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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).

Unexpected function of gene network in gut microbes revealed

Could a gene regulatory network in gut microbes have evolved its elaborate and tightly regulated molecular machinery only to pump out antibiotics indiscriminately? Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) show this is an auxiliary function.

8 Apr 2025

Proteins linked to Parkinson's and ALS found to protect mitochondria

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have discovered how a group of proteins linked to Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis act as "guardians" of mitochondria, small organelles, or subunits, within a cell that make and store energy and are found in almost all plants and animals.

8 Apr 2025

AI model enhances detection of antibiotic resistance in deadly bacteria

Drug-resistant infections - especially from deadly bacteria like tuberculosis and staph - are a growing global health crisis.

7 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

Novel computational tool helps scientists detect hidden cell types behind disease

Cells throughout the body work together like singers in a choir to keep us healthy, as long as they work in perfect harmony.

7 Apr 2025

New guidelines aim to improve diagnosis and treatment of mycoplasma pneumoniae in children

The Chinese Medical Association has released new guidelines for diagnosing and treating Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children.

7 Apr 2025

Cryo-EM reveals fine structural details of human chromatin remodeler in action

Chromatin remodeling plays a vital role in gene regulation, affecting how DNA is accessed. Disruptions in this process can also lead to cancer and other diseases.

4 Apr 2025

Scientists discover cellular mechanism to protect and repair mitochondria

Damage to the genetic material of mitochondria – the mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA for short – can lead to diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.

4 Apr 2025

CRISPR tool unveils genetic drivers of blood cell maturation

Collaborative research led by investigators at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center defines a novel approach to understanding how certain proteins called transcription factors determine which genetic programs will drive cell growth and maturation.

4 Apr 2025

New study reveals hidden spread of C. diff in intensive care units

One of the most common health care-associated infections spreads within intensive care units (ICUs) more than three times more than previously thought, new research has found.

4 Apr 2025

Pancreatic cells show epigenetic marks before cancerous transformation

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have found a pattern of so-called epigenetic "marks" in a transition state between normal and pancreatic cancer cells in mice, and that the normal cells may keep at least a temporary "memory" of those cancer-linked marks.

4 Apr 2025

New insights into bacterial defense mechanisms could help combat antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a global health challenge that could overtake cancer mortality within a few decades.

4 Apr 2025

Study: Jumbo phages utilize EPI vesicles to evade bacterial immune response

In a growing global trend, bacteria have evolved new ways to maneuver around medical treatments for a variety of infections. The rising antibiotic resistance crisis poses a significant public health threat in hospitals and other settings, with infections resulting in millions of deaths in recent years.

4 Apr 2025

New bacterial evolutionary map could lead to precision treatments for infections

The first-of-its-kind in-depth bacterial evolutionary map could pave the way for the development of precision treatments for certain antibiotic-resistant infections, such as urinary tract infections.

3 Apr 2025

New method traces development of nervous system and inner ear cells

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a method that shows how the nervous system and sensory organs are formed in an embryo.

3 Apr 2025

Drug-carrying DNA aptamers offer dual action against leukemia stem cells

Drug-carrying DNA aptamers can deliver a one-two punch to leukemia by precisely targeting the elusive cancer stem cells that seed cancer relapses, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report.

3 Apr 2025

Updated screening protocols could improve early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

All states should adopt updated screening protocols so more newborns with cystic fibrosis can be diagnosed in the first weeks of life, when interventions can have the greatest benefit, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation guidelines published April 2 in the International Journal of Neonatal Screening.

3 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

Study sheds light on how major cancer gene influences the success of PARP inhibitors

A study led by scientists at NYU Langone Health sheds light on how the major cancer gene BRCA2 determines which cancer cells can be killed by a class of precision cancer drugs called PARP inhibitors.

3 Apr 2025

4basebio receives MHRA GMP licence for manufacture and supply of synthetic DNA

4basebio PLC (“4basebio”), a company which develops and commercializes the large-scale manufacture of synthetic DNA as well as nanoparticle delivery solutions, today announced that it has received Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

From 4basebio PLC 3 Apr 2025