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.

Gene History

Gene Concepts

How fruit fly genetics could change the fight against mosquito diseases

How fruit flies mate may hold a key to limiting the spread of diseases by mosquitoes.

25 Jan 2025

Long-read sequencing revolutionizes diagnosis of rare diseases

One in every 10 people worldwide is impacted by a rare genetic disease but about 50% of them remain undiagnosed despite rapid increases in genetic technology and testing.

24 Jan 2025

Breakthrough gene discovery offers new hope for medulloblastoma therapy

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified a key gene that could lead to next-generation treatments for medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children.

24 Jan 2025

MIT breakthrough enables fast and uniform protein labeling in 3D tissues

A new technology developed at MIT enables scientists to label proteins across millions of individual cells in fully intact 3D tissues with unprecedented speed, uniformity, and versatility.

24 Jan 2025

NUS researchers develop DNA barcoded nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapy

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a novel method to enhance the precision of cancer treatment using gold nanoparticles tagged with DNA barcodes.

24 Jan 2025

Review highlights the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ imbalance in neurodegenerative diseases

Mitochondria are crucial organelles for cellular homeostasis, regulating processes such as ATP production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) management and Ca2+ signaling.

24 Jan 2025

Key immune cells required for tissue repair following liver injury

Our livers contain many different types of immune cells. New research by the team of Prof. Charlotte Scott (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) and colleagues now reveals that a specific activation state of one of these cell types is required for tissue repair following injury.

24 Jan 2025

Researchers elucidate the significance of birth in neural stem cell maintenance

A research group led by Kazunobu Sawamoto, a professor at Nagoya City University and National Institute for Physiological Sciences, and Koya Kawase, a pediatric doctor at Nagoya City University Hospital, has elucidated the significance of birth in the maintenance of neural stem cells (NSCs).

24 Jan 2025

Study reveals new mechanism behind gene expression regulation in animal cells

A research team at KAIST has identified the core gene expression networks regulated by key proteins that fundamentally drive phenomena such as cancer development, metastasis, tissue differentiation from stem cells, and neural activation processes.

24 Jan 2025

Study reveals sex-specific differences in microglial response to CSF1R inhibition

Researchers investigate the sex-dependent microglial response to a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor.

24 Jan 2025

Decades of DNA expansion linked to Huntington’s disease neurodegeneration

Researchers uncover how slow CAG repeat expansions in neurons drive Huntington’s disease over decades.

24 Jan 2025

A global look at the gut: Scientists highlight microbiome diversity

Researchers analyzed 168,464 samples to uncover how geographic and technical factors shape global gut microbiome variation, highlighting underrepresented regions and technical biases.

23 Jan 2025

New machine learning approach improves single-cell data analysis

Our bodies are made up of around 75 billion cells. But what function does each individual cell perform and how greatly do a healthy person’s cells differ from those of someone with a disease?

23 Jan 2025

New discovery sheds light on how bacteria use plasmids to build resistance

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs.

23 Jan 2025

Researchers identify ferroptosis as driver of osteocyte death in melanoma metastasis

Melanoma, one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, often metastasizes to bones, causing severe bone loss, an increased risk of fractures, and significant pain.

23 Jan 2025

USF study: Pulmonary fibrosis after COVID-19 tends to get better

Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare, chronic disease that causes scarring in the lungs, making breathing difficult for people who suffer with it.

23 Jan 2025

Crick researchers identify key Y chromosome genes influencing sperm development

Researchers at the Crick have uncovered which genes on the Y chromosome regulate the development of sperm and impact fertility in male mice.

23 Jan 2025

Boosting BCL6 may counteract muscle loss from GLP-1 medications

About one in eight adults in the United States has tried or currently uses a GLP-1 medication, and a quarter of those users cite weight loss as their main goal.

23 Jan 2025

Researchers map genetic differences across children with Wilms tumor

Genetically tailored treatment plans for children with a type of kidney cancer could help provide the most effective care while minimizing side effects as much as possible.

23 Jan 2025

What causes behavioral side effects in popular weight loss drugs?

The study of GLP1R variants shows associations with cardiometabolic traits and behavioral changes, highlighting indirect effects of GLP1RA on mental health.

23 Jan 2025