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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).

Cholera pathogen can acquire large stretches of genetic material from neighboring bacteria

In 2015, EPFL researchers led by Melanie Blokesch published a seminal paper in Science showing that the bacterium responsible for cholera, Vibrio cholerae, uses a spring-loaded spear to literally stab neighboring bacteria and steal their DNA.

8 Oct 2019

Biology and computers meld to help understand how breast cancer develops

Among the most deadly killers in the area of cancer, breast cancer is also extremely difficult to treat, once it has spread to the bones. Not only does it metastasize rapidly, but it comprises a variety of cell types and also depends on the input from many other non-breast cells during the initiation, growth and spread of the cancer. This complexity makes it more difficult to develop targeted therapies in this condition.

8 Oct 2019

Study reveals link between alterations in RNA splicing and Alzheimer's disease

A collaborative study published today in the journal Cell Reports provides evidence for a new molecular cause for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

8 Oct 2019

Histone modifications play important role in 'zygotic genome activation'

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology observed changes to the gene-regulating factors during zebrafish development and discovered that modifications to "histone H3", one of the proteins around which DNA is bound, play an important role in "zygotic genome activation" or transition of control of zebrafish embryonic development from maternal material to the zygote .

8 Oct 2019

Study receives NCI grant to explore better treatment for brain tumors in children

Children with recurrent brain tumors or newly diagnosed, particularly aggressive tumors called diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are being enrolled in the first study to examine the efficacy of a drug that inhibits an enzyme these tumors use to protect themselves from the child's natural immune response.

8 Oct 2019

DNA metabarcoding could improve analysis of human diet

A study has shown that DNA metabarcoding serves as a powerful new tool for monitoring humans’ intake of plants.

8 Oct 2019

Study presents a new view on how mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to aging

Disturbances in the function of mitochondrial DNA can accelerate the aging process in ways that are different than previously thought, according to a new Finnish study published in Nature Metabolism.

8 Oct 2019

Scientists show how protein Ikaros orchestrates fine balance to control autoimmunity

The immune system relies on B cells and their ability to make antibodies against an extremely broad range of pathogens. This broad responsiveness bears some risk, as B cells can also turn against healthy tissue - a phenomenon called autoimmunity.

8 Oct 2019

Cholera-causing bacteria steal large stretches of intact DNA to become more efficient

A new paper shows that the cholera germ is an inveterate and rapacious gene stealer, robbing other competing bacteria of up to 150 genes (over 150,000 base pairs) in a single attack. To put this in perspective, the cholera pathogen carries only about 4,000 genes altogether.

8 Oct 2019

New insight into meningioma - possibility of targeted therapy

A new study published in the journal Oncotarget shows that certain mutations in the brain tumor called meningioma may help identify patients who have a better chance of recovery. This could help physicians make better clinical decisions based on more accurate diagnoses. It has also unveiled some of the genes that go wrong in meningiomas, as well as showing how targeted therapy could one day help fight this tumor.

7 Oct 2019

Study identifies a common denominator that triggers asthma in favorable environments

In recent decades, asthma has become a major public health problem. The exponential increase in asthma cases in industrialized countries over the past 50 years is due to major changes in our environment.

7 Oct 2019

Carnegie Mellon and Yale win NIH grant to advance gene editing technique

A research team from Carnegie Mellon University and Yale University will advance their innovative, synthetic nucleic acid-based gene editing technique under a new grant from the National Institutes of Health's Somatic Cell Genome Editing Program.

7 Oct 2019

New genome-wide association study shines light on genetic risk factors for gout

Researchers, using a method called genome-wide association study, have illuminated the genetic underpinnings of high serum urate, the blood condition that brings on gout.

7 Oct 2019

Novel drug may be the answer in battling resistance in aggressive breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women across the globe. It represents one in four of all cancers in women. The survival rates for breast cancer vary across the globe, but when it comes to the metastatic or advanced breast cancer type, it is currently incurable, but there are many treatments available.

7 Oct 2019

Cytek Biosciences hits flow cytometry milestone: 40 color analysis from a single sample

Flow cytometry’s next chapter is here. Opening the door to deeper immunological insights, Cytek Biosciences Inc., a leading provider of flow cytometry instrumentation, today announced that it has successfully developed and demonstrated a high-quality 40-color panel from a single sample using the Cytek® Aurora advanced flow cytometry system.

From Cytek Biosciences 5 Oct 2019

Stanford study finds genetic similarities among species that use sound waves to navigate

Insect-eating bats navigate effortlessly in the dark and dolphins and killer whales gobble up prey in murky waters thanks in part to specific changes in a set of 18 genes involved in the development of the cochlear ganglion -- a group of nerves that transmit sound from the ear to the brain, according to a study by researchers at Stanford University.

4 Oct 2019

GW researchers show connection between bacteria in the microbiome and colon cancer

A mutant protein found in humans with colon cancer blocks a pathway that regulates proliferation and expansion of cells, increasing amounts of bacterial species associated with the development of colon cancer.

4 Oct 2019

NUS researcher invents novel transfection technique to deliver DNA into immune cells

Immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that uses genetically modified immune cells to fight cancer. It can be used as a primary treatment or in combination with other treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy to slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other parts of the body.

4 Oct 2019

Study finds prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes in groundwater

With climate change comes increasing water shortages, and potentially longer periods of drought. As policymakers look urgently to wastewater recycling to stem the gap in water resources, the question is-- how best to reuse water and ensure public safety.

4 Oct 2019

The atomic-level structure of DNA polymerase delta – the enzyme behind DNA replication

A new study has revealed how the fundamental enzyme called DNA polymerase delta operates during DNA replication, making a copy of the genetic code that can be transmitted through the generations.

4 Oct 2019

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Cholera pathogen can acquire large stretches of genetic material from neighboring bacteria

Biology and computers meld to help understand how breast cancer develops

Study reveals link between alterations in RNA splicing and Alzheimer's disease

Histone modifications play important role in 'zygotic genome activation'

Study receives NCI grant to explore better treatment for brain tumors in children

DNA metabarcoding could improve analysis of human diet

Study presents a new view on how mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to aging

Scientists show how protein Ikaros orchestrates fine balance to control autoimmunity

Cholera-causing bacteria steal large stretches of intact DNA to become more efficient

New insight into meningioma - possibility of targeted therapy

Study identifies a common denominator that triggers asthma in favorable environments

Carnegie Mellon and Yale win NIH grant to advance gene editing technique

New genome-wide association study shines light on genetic risk factors for gout

Novel drug may be the answer in battling resistance in aggressive breast cancer

Cytek Biosciences hits flow cytometry milestone: 40 color analysis from a single sample

Stanford study finds genetic similarities among species that use sound waves to navigate

GW researchers show connection between bacteria in the microbiome and colon cancer

NUS researcher invents novel transfection technique to deliver DNA into immune cells

Study finds prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes in groundwater

The atomic-level structure of DNA polymerase delta – the enzyme behind DNA replication

eBook: Exploring the Cell Cycle and DNA Damage and Repair eBook

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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