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.

Bottlebrush particles deliver large range of chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells

Using tiny particles shaped like bottlebrushes, MIT chemists have found a way to deliver a large range of chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells.

10 Sep 2025

AI and advanced microscopy reveal tangled DNA structures with nanometer precision

At school, it's often presented as a tidy double helix but scientists are revealing the varied and intricate shapes of DNA molecules.

22 Aug 2025

Origin-recognition complex plays a broad role in the regulation of gene expression

Origin-recognition complex, or ORC, plays an unexpectedly broad role in the regulation of human cell gene expression, according to a study in the journal Cell Reports.

14 Aug 2025

Tokyo researchers reveal key role of Fen1 in resisting antiviral and anticancer drug effects

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered a new pathway by which cells counteract the action of alovudine, an important antiviral and anticancer drug.

10 Aug 2025

Revolutionizing therapeutic protein design with synthetic biology

In medicine and biotechnology, the ability to evolve proteins with new or improved functions is crucial, but current methods are often slow and laborious.

8 Aug 2025

Blocking a single gene disrupts vitamin D metabolism and cancer pathways in new cell study

Researchers identified SDR42E1 as a key regulator of vitamin D absorption and sterol metabolism in colorectal cancer cells. Disruption of this enzyme altered cancer-related pathways and cell viability, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

21 Jul 2025

Van Andel Institute scientists develop improved technique to profile DNA methylation in single cells

Van Andel Institute scientists have developed an improved technique to comprehensively profile DNA methylation in single cells, an advance that will help researchers better study the role of epigenetics in cancer and other diseases.

16 Jul 2025

Male age over 45 linked to higher miscarriage risk in IVF with donor eggs

A new international study presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals that IVF cycles involving male partners over the age of 45 carry significantly increased miscarriage risks and lower live birth rates – even when young donor eggs are used.

30 Jun 2025

Yeast cell division found to begin inside the nucleus

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that the 'pacemaker' controlling yeast cell division lies inside the nucleus rather than outside it, as previously thought.

26 Jun 2025

RNA steps up to protect the genome from DNA knots

Not all DNA looks like the familiar twisted ladder. Sometimes, parts of our genetic code fold into unusual shapes. One such structure, the G-quadruplex (G4), looks like a knot.

13 Jun 2025

CHAF1B drives lung squamous cell carcinoma progression by repressing SETD7

CHAF1B, a histone chaperone component of the chromatin assembly factor-1 complex, is overexpressed in multiple cancers and linked to tumor progression, but its role in lung squamous-cell carcinoma (LUSC) remained unclear.

11 Jun 2025

Adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy after surgery improves survival in colon cancer

Colon cancer is the third most prevalent form of cancer in the U.S., and while screening has helped detect and prevent colon cancer from spreading, major advancements in treating colon cancer have lagged.

1 Jun 2025

Tuberculosis bacteria use molecular switch to pause and restart growth

The bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) may have an "on-off switch" that lets them pause and restart growth, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Oxford.

23 May 2025

Exploring the impact of R-loops on genome integrity and disease

This new review article highlights the pivotal and paradoxical role of R-loops in maintaining genomic stability while simultaneously posing risks to it.

19 Apr 2025

New assay detects epigenetic changes caused by carcinogenic chemicals

Chemicals used as food preservatives, flavoring agents, dyes, pesticides, cosmetics, cleaners, and other industrial materials are being increasingly recognized as a health hazard.

10 Apr 2025

Genetic pathways explain why some people grow tall and others stay short

A landmark review in Nature Reviews Genetics dissects the rare and common genetic variants that shape human height. The paper explains how monogenic and polygenic factors converge on key growth pathways and influence disease risk.

7 Apr 2025

Sweetener saccharin revives old antibiotics by breaking bacterial defences

Saccharin destabilizes bacterial membranes and interferes with DNA replication, causing lysis and impairing virulence traits. The sweetener also re-sensitizes multidrug-resistant pathogens to antibiotics and disrupts stubborn biofilms.

3 Apr 2025

New structural and mechanistic understanding for cancer drug design

A University of Iowa-led study has revealed the unexpected structure adopted by the DNA repair protein RAD52 as it binds and protects replicating DNA in dividing cells. This new structural and mechanistic understanding of the RAD52-DNA complex may help researchers develop new anti-cancer drugs.

3 Apr 2025

Study uncovers protective mechanism of BRCA2 in cancer treatment

Mutations in BRCA2 — a gene known to repair damaged DNA and suppress tumor formation — can predict an individuals' predisposition to develop breast cancer, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other epithelial tumors.

26 Mar 2025

First molecular movie captures DNA unzipping at atomic level

Scientists at the University of Leicester have captured the first detailed "molecular movie" showing DNA being unzipped at the atomic level – revealing how cells begin the crucial process of copying their genetic material.

21 Mar 2025