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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).

How does social adversity influence biomarkers of stress and inflammation in children?

A recent study assessed whether social adversity affected the biomarkers of inflammation and stress in children.

22 Jan 2024

RecA protein skips "unwinding" step in DNA repair

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have been studying DNA repair by homologous recombination, where the RecA protein repairs breaks in double-stranded DNA by incorporating a dangling single-strand end into intact double strands, and repairing the break based on the undamaged sequence.

20 Jan 2024

CRISPR off-switch discovered: Safer gene editing for future therapies

Using CRISPR, an immune system bacteria use to protect themselves from viruses, scientists have harnessed the power to edit genetic information within cells.

19 Jan 2024

Bacteria's "suicidal" immune system boosts antibiotic power against cholera

Bacteria have an immune system that protects them against viruses known as bacteriophages. A research team from the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg has now shown how this immune system enhances the effect of specific antibiotics against the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae.

19 Jan 2024

New blood test technique raises hopes for more sensitive and earlier cancer diagnosis

Tumors constantly shed DNA from dying cells, which briefly circulates in the patient's bloodstream before it is quickly broken down. Many companies have created blood tests that can pick out this tumor DNA, potentially helping doctors diagnose or monitor cancer or choose a treatment.

18 Jan 2024

Machine learning algorithm decodes mutations driving cancer treatment resistance

In a groundbreaking study published on January 18, 2024, in Cancer Discovery, scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine leveraged a machine learning algorithm to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing cancer researchers: predicting when cancer will resist chemotherapy.

18 Jan 2024