Gene

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.

What are Genes?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the chemical information database that carries the complete set of instructions for the cell as to the nature of the proteins produced by it, its life span, maturity, function and death. Genes are the working subunits of DNA. Each gene contains a particular set of instructions, usually coding for a particular protein or for a particular function.

Genetic Inheritance

Ras Genes and Cancer

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Tumor Suppressor Genes

What are Homeobox Genes?

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Gene History

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Gene Knockin

See more featured articles »

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Genetics and Gene Expression

What are Homeobox Genes?

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Latest Gene News and Research

CRISPR gene-drive technology reverses antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has steadily accelerated in recent years to become a global health crisis. As deadly bacteria evolve new ways to elude drug treatments for a variety of illnesses, a growing number of "superbugs" have emerged, ramping up estimates of more than 10 million worldwide deaths per year by 2050.

7 Feb 2026

RNA micelles enable targeted chemotherapy without immune toxicity

A new study in mice hints at the potential to use tiny particles made with RNA molecules to deliver chemotherapy drugs and other therapies directly to tumors, killing cancer cells without generating an immune response or toxicity-related side effects.

7 Feb 2026

New analysis reveals hidden complexity in the vaginal microbiome

For decades, gynecological tests have relied on a simplified view of the vaginal microbiome, categorizing bacteria as either "good" or "bad."

6 Feb 2026

Senescent neutrophils promote tumor survival across cancer types

Renowned as first responders to threatening infections, neutrophils also happen to feature prominently in the microenvironment of tumors, where they and other immune cells play opposing and frequently mutable roles in promoting-or resisting-cancer progression.

6 Feb 2026

Climate change is accelerating antibiotic resistance across the Western Pacific

Urgent action is needed as climate change fuels antibiotic resistance in the Western Pacific, threatening health and highlighting socioeconomic vulnerabilities.

6 Feb 2026

SynGenSys introduces Liver.SET synthetic promoter library for liver-specific gene expression for in vivo gene therapies

SynGenSys, a biotechnology company designing synthetic gene promoter systems to address critical bottlenecks in biopharma manufacturing and enhance cell and gene therapy development, today announced the launch of its Liver.SET™ library of liver-specific synthetic promoters.

5 Feb 2026

Dyslexia linked to broader brain network vulnerabilities

A University of Houston psychology professor is challenging the notion that dyslexia, or specific reading disorder, stems from a single faulty gene in the brain, suggesting instead that it is caused by an overall brain network vulnerability.

5 Feb 2026

New workflow boosts nuclear delivery for safer gene therapy

Gene therapy holds the promise of preventing and curing disease by manipulating gene expression within a patient's cells. However, to be effective, the new gene must make it into a cell's nucleus.

5 Feb 2026

Study elucidates key steps in the ubiquitin tagging of mutated huntingtin protein

Researchers have elucidated key steps in the ubiquitin tagging of the mutated huntingtin protein, providing hope for future therapies.

5 Feb 2026

Liver-derived protein supports bone health in males

New research suggests the liver plays a previously unrecognized role in bone health, but only in males.

5 Feb 2026

Reprogrammed neutrophils promote tumor growth

Predicting tumor progression is one of the major challenges in oncology. Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have discovered that neutrophils, a type of immune cell, undergo reprogramming when they come into contact with the tumor ecosystem and contribute to its progression.

5 Feb 2026

Next-generation sequencing expands possibilities for newborn screening

Every year, millions of newborns undergo routine screening as a preventive strategy to detect inherited disorders before symptoms emerge.

4 Feb 2026

Breakthrough enables continuous laboratory growth of human norovirus

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report in Science Advances a breakthrough in human norovirus (HuNoV) research.

4 Feb 2026

DNA marker reveals pyrethroid resistance in malaria mosquitoes

A new study, jointly led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID) in Cameroon, has detected a DNA marker in a gene encoding for a key enzyme, known as cytochrome P450, that helps mosquitoes to break down and survive exposure to pyrethroids, the main insecticides used for treating bed nets.

4 Feb 2026

Study identifies genetic fingerprint of neuropathic pain neurons

Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas and their international colleagues have determined the molecular signature of human sleeping - or silent - nociceptors: sensory neurons that are unresponsive to touch or pressure yet are key culprits in neuropathic pain.

4 Feb 2026

Small molecule targets glioblastoma oncogene in preclinical studies

UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists have identified a molecule that blocks the gene responsible for glioblastoma, raising hopes that the molecule could become a much-needed new treatment for the deadliest brain cancer.

4 Feb 2026

New compound advances body clock independent of dosing time

A collaborative team including Emeritus Professor Tei H. (Kanazawa University), Associate Professor Takahata Y. (Osaka University), Professor Numano R. (Toyohashi University of Technology), and Associate Professor Uriu K. (Institute of Science Tokyo) discovered that Mic-628 selectively induces the mammalian clock gene Per1.

4 Feb 2026