possible to predict a pathogen’s next move? Novel tool for detecting pathogen fitness says yes!

Phylowave reveals evolutionary dynamics in pathogens, identifying fitness-linked lineages and mutations, essential for effective public health interventions.

13 Jan 2025

Scientists Uncover Key Plant Metabolite to Block Biofilm Development

If your teeth have ever felt fuzzy after skipping a brushing, you've encountered biofilm-a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces. In medical settings, biofilms make infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on devices like catheters and implants.

13 Jan 2025

Outer Ears Evolved From Fish Gills Through Unique Genetic Mechanism

The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, this intricate coil of cartilage has a surprisingly ancient origin in the gills of fishes and marine invertebrates.

10 Jan 2025

Researchers Discover How Protein Instability Drives Heritable Diseases

Most mutations which cause disease by swapping one amino acid out for another do so by making the protein less stable, according to a massive study of human protein variants published today in the journal Nature.

10 Jan 2025

Research Shows How Sleep Clears Brain Waste

A good night's sleep does more than just help you feel rested-it might literally clear your mind. A new study published January 8 in the Cell Press journal Cell shows how deep sleep may wash away waste buildup in the brain during waking hours, an essential process for maintaining brain health.

10 Jan 2025

Scientists Uncover Circuit Controlling Neuron Migration in Brain Development

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but for developing neurons, this first step relies on collaboration from multiple signaling pathways.

10 Jan 2025

Neuropilin2 Gene Disruption Impacts Brain Circuitry in Autism and Epilepsy

The gene neuropilin2 encodes a receptor involved in cell-cell interactions in the brain and plays a key role in regulating the development of neural circuits.

10 Jan 2025

Fiber Digestion Alters Gene Function with Potential Anti-Cancer Effects

Fiber is well known to be an important part of a healthy diet, yet less than 10% of Americans eat the minimum recommended amount.

10 Jan 2025

UK Biobank to Study Protein Changes Across 600,000 Samples

UK Biobank has today announced the launch of the world's most comprehensive study of the proteins circulating in our bodies, which will transform the study of diseases and their treatments.

10 Jan 2025

Illuminating RNA Function with Innovative Bioluminescent Probes

The molecule that reads the genetic data contained in DNA is called RNA. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have found a method to tag RNA with a glowing bioluminescent molecule, which enables them to track RNA in real time as it travels throughout the body.

10 Jan 2025

Novel Targets for Modulating the Gut Microbiota and Human Health

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität in Würzburg have discovered a protein and a class of small ribonucleic acids (sRNAs) in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that control the metabolism of sugar.

10 Jan 2025