Junk DNA News and Research

RSS

In genetics, "junk DNA" or noncoding DNA describes components of an organism's DNA sequences that do not encode for protein sequences.

Scientists discover novel microglia-associated risk factors for Alzheimer's disease

Scientists studying Alzheimer's disease (AD) have identified thousands of genetic variants in the genome in the development of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

22 Sep 2023

SickKids scientists shine light on the complex genetics that underlie blood pressure regulation

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are delving deep into the non-coding genome to unravel the complex genetics that underlie blood pressure regulation and hypertension (high blood pressure) – the leading cause of cardiovascular disease affecting 1.25 billion people worldwide.

6 Jun 2023

New model contributes to the understanding of huge variety of genome sizes in nature

A new model developed at Tel Aviv University offers a possible solution to the scientific question of why neutral sequences, sometimes referred to as "junk DNA", are not eliminated from the genome of living creatures in nature and continue to exist within it even millions of years later.

22 Feb 2023

NEI researchers create a high-resolution map of retinal cell chromatin contract points

National Eye Institute researchers mapped the organization of human retinal cell chromatin, the fibers that package 3 billion nucleotide-long DNA molecules into compact structures that fit into chromosomes within each cell's nucleus.

7 Oct 2022

Non-coding 'junk' DNA could potentially contribute to the development of cancer

Scientists have found that non-coding 'junk' DNA, far from being harmless and inert, could potentially contribute to the development of cancer.

19 Jul 2022

Penn biologists show evidence of a two-sided genomic arms race involving repetitive DNA

Biological arms races are commonplace in nature. Cheetahs, for example, have evolved a sleek body form that lends itself to rapid running, enabling them to feast upon similarly speedy gazelles, the fastest of which may evade predation.

27 May 2022

New workflow identifies hidden genetic connections that could improve personalized medicine for IBD

All humans carry genetic variations in their DNA, called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that can underlie susceptibility to diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

28 Apr 2022

HIV drug stops disease progression in 25% of patients with fourth-line metastatic colorectal cancer

New clinical research shows that lamivudine, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor widely used in HIV therapy, stopped disease progression in 25% of patients with fourth-line metastatic colorectal cancer.

5 Apr 2022

Research reveals why a common genetic variant worsens outcomes for people with ALS and FTD

A pioneering new study led by UCL and National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists has revealed, for the first time, why a common genetic variant worsens disease outcomes for people with the devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

24 Feb 2022

Study highlights the critical role of junk DNA in mammalian development

Nearly half of our DNA has been written off as junk, the discards of evolution: sidelined or broken genes, viruses that got stuck in our genome and were dismembered or silenced, none of it relevant to the human organism or human evolution.

19 Oct 2021

Study brings scientists one step closer to solving the mystery of aging

The human body is essentially made up of trillions of living cells. It ages as its cells age, which happens when those cells eventually stop replicating and dividing.

23 Jul 2021

Hematopoietic stem cells take advantage of 'junk' RNA to replenish the blood system

Chemotherapy is widely used to treat cancer patients. During the treatment, chemotherapeutic agents affect various biochemical processes to kill or reduce the growth of cancer cells, which divide uncontrollably in patients.

12 Jul 2021

Researchers create the most comprehensive atlas of human transcriptome

Together with Baylor College of Medicine and the world's leading sequencing company, Illumina, researchers at Ghent University have built one of the most comprehensive catalogues of the human transcriptome ever.

18 Jun 2021

Study reveals the role of lncRNAs in immune dysfunction during severe COVID-19

Scientific studies rarely focus on long non-coding RNA molecules (lncRNAs), even though they potentially regulate several diseases. The role of several lncRNAs in anti-viral inflammatory response regulation has recently been reported.

28 Apr 2021

Long noncoding RNA plays a vital role in mobilizing immune response after organ transplantation

A long noncoding RNA whose function was previously unknown turns out to play a vital role in mobilizing the immune response following a bone marrow transplant or solid organ transplantation.

17 Mar 2021

Long-range regulation of tumor suppressor genes plays key role in cancer

Enhancers are regulatory elements that play an important role in cancer.Researchers from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, identified a novel enhancer.

25 Nov 2020

Novel mechanism enhances the formation of hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoietic stem cells can replenish all the different cell types of our blood system. For this reason, hematopoietic stem cells are the cells used in many blood diseases when patients need transplantations.

17 Nov 2020

Exposure to ancient parasites may be linked to humans’ response to coronavirus

Why are some people more resilient to viruses than others? The answer has eluded scientists for centuries and, in the age of COVID-19, has come to represent one of the holy grails of biomedical research.

16 Oct 2020

Stuttering DNA controls development of mosquito embryos

All organisms have DNA, the genetic material that provides a blueprint for life. The long double-helix-shaped DNA molecules in the body's cells are first translated into RNA molecules and then translated into proteins that ensure the functioning of the cell and the entire organism.

12 Apr 2020

Jumping genes play surprising role in stabilizing DNA folding patterns

"Jumping genes" -- bits of DNA that can move from one spot in the genome to another -- are well-known for increasing genetic diversity over the long course of evolution.

24 Jan 2020