DNA News and Research

RSS

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).

COVID-19 pandemic has worsened global maternal and perinatal outcomes

Immediate action is required to preserve safe maternity care worldwide, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens global maternal and perinatal outcomes, especially in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), a study warns.

15 Apr 2021

New plasmonic isothermal PCR technology can detect respiratory viral pathogens in 30 minutes

Researchers in South Korea developed a plasmonic isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) array chip, the world's first plasmoinc isothermal PCR technology which can detect 8 types of pathogens (4 bacteria and 4 viruses) that cause acute respiratory infectious diseases in 30 minutes.

15 Apr 2021

Japanese–European scientists detect novel genetic mitochondrial disorder

The list of known genetic mitochondrial disorders is ever-growing, and ongoing research continues to identify new disorders in this category.

15 Apr 2021

CityU researchers identify super-enhancers that stimulate the activity of breast cancer genes

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer with a high fatality rate. Currently, chemotherapy is the major treatment option, but the clinical result is unsatisfactory.

15 Apr 2021

New machine learning method for designing more effective antibody drugs

Antibodies are not only produced by our immune cells to fight viruses and other pathogens in the body. For a few decades now, medicine has also been using antibodies produced by biotechnology as drugs.

15 Apr 2021

Can biomaterials offer novel therapeutic strategies against COVID-19?

A team of scientists reviews the current and potential impact of the biomaterial sciences on the COVID-19 pandemic.

15 Apr 2021

Study reveals how DNA segments function in cells

A new study co-authored by University of Colorado Cancer Center researcher Srinivas Ramachandran, PhD, shows how DNA segments known as enhancers function in cells.

15 Apr 2021

Cocoa consumption improves health of obese mice with liver disease

Supplementation of cocoa powder in the diet of high-fat-fed mice with liver disease markedly reduced the severity of their condition, according to a new study by Penn State researchers, who suggest the results have implications for people.

15 Apr 2021

Anti-diabetic drug phenformin may prompt stronger cancer-fighting activities

The anti-diabetic drug phenformin may prompt stronger cancer-fighting activities than its sister compound metformin, a finding that could have major implications for current and future clinical trials investigating both agents for their anti-cancer potential, according to researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

15 Apr 2021

DNAJC9 protein plays a key role in safeguarding histones, shows study

In the cell nucleus histones play a crucial role packaging DNA into chromatin. Histones are however very sticky to both DNA and RNA, so to ensure they are transported to the cell nucleus after synthesis and bind to the right portion of DNA to organize the chromatin, they are guarded by complexes of histone chaperones.

15 Apr 2021

Study may lead to new treatment for incurable brain cancer in children

Research by Australian scientists could pave the way to a new treatment for a currently incurable brain cancer in children called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG. Affecting about 20 children in Australia each year, DIPG is a devastating disease with an average survival time of just nine months after diagnosis.

15 Apr 2021

New genetic markers may lead to personalized treatments for lung cancer

Investigators at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health, have identified a set of new genetic markers that could potentially lead to new personalized treatments for lung cancer.

15 Apr 2021

Study solves mystery of how cells measure their size

Scientists have searched for years to understand how cells measure their size. Cell size is critical. It's what regulates cell division in a growing organism.

15 Apr 2021

High recovery of top-quality purified RNA

Porvair Sciences has launched new kits for rapid extraction of total RNA from a wide range of biological samples. These proprietary kits enable extraction of up to 1000 µg of application-ready pure RNA in as little as 10 minutes.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 14 Apr 2021

Researchers use a photostabilizer to modulate fluorescence blinking in biochemical assays

Fluorescence spectroscopy is indispensable in biomedical diagnostics. One can think of turning on fluorescence as turning on a flashlight in a dark room.

13 Apr 2021

Chemical modification of RNA appears to play a critical role in inherited kidney disorder

A chemical modification of RNA that can be influenced by diet appears to play a key role in polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disorder that is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S., UT Southwestern researchers report in a new study.

13 Apr 2021