DNA News and Research

RSS

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).

Researchers find way to protect mitochondria from stress-induced damage

Mitochondria are the cell's power plants: They turn the food we eat into the energy our cells can use. But when stress hijacks the process they use to maintain their quality, they get snipped into useless fragments and go into a tailspin that spreads from cell to cell and triggers a wide range of human diseases.

26 May 2025

New blood test speeds up diagnosis of rare childhood diseases

A new, rapid testing method will greatly help the diagnosis of rare diseases in babies and children, according to research to be presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday).

25 May 2025

Blood cell-free RNA signatures can predict preterm birth months in advance

Children born before 37 weeks of gestation have a considerably increased risk of dying before they reach the age of five.

25 May 2025

Large global study links higher alcohol intake to increased pancreatic cancer risk

A pooled analysis of over 2.4 million adults across four continents shows a modest but significant increase in pancreatic cancer risk with higher alcohol consumption. The risk is especially pronounced for beer and liquor, and at higher intake levels in men and women.

25 May 2025

Fungal antiviral responses controlled by RNA editing and transcription factor dynamics

The expression of symptoms of viral infections is a byproduct of complex virus-host molecular pathways.

23 May 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

Experimental ALS drug shows unprecedented recovery in some patients

When Columbia neurologist and scientist Neil Shneider speaks to his ALS patients who volunteer for experimental therapies, he's unwaveringly honest.

23 May 2025

Powerful new toolkit targets vision loss in advanced retinal degeneration

Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a group of genetic disorders that lead to progressive vision loss as the light-sensing cells of the eye-the photoreceptors-die due to mutations in genes needed for their function and survival.

23 May 2025

Ancient DNA sheds light on evolution of relapsing fever bacteria

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and UCL have analyzed ancient DNA from Borrelia recurrentis, a type of bacteria that causes relapsing fever, pinpointing when it evolved to spread through lice rather than ticks, and how it gained and lost genes in the process.

22 May 2025

Machine learning tool identifies metabolic clues in colorectal cancer

Scientists aiming to advance cancer diagnostics have developed a machine learning tool that is able to identify metabolism-related molecular profile differences between patients with colorectal cancer and healthy people.

22 May 2025

Study uncovers first proof of introners jumping between species

DNA is the genetic code that provides the biological instructions for every living species, but not every bit of DNA helps the species survive. Some pieces of DNA are more like parasites, along for the ride and their own survival.

22 May 2025

Wastewater monitoring offers new tool for cervical cancer prevention

Scientists in Uruguay have found genotypes of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) linked to cervical cancer in urban wastewater, saying it could help inform disease prevention efforts.

22 May 2025

Cutting back on sugary drinks may protect men’s fertility, review finds

Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with lower sperm count, motility, and increased DNA damage, potentially impairing male reproductive health. This narrative review highlights dose-response effects, mechanisms, and research gaps, calling for further studies on diverse populations.

22 May 2025

Study uncovers new factor linked to the development of cardiac hypertrophy

When the workload on the heart increases, the ventricular wall may thicken too, known as cardiac hypertrophy.

22 May 2025

Understanding how cholera bacteria resist phage predation

When we think of cholera, most of us picture contaminated water and tragic outbreaks in vulnerable regions. But behind the scenes, cholera bacteria are locked in a fierce, microscopic war-one that could shape the course of pandemics.

22 May 2025

Unlocking the secrets of human longevity and healthy aging

Human healthy aging and longevity are complex phenomena influenced by a dynamic interplay of genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, immune, and environmental factors.

22 May 2025

New AI blood test tracks pancreatic cancer treatment response

An artificial intelligence technique for detecting DNA fragments shed by tumors and circulating in a patient's blood, developed by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigators, could help clinicians more quickly identify and determine if pancreatic cancer therapies are working.

22 May 2025