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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).

Liquid biopsies could help identify, track bladder cancer and peripheral nerve tumors

Liquid biopsies detect tumor DNA in blood or urine samples. Two studies led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis describe the potential of liquid biopsies to identify and track tumor growth in two very different cancers: bladder cancer and peripheral nerve tumors.

31 Aug 2021

Blood test could enable early detection of cancer in people with neurofibromatosis type 1

People with an inherited condition known as neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, often develop non-cancerous, or benign, tumors that grow along nerves. These tumors can sometimes turn into aggressive cancers, but there hasn't been a good way to determine whether this transformation to cancer has happened.

31 Aug 2021

New, one-stop method developed to avoid de novo genetic disease in embryos

De novo variants (DNVs), genetic mutations that were not previously identifiable in the family history of one of two prospective parents, may cause disease in any children they have.

31 Aug 2021

Research sheds light on potential biological mechanisms that impact adherence to medications

How strictly patients follow a prescribed drug treatment (drug adherence) is clearly important if the therapy is to have maximum effect. A number of things can affect adherence, including behavioral and socioeconomic factors, but to date there have been few investigations into the role played by genetics. Now, research to be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today has thrown new light on the potential biological mechanisms that can affect adherence to treatment.

31 Aug 2021

DNMT2/TRDMT1 gene knockout may potentiate adverse effects related to drug-induced senescence

Aging-US published "The lack of functional DNMT2/TRDMT1 gene modulates cancer cell responses during drug-induced senescence" which reported that cellular senescence may be a side effect of chemotherapy and other anti-cancer treatments that may promote inflammation and paracrine secondary senescence in healthy tissues.

31 Aug 2021

Molecular autopsy of dried blood spots can identify underlying cause of sudden cardiac death in a young person

The underlying cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a young person is often difficult to identify. A genetic analysis could provide more information in many cases, but blood samples are not collected routinely at the time of death, and DNA extracted from the tissues collected at autopsy is damaged because of the way they are fixed in formalin and paraffin-embedded.

30 Aug 2021

Antisense oligonucleotides engineered to inhibit SARS-CoV-2

In a paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, structure-based ASOs are developed against SARS-CoV-2, intended to bond with RNA in its structured in situ form, rather than the more rarely encountered linear section, achieving greater affinity and specificity than linear ASOs, and demonstrating inhibition of virus replication in human cells.

30 Aug 2021

Combination therapy disables PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and induces apoptosis in carcinoid syndrome

Oncotarget published "Next-generation multimodality of nutrigenomic cancer therapy: sulforaphane in combination with acetazolamide actively target bronchial carcinoid cancer in disabling the PI3K/Akt/mTOR survival pathway and inducing apoptosis" which reported that microscopic imaging, immunocytochemistry, wound healing assay, caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 CytoDeath ELISA assay, immunofluorescence labeling assays for apoptosis, hypoxia, Western Blotting, Tunnel assay, measurement of 5-HT secretion by carbon fiber amperometry assay, quantitative methylation-specific PCR, morphologic changes, cell viability, apoptosis activity and the expression levels of phospho-Akt1, Akt1, HIF-1α, PI3K, p21, CAIX, 5-HT, phospho-mTOR, and mTOR in xenografts derived from typical H727 and atypical H720 BC cell lines.

28 Aug 2021

Researchers measure the number of pathogens in backyard and commercial composts

Compost - organic material that is added to soil to help plants grow - is widely used by gardeners because it improves soil health and reduces the amount of organic waste in landfills. Although several studies have looked at commercial composts, very few have investigated backyard compost samples. In a new study, researchers have measured the number of pathogens in both types of compost.

28 Aug 2021

Rice lab receives NIH grant to unravel DNA’s secrets

The poor bacteriophages in Yang Gao's lab are about to have a lot of bad days.

28 Aug 2021

Recognizing viral genomes in quick, ‘CRISP’ ways

Researchers from China recently reviewed the latest advancements, applications, and prospects of virus detection using CRISPR-Cas systems.

27 Aug 2021

Large analysis identifies 579 genetic locations linked to anti-social behavior and addiction

An analysis of data from 1.5 million people has identified 579 locations in the genome associated with a predisposition to different behaviors and disorders related to self-regulation, including addiction and child behavioral problems.

27 Aug 2021

Adding berzosertib to standard treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer does not extend patient survival

A Phase 2 trial led by City of Hope, a world-renowned research and treatment center for cancer and diabetes, suggests that adding the novel ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibitor drug berzosertib to standard-of-care chemotherapy for patients with metastatic urothelial cancer does not extend progression-free survival.

27 Aug 2021

New MOGONET outperforms existing supervised multi-omics integrative analysis approaches

Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics -- rapid advances in high-throughput biomedical technologies has enabled the collection of data with unprecedented detail from the growing number of omics.

27 Aug 2021

Study identifies 579 genomic regions associated with predisposition to self-regulating behaviors

Researchers have identified 579 locations in the human genome associated with a predisposition to self-regulation-related behaviors, including addiction and child behavioral problems. With data from 1.5 million people of European descent, the effort is considered to be one of the largest genome-wide association studies to date.

26 Aug 2021

Studies offer insight into how the human body develops and acquires mutations throughout life

New insights into how the human body develops from one cell into trillions, and the genetic mutations that cells pick up along the way, have been generated by two studies from scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge and their collaborators.

26 Aug 2021

Research offers new insight into how to treat endometriosis

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic condition in which tissue from the uterus inappropriately grows outside the uterus.

26 Aug 2021

Study unravels widespread tumor suppression mechanism that halts cancer metastasis

According to a study by The Wistar Institute, the tumor suppressor Parkin, whose levels are reduced in different cancer types, causes acute metabolic and oxidative stress, suppresses mitochondrial trafficking, and blocks tumor cell movement, reducing primary and metastatic tumor growth.

26 Aug 2021

An existing drug may function as targeted therapy for ALL in children

A new study from Linköping University has shown that the tumour-inhibiting gene TET2 is silenced in a large fraction of cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.

25 Aug 2021

Study uncovers epigenetic mechanisms that promote glioma tumor growth

Northwestern Medicine investigators have discovered the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of multiple oncogenes in glioma cells, mechanisms that promote overall glioma tumor growth and resistance to therapy, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

25 Aug 2021

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Liquid biopsies could help identify, track bladder cancer and peripheral nerve tumors

Blood test could enable early detection of cancer in people with neurofibromatosis type 1

New, one-stop method developed to avoid de novo genetic disease in embryos

Research sheds light on potential biological mechanisms that impact adherence to medications

DNMT2/TRDMT1 gene knockout may potentiate adverse effects related to drug-induced senescence

Molecular autopsy of dried blood spots can identify underlying cause of sudden cardiac death in a young person

Antisense oligonucleotides engineered to inhibit SARS-CoV-2

Combination therapy disables PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and induces apoptosis in carcinoid syndrome

Researchers measure the number of pathogens in backyard and commercial composts

Rice lab receives NIH grant to unravel DNA’s secrets

Recognizing viral genomes in quick, ‘CRISP’ ways

Large analysis identifies 579 genetic locations linked to anti-social behavior and addiction

Adding berzosertib to standard treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer does not extend patient survival

New MOGONET outperforms existing supervised multi-omics integrative analysis approaches

Study identifies 579 genomic regions associated with predisposition to self-regulating behaviors

Studies offer insight into how the human body develops and acquires mutations throughout life

Research offers new insight into how to treat endometriosis

Study unravels widespread tumor suppression mechanism that halts cancer metastasis

An existing drug may function as targeted therapy for ALL in children

Study uncovers epigenetic mechanisms that promote glioma tumor growth

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