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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Defective mitochondrial DNA could be modified using gene-editing techniques

Defective mitochondria – the 'batteries' that power the cells of our bodies – could in future be repaired using gene-editing techniques.

8 Feb 2022

Mechanical hearts can generate new muscle tissue in the failing human heart

Mechanical hearts spur some regeneration in dormant parts of failing hearts, according to a UT Southwestern pilot study that shows promise for developing regenerative heart therapies.

8 Feb 2022

Antibody drug improves survival rates in canine prostate cancer model

Dogs are proving to be a far better scientific model for study of prostate cancer than mice, the typical animal used in the lab for this type of research.

8 Feb 2022

New method decodes the role of DDX41 protein in preventing double-strand breaks in DNA

There are many different ways in which the genetic material DNA can be damaged, resulting in the development of diseases such as cancer. Certain forms of DNA damage are associated with so-called R-loops.

8 Feb 2022

Genetically informed brain atlases help identify hundreds of genomic loci

An international team of scientists has used atlases of the human brain informed by genetics to identify hundreds of genomic loci. Loci is plural for locus, and in genetics indicates the physical location of a gene or variant on a chromosome.

7 Feb 2022

New personalized test to detect leukemia relapse sooner and avoid false negative results

Researchers have developed a new protocol for monitoring acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer in children, to inform more effective treatment strategies and detect disease recurrence.

7 Feb 2022

Potential tumor vulnerability may be exploited to improve treatment of neuroblastoma

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a potential vulnerability in neuroblastoma tumors that might be exploited to improve treatment of the aggressive childhood cancer, which accounts for roughly 15% of all deaths from pediatric malignancies.

7 Feb 2022

Omicron sequences containing Delta mutation detected during SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance

This research letter published in Emerging Infectious Diseases warns scientists to interpret unusual mutations with caution.

7 Feb 2022

Study provides key information about the mechanism of breast cancer progression

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, yet despite medical advances, a cure for the tumors that spread locally and especially to distant sites remains out of reach.

7 Feb 2022

Study uses Promega LMR MSI Analysis System to detect microsatellite instability in multiple cancers

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have shown that a new panel of long mononucleotide repeats might offer advantages over traditional microsatellite instability detection methods in certain types of solid tumors.

7 Feb 2022

Scientists reveal how droplets of transcription factors collectively read DNA regions to switch on genes

Life starts with one cell. When an organism develops, dividing cells specialize to form the variety of tissues and organs that build up the adult body, while keeping the same genetic material – contained in our DNA.

6 Feb 2022

Genomes of marine invertebrates found to be surprisingly stable across deep time

Scientists have discovered that the genomes of marine invertebrates have been surprisingly stable across deep time.

6 Feb 2022

Researchers investigate how messenger substances signal inflammation during damaged cell removal

A research team from Cologne and Osnabrück has investigated in detail how messenger substances signal inflammation during the removal of damaged cells in the body.

4 Feb 2022

Gene therapy helps heart muscle cells electrically activate in live mice

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a gene therapy that helps heart muscle cells electrically activate in live mice.

4 Feb 2022

Wistar researchers takes a promising step in the direction of developing HIV vaccine

Nearly four decades after its discovery, HIV has killed 36.3 million people, with no vaccine in sight. However, a new study by researchers at The Wistar Institute, an international biomedical research leader in cancer, immunology, infectious disease, and vaccine development, takes a promising step in the direction of developing an HIV vaccine.

4 Feb 2022

Researchers suggest that visible blue light is a safe and variant-agnostic therapy against SARS-CoV-2

In a new study, researchers showed that 425 nm blue light can inactivate all major SARS CoV 2 variants.

4 Feb 2022

Study shows SARS-CoV-2 infection can change nasopharyngeal microbiota composition in pregnancy

A recent study from Spain showed that the infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can change the overall structure and diversity of the nasopharyngeal microbiota in pregnant women – which persists even weeks after clinical infection. The paper is currently available on Research Square preprint* server.

3 Feb 2022

New method may be effective at quantifying DNA adenine methylation in complex organisms

For decades, a small group of cutting-edge medical researchers have been studying a biochemical, DNA tagging system, which switches genes on or off. Many have studied it in bacteria and now some have seen signs of it in, plants, flies, and even human brain tumors.

3 Feb 2022

CRISPRa method helps discover genes that play a role in immune cell biology

CRISPR genome editing has served as a powerful tool for deleting or altering DNA sequences and studying the resulting effect.

3 Feb 2022

Study offers unprecedented insight into the mechanism of action of topo VI enzyme

The function of an enzyme, critical to most forms of life, has been revealed.

2 Feb 2022

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Defective mitochondrial DNA could be modified using gene-editing techniques

Mechanical hearts can generate new muscle tissue in the failing human heart

Antibody drug improves survival rates in canine prostate cancer model

New method decodes the role of DDX41 protein in preventing double-strand breaks in DNA

Genetically informed brain atlases help identify hundreds of genomic loci

New personalized test to detect leukemia relapse sooner and avoid false negative results

Potential tumor vulnerability may be exploited to improve treatment of neuroblastoma

Omicron sequences containing Delta mutation detected during SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance

Study provides key information about the mechanism of breast cancer progression

Study uses Promega LMR MSI Analysis System to detect microsatellite instability in multiple cancers

Scientists reveal how droplets of transcription factors collectively read DNA regions to switch on genes

Genomes of marine invertebrates found to be surprisingly stable across deep time

Researchers investigate how messenger substances signal inflammation during damaged cell removal

Gene therapy helps heart muscle cells electrically activate in live mice

Wistar researchers takes a promising step in the direction of developing HIV vaccine

Researchers suggest that visible blue light is a safe and variant-agnostic therapy against SARS-CoV-2

Study shows SARS-CoV-2 infection can change nasopharyngeal microbiota composition in pregnancy

New method may be effective at quantifying DNA adenine methylation in complex organisms

CRISPRa method helps discover genes that play a role in immune cell biology

Study offers unprecedented insight into the mechanism of action of topo VI enzyme

eBook: A guide to RNA sequencing eBook

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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