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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).

Researchers uncover interspecies communication between gut bacteria and host

Bacteria in the gut do far more than help digest food in the stomachs of their hosts, they can also tell the genes in their mammalian hosts what to do.

22 Feb 2019

Study: Cancer stem-like cells are maintained by MTHFD2 mitochondrial metabolic enzyme

An increase in the incidence and mortality rate of cancer has been noted worldwide, especially for lung cancer.

22 Feb 2019

Mitochondrial proteotoxicity appears to be epicentre of molecular pathogenesis

Researchers at the University of Helsinki uncovered the mechanisms for a novel cellular stress response arising from the toxicity of newly synthesized proteins.

22 Feb 2019

New blood test detects genetic disorders in fetuses

Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a new blood test for genetic disorders that may allow parents to learn about the health of their baby as early as 11 weeks into pregnancy.

21 Feb 2019

Newly designed molecule could benefit people with Friedrich's Ataxia

Skin cells taken from patients with a rare genetic disorder are up to ten times more sensitive to damage from ultraviolet A radiation in laboratory tests, than those from a healthy population, according to new research from the University of Bath.

21 Feb 2019

Genetic defect linked to pediatric liver disease identified

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in collaboration with several other institutions, have discovered a genetic defect linked to Biliary atresia, the most common pediatric cause of end-stage liver disease, and the leading indication for liver transplantation in children.

21 Feb 2019

Scientists uncover new mechanisms regulating neural stem cells

The use of stem cells to repair organs is one of the foremost goals of modern regenerative medicine. Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have discovered that the protein Akna plays a key role in this process.

21 Feb 2019

Thousands with chronic UTIs are not receiving the treatment they need

Many women may not be receiving the treatment they need because the gold-standard tests for UTIs fail to detect a significant proportion of bacteria.

21 Feb 2019

New intracellular delivery system using gold nano-stars

Researchers from Russian Academy of Sciences developed a new method for star-shaped nanoparticles synthesis based on laser irradiation.

21 Feb 2019

Researchers discover DNA modification that enhances our ability to extinguish fear

Researchers at The University of Queensland have discovered a DNA modification that enhances our ability to extinguish fear.

21 Feb 2019

First gene therapy operation for macular degeneration is a success

A new treatment is the first to target the underlying genetic cause of AMD, which affects more than 600,000 people in the UK alone.

20 Feb 2019

New optimization method rapidly analyzes nanomedicines for cancer treatment

With their ability to treat a wide a variety of diseases, spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) are poised to revolutionize medicine. But before these digitally designed nanostructures can reach their full potential, researchers need to optimize their various components.

20 Feb 2019

Newly developed gene therapy helps decelerate aging process

Aging is a leading risk factor for a number of debilitating conditions, including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease, to name a few. This makes the need for anti-aging therapies all the more urgent. Now, Salk Institute researchers have developed a new gene therapy to help decelerate the aging process.

20 Feb 2019

Study suggests new treatment strategy for deadly brain cancer

In a study of mice and human brain tumors researchers at the University of the Michigan, Ann Arbor, searched for new treatments by exploring the reasons why some patients with gliomas live remarkably longer than others.

19 Feb 2019

Gene therapy restores hearing in mice with congenital genetic deafness

In collaboration with the universities of Miami, Columbia and San Francisco, scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Inserm, CNRS, Collège de France, Sorbonne University and the University of Clermont Auvergne have managed to restore hearing in an adult mouse model of DFNB9 deafness - a hearing disorder that represents one of the most frequent cases of congenital genetic deafness.

19 Feb 2019

Unique gene therapy approach paves new way to tackle rare, inherited diseases

Nonsense mutations are single-letter errors in the genetic code that prematurely halt the production of critical proteins. These unfinished proteins are unable to function normally, and nonsense mutations cause 10-15 percent of all inherited genetic diseases, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, cystic fibrosis and polycystic kidney disease.

19 Feb 2019

Study shows how 3D organization of genetic material helps perpetuate the species

From fathers to children, the delivery of hereditary information requires the careful packing of DNA in sperm. But just how nature packages this DNA to prepare offspring isn't clear.

19 Feb 2019

Single CRISPR treatment can safely and stably correct genetic disease

Researchers at Duke University have shown that a single systemic treatment using CRISPR genome editing technology can safely and stably correct a genetic disease -- Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) -- for more than a year in mice, despite observed immune responses and alternative gene editing outcomes.

18 Feb 2019

Researchers report progress in the treatment of aggressive brain tumors

Cancer researchers at the University of Bonn have reported significant progress in the treatment of glioblastoma. About one third of all patients suffer from a particular variant of this most common and aggressive brain tumor.

18 Feb 2019

Combination of PARP inhibitor and immunotherapy results in tumor regression in SCLC mouse models

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a combination of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapies that block normal DNA damage repair achieved significant tumor regression in mouse models of small cell lung cancer, suggesting a promising new approach for treating patients with this aggressive cancer.

18 Feb 2019