Genetics and Genomics News and Research

Latest Genetics and Genomics News and Research

New mechanism that enables spruce trees to adapt to winter discovered

Photosynthesis in conifer forests is one of the most important carbon sinks on a global scale. Unlike broadleaf trees, conifers are evergreen and retain their photosynthesis structure throughout the year.

19 Aug 2020

Researchers study how bacteria adapt to their host cells

In the environment, they are often found inside unicellular organisms. A research team led by Matthias Horn at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna has made use of laboratory experiments to gain a better understanding of how these bacteria adapt to their host cell over time.

19 Aug 2020

New study reveals surprising features in coral sperm and eggs

When stony corals have their renowned mass spawning events, in sync with the moon's cycle, colonies simultaneously release an underwater "cloud" of sperm and eggs for fertilization.

From Rutgers University 19 Aug 2020

Study investigates how Ebola virus adapts to bat and human cells

A new study by researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston uncovered new information on why the Ebola virus can live within bats without causing them harm, while the same virus wreaks deadly havoc to people.

19 Aug 2020

Study demonstrates how a single gene drives changes in wild songbird's social behavior

A new study shows how differentiation of a single gene changes behavior in a wild songbird, determining whether the white-throated sparrow displays more, or less, aggression.

19 Aug 2020

Researchers discover the exit route for Vibrio bacteria from cells

As soon as the foodborne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus infects a human intestinal cell, the bacteria are already planning their escape. After all, once it is in and multiplies, the bacterium must find a way out to infect new cells.

19 Aug 2020

Scientists propose a promising new tool based on optogenetics to study neurons

In many human endeavors, having good tools for a particular task is an essential requirement to obtain the best results possible, and neuroscience is no different than other scientific fields in this regard.

19 Aug 2020

Drugs designed to lower alpha-ketoglutarate levels could help fight DIPG tumors

Every year, 150 to 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), aggressive and lethal tumors that grow deep inside the brain, for which there are no cures.

19 Aug 2020

RNA-based therapeutic approach could be used to cure hereditary diseases

Short RNA molecules can be used as medication. Their effectiveness is based on the genetic information they carry: therapeutic RNA can bind to the body's own RNA and thus influence how it functions.

19 Aug 2020

Novel gene editing approach removes latent herpes simplex virus 1

Infectious disease researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have used a gene editing approach to remove latent herpes simplex virus 1, or HSV-1, also known as oral herpes.

19 Aug 2020

Study shows DNA damage causes cells to reprogram themselves into stem cells

Researchers have discovered that when DNA in the moss Physcomitrella patens is damaged, it causes cells to reprogram on their own to change into stem cells.

19 Aug 2020

'Survival of the fittest': How meiotic drivers shape the evolution of gamete formation

It can be hard to dispute the common adage 'survival of the fittest'. After all, "most of the genes in the genome are there because they're doing something good," says Sarah Zanders, PhD, assistant investigator at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research

18 Aug 2020

Study shows how mitochondrial defects lead to neurodevelopmental diseases

The tiny organelles mitochondria supply the energy crucial for all cells in the human body, specifically in the brain that consumes an excessive amount of fuel.

18 Aug 2020

Study shows how proteins act as a defense mechanism to protect their own DNA

Viruses usually inject their DNA into a host cell to multiply. As soon as this foreign material penetrates the intracellular fluid, it activates a defense mechanism called the cGAS-STING pathway.

18 Aug 2020

Novel technology can minimize errors in DNA testing

Today's DNA testing is highly accurate, but errors still occur due to the limited genetic information accessible with current technologies. These errors can have serious impact on people's lives.

18 Aug 2020

New discovery offers hope for people at risk of antibiotic-resistant infections

There is new hope for approximately 700,000 people who die each year from antibiotic resistant infections, with University of Queensland researchers discovering how bacteria share antibiotic-resistance genes.

18 Aug 2020

Extrachromosomal DNA with potential to cause cancer drives poor patient outcomes

The multiplication of genes located in extrachromosomal DNA that have the potential to cause cancer drives poor patient outcomes across many cancer types, according to a Nature Genetics study published Aug. 17, 2020 by a team of researchers including Professors Vineet Bafna and Dr.Paul Mischel of the University of California San Diego and Professor Roel Verhaak of Jackson Laboratories.

From UC San Diego 18 Aug 2020