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Decoding DNA packing: Understanding nucleosomes' role in cellular efficiency

Each cell in our bodies carries about two meters of DNA in its nucleus, packed into a tiny volume of just a few hundred cubic micrometers-about a millionth of a milliliter. The cell manages this by winding the strings of DNA around protein spools. The protein-DNA complexes are called nucleosomes, and they ensure that DNA is safely stored.

28 Jul 2025

New research shows neurogenesis slows in early adulthood, impacting memory

Age often brings a gradual decline in the ability to learn new things and retain memories. This phenomenon, often associated with the elderly, is linked to the brain's deteriorating capacity to generate new neurons-a process that primarily occurs in the hippocampus -as neural stem cells (NSCs) divide and mature. Recent research suggests this decline begins much earlier in life than previously thought, potentially starting in early adulthood.

25 Jul 2025

Targeting tumor cell stemness may hold the key to treating colon cancer more effectively

Colon cancer remains a major global health concern, ranking third among the most diagnosed cancers and leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide.

22 Jul 2025

New approach doubles chemotherapy effectiveness by targeting cancer cell memory

In a wholly new approach to cancer treatment, Northwestern University biomedical engineers have doubled the effectiveness of chemotherapy in animal experiments.

22 Jul 2025

Person-focused approach explains distinct autism genetic subtypes

Research identifies four autism classes driven by different genes, enhancing understanding of ASD's genetic complexity and improving diagnostic approaches.

15 Jul 2025

Study reveals key role of Egr-1 in controlling autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis result when the body's immune system starts to attack its own cells. Regulatory T cells, a subtype of T cells play a critical role in suppressing these attacks.

14 Jul 2025

Fruit fly study sheds light on how new genes become functional

Most genes are ancient and shared across species. But a small subset of genes are relative newcomers, spontaneously emerging from stretches of DNA that once encoded nothing at all.

14 Jul 2025

Uncovering the hidden architecture of the genome in three dimensions

In biology textbooks and beyond, the human genome and DNA therein typically are taught in only one dimension. While it can be helpful for learners to begin with the linear presentation of how stretches of DNA form genes, this oversimplification undersells the significance of the genome's 3D structure.

12 Jul 2025

Egr-1 gene identified as crucial regulator of regulatory T cells in multiple sclerosis

Autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), affect millions of people worldwide.

11 Jul 2025

New study identifies four distinct autism subtypes with unique genetic signatures

Autism is classified as a 'spectrum' for a reason: Each case is different. Scientists have struggled to parse through the many ways autism can manifest, much less to link these varying observable traits (called phenotypes) to underlying genetics.

9 Jul 2025

Novel tool offers a glimpse into the black box of ALT in aggressive cancers

Each time a cell divides, a small section of each chromosome's protective cap - the telomere - is worn away. Most cells use an enzyme called telomerase to help mitigate this loss, but 10% to 15% of cancers have another mechanism called the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway.

4 Jul 2025

Embryos from women with PCOS carry distinctive epigenetic memory

Novel research presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has found that embryos from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) carry a distinctive 'epigenetic memory' that could explain why the condition often runs in families.

1 Jul 2025

Discovery of a genetic dimmer switch controlling embryonic development

A team of scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that controls how genes are switched ‘on’ and ‘off’ during embryonic development.

27 Jun 2025

Epigenetic enzyme SETD1B drives aggressive growth in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow that progresses rapidly, making immediate treatment essential.

26 Jun 2025

LINE-1 elements found essential for early embryonic development

A new review from Genes and Diseases sheds light on the pivotal role of LINE-1 elements in preimplantation development and totipotency, revealing their essential contributions to early mammalian embryogenesis.

25 Jun 2025

Enhanced Genomics and The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute partner to accelerate Alzheimer's drug discovery

Enhanced Genomics ('Enhanced'), the biotechnology company pioneering 3D multi-omics to rapidly identify high-confidence, genetically validated drug targets for common diseases, today announced a strategic partnership with The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute at the University of Cambridge.

25 Jun 2025

UNIGE scientists uncover two key proteins that regulate chromatin remodelling

Cells depend on the precise reading of DNA sequences to function correctly. This process, known as gene expression, determines which genetic instructions are activated.

24 Jun 2025

Scientists identify novel combination therapy approach to treat pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute today report the identification of a novel combination therapy approach to treat pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

20 Jun 2025

Exploring the intricate epigenetic regulatory network of lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

A new review published in Genes & Diseases explores the intricate epigenetic regulatory network of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), shedding light on the profound impact of DNA methylation, histone modifications, RNA methylation, and microRNAs on lncRNA transcription.

20 Jun 2025

Herpes virus reshapes the human genome's architecture to aid its replication

Viruses are entirely dependent on their hosts to reproduce. They ransack living cells for parts and energy and hijack the host's cellular machinery to make new copies of themselves.

19 Jun 2025