DNA Replication News and Research

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DNA replication, the basis for biological inheritance, is a fundamental process occurring in all living organisms to copy their DNA. This process is "semiconservative" in that each strand of the original double-stranded DNA molecule serves as template for the reproduction of the complementary strand. Hence, following DNA replication, two identical DNA molecules have been produced from a single double-stranded DNA molecule. Cellular proofreading and error-checking mechanisms ensure near perfect fidelity for DNA replication.

Human body is a mosaic pattern of DNA mutations, say researchers

Researchers have discovered that the cells of the human body aren’t clones of a single DNA sequence, but are actually a mosaic of mutations.

7 Jun 2019

Telomere shortening in adulthood is not caused by smoking, say researchers

A new study suggests that telomere length in adults should be regarded as a static biomarker that does not significantly change during adult life.

7 Jun 2019

Viral study reveals new way to prevent kidney damage following organ transplant

While studying one of the smallest DNA viruses known, Sunnie Thompson, Ph.D., may have found a new way to help prevent kidney damage following organ transplant.

30 May 2019

Yeast species thrives, despite losing DNA repair genes years ago

Researchers have discovered an ancient species of budding yeast that has lost dozens of DNA repair genes, without any adverse effects.

22 May 2019

New machine-learning approach discovers mechanism that helps antibiotics kill bacteria

Most antibiotics work by interfering with critical functions such as DNA replication or construction of the bacterial cell wall.

10 May 2019

Sussex scientists discover new genetic defect that causes intellectual disability

Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered a new genetic defect which causes a form of intellectual disability; a finding that will improve screening programmes and help to end a 'diagnostic odyssey' for families across the globe.

1 May 2019

MUSC researchers find why some babies are born with malformed hearts

Almost one percent of all American babies are born with malformed hearts. Heart abnormalities are at once the most common and most deadly type of birth defect in the U.S.

11 Apr 2019

Study finds novel opportunity for treating subgroup of cancer patients with MSI-H tumors

Researchers have identified a protein critical for the survival of a particular type of tumor cell, according to a study published today in eLife.

27 Mar 2019

Researchers discover possible new therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer

Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a possible new therapeutic strategy using two types of drug inhibitors at once to treat one of the world's deadliest cancers.

21 Mar 2019

New class of drugs could help treat patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer

A team of researchers across The University of Manchester have shown that a new class of drugs are able to stop ovarian cancer cells growing.

19 Mar 2019

Natural speed limit on DNA replication sets pace for life's first steps

Fruit flies make for stingy mothers, imparting only a portion of the genetic building blocks their offspring need to survive. The rest must be produced by the fertilized egg in its first few steps of growth.

15 Mar 2019

Study finds specific mechanism that protects cells from natural DNA errors

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have identified a specific mechanism that protects our cells from natural DNA errors - an 'enemy within' - which could permanently damage our genetic code and lead to diseases such as cancer.

27 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

Differences in geographic origin of genes may affect mitochondrial function

Differences in the geographic origin of genes may affect the function of human mitochondria--energy-generating organelles inside of cells--according to a new study.

14 Jan 2019

Researchers reveal cause of possible genetic problems in mitochondria

A group of researchers from the Andalusian Centre for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine has revealed the importance of eliminating any excess of defective products that might have accumulated in the mitochondria, as its presence generates mitochondrial instability and information loss on the mitochondrial genome.

3 Jan 2019

Folate deficiency creates more damaging chromosomal abnormalities than previously known

Folate deficiency creates more problems in connection with DNA replication than researchers had hitherto assumed, researchers from the University of Copenhagen show in a new study.

14 Dec 2018

Study reveals how the absence of Dna2 enzyme affects chromosome instability

Cells have in place a number of mechanisms to protect the integrity of the genome, including processes that repair mistakes that may occur during DNA replication.

6 Dec 2018

Discovery about DNA twists could be crucial in development of new antibiotics

DNA replication is vital to all lifeforms, but in some organisms, it can be prevented by twists in the DNA sequence, called 'supercoils'. If too many supercoils are allowed to build up, cells vital to sustaining life will die.

28 Nov 2018

UCI researchers accelerate and simplify directed evolution bioengineering technique

In a process known as directed evolution, scientists reengineer biomolecules to find ones that perform beneficial new functions. The field is revolutionizing drug development, chemical engineering and other applications, but to realize its promise involves painstaking and time-consuming laboratory work.

9 Nov 2018

Changing Perspectives of the Triggers of Cell Division

Cell division is integral to understanding development, growth and disease states such as cancer. It has long been known that for replication, a complete new set of DNA and the formation of a septum, dividing the two cells, are necessary. New research changes perspectives of how these two processes influence the timing of cell division.

8 Nov 2018