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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).

IRB scientists identify critical spots on the genome where gene editing could cause an unwanted response

CRISPR/Cas9 is a commonly used, very precise, gene editing technique whose development, by Jennifer A. Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, was recognised with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Commonly known as "genetic scissors", CRISPR allows the introduction of the desired DNA sequence into (virtually) any spot of the genome, thus modifying or inactivating a gene. This technique is widely used in biomedical research and some CRISPR-based therapies are in clinical trials for the treatment of human blood disorders, some types of cancer and HIV, among other conditions.

10 Aug 2022

Rice University researchers model a key mechanism by which DNA replicates

Knowing the structure of a complex biological system isn't nearly enough to understand how it works. It helps to know how the system moves.

10 Aug 2022

Study evaluates the tumor-modulatory effects of opsins on melanoma cancer

Melanopsin (OPN4) is a light-sensing protein found in skin and retina cells. A new study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil suggests that OPN4 can also participate in the development and progression of melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer.

10 Aug 2022

Next-generation sequencing system yields results comparable to traditional diagnostics

In the pursuit of accurate diagnoses for illnesses, doctors have traditionally used multiple methods — including culturing patient samples on a wide variety of media, reviewing countless medical records and analyzing clinical data using complex mathematical algorithms — to try to identify the bacterium, virus, fungus or other pathogen responsible for an infection.

10 Aug 2022

Pathogens in ancient DNA could explain how two civilizations collapsed

The current study has strongly indicated the presence of Y. pestis and S. enterica on the island of Crete that contributed to societal changes during 2,000 BCE.

9 Aug 2022

The eyes of mutant zebrafish help understand the role of a protein in preventing cell death

Around 15 years ago, a group of researchers discovered mutant zebrafish. The eyes of these zebrafish did not develop correctly, resulting in them being significantly smaller than the eyes of wild zebrafish.

9 Aug 2022

Novel AI tools accurately predict the role of DNA’s regulatory elements

Newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) programs accurately predicted the role of DNA's regulatory elements and three-dimensional (3D) structure based solely on its raw sequence, according to two recent studies in Nature Genetics.

9 Aug 2022

Study reveals key similarities between the nervous system of two early-diverging animal lineages

Neurons, the specialized cells of the nervous system, are possibly the most complicated cell type ever to have evolved. In humans, these cells are capable of processing and transmitting vast sums of information. But how such complicated cells first came about remains a long-standing debate.

9 Aug 2022

Serbia's genome center monitors potential virus mutations to facilitate more effective COVID-19 control

In partnership with BGI Genomics from China, Serbia's first genome sequencing center, opened in December 2021, is monitoring potential virus mutations to facilitate more effective COVID-19 control and accelerating access to genomics to enhance health outcomes.

9 Aug 2022

Study demonstrates the success rate of gene analysis using cytological specimens to be extremely high

Personalized medicine for lung cancer using molecular-targeted drugs is common but there have been no prospective validation studies done on the usefulness of lung cancer gene panel testing using cytology samples.

8 Aug 2022

Scientists find key molecular differences between breast cancer cells in initial and metastatic tumors

Studying a deadly type of breast cancer called triple negative, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have identified key molecular differences between cancer cells that cling to an initial tumor and those that venture off to form distant tumors.

8 Aug 2022

Research progress on the three-dimensional interaction between virus and host genome

A recent study reviewed the current progress on 3D interactions between host and viral genomes.

8 Aug 2022

Assessing immunization capacity of vaccine platforms with DNA origami harboring SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain

Researchers demonstrated that vaccine frameworks containing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) origami possessing SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain induce strong protective immunity.

8 Aug 2022

Terminally exhausted T cells may remain competent for transcription, researchers say

During a battle with cancer, T cells can become exhausted and are no longer able to function properly. The early phase of exhaustion can sometimes be reversed with immunotherapy drugs, but once T cells become too exhausted, it had been thought that this state was irreversible. However, new insights from University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers suggest that even the most fatigued T cells can be revived.

8 Aug 2022

Researchers challenge a popular scenario put forward to explain the arrival of the first eukaryotic organisms

In the beginning, there was boredom. Following the emergence of cellular life on earth, some 3.5 billion years ago, simple cells lacking a nucleus and other detailed internal structure dominated the planet. Matters would remain largely unchanged in terms of evolutionary development in these so-called prokaryotic cells - the bacteria and archaea - for another billion and a half years.

8 Aug 2022

BCG vaccine produces a "trained immunity response" which lasts more than a year

The immune boosting benefits of a tuberculosis vaccine can be seen in infants more than one year after vaccination, according to a new study.

8 Aug 2022

NIH researchers develop three-dimensional structure of twinkle protein

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have developed a three-dimensional structure that allows them to see how and where disease mutations on the twinkle protein can lead to mitochondrial diseases.

5 Aug 2022

New dual-plasmid editing system for DNA-based information rewriting in vivo

DNA-based information is a new interdisciplinary field linking information technology and biotechnology.

5 Aug 2022

Research suggests a new nanomedicine strategy for treatment of IBD patients

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), also known as "green cancer", is a chronic, non-specific disease of the intestine. IBD includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, both of which tend to be debilitating, lifelong conditions that can prove fatal in severe cases. Currently, there is no cure for IBD. The main clinical treatments are drugs such as aminosalicylic acid preparations and corticosteroids, but they are often accompanied by gastrointestinal problems, anemia, and various intestinal complications. Finding alternative, more effective options is a priority for researchers.

5 Aug 2022

Researchers delve deeper into the structure of protein receptor crucial for cardiovascular health

5 Aug 2022

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

IRB scientists identify critical spots on the genome where gene editing could cause an unwanted response

Rice University researchers model a key mechanism by which DNA replicates

Study evaluates the tumor-modulatory effects of opsins on melanoma cancer

Next-generation sequencing system yields results comparable to traditional diagnostics

Pathogens in ancient DNA could explain how two civilizations collapsed

The eyes of mutant zebrafish help understand the role of a protein in preventing cell death

Novel AI tools accurately predict the role of DNA’s regulatory elements

Study reveals key similarities between the nervous system of two early-diverging animal lineages

Serbia's genome center monitors potential virus mutations to facilitate more effective COVID-19 control

Study demonstrates the success rate of gene analysis using cytological specimens to be extremely high

Scientists find key molecular differences between breast cancer cells in initial and metastatic tumors

Research progress on the three-dimensional interaction between virus and host genome

Assessing immunization capacity of vaccine platforms with DNA origami harboring SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain

Terminally exhausted T cells may remain competent for transcription, researchers say

Researchers challenge a popular scenario put forward to explain the arrival of the first eukaryotic organisms

BCG vaccine produces a "trained immunity response" which lasts more than a year

NIH researchers develop three-dimensional structure of twinkle protein

New dual-plasmid editing system for DNA-based information rewriting in vivo

Research suggests a new nanomedicine strategy for treatment of IBD patients

Researchers delve deeper into the structure of protein receptor crucial for cardiovascular health

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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