Gene

A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

What are Genes?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the chemical information database that carries the complete set of instructions for the cell as to the nature of the proteins produced by it, its life span, maturity, function and death. Genes are the working subunits of DNA. Each gene contains a particular set of instructions, usually coding for a particular protein or for a particular function.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

What are Homeobox Genes?

Gene History

What are Homeobox Genes?

Genetic Inheritance

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Genetics and Gene Expression

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

See more featured articles »

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Ras Genes and Cancer

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Gene Knockin

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Latest Gene News and Research

New study reveals nitric oxide’s widespread impact on genetics

Genes undergo extensive editing through a process called alternative splicing, which greatly increases the size of the functional genome, the working portion of our DNA that helps make each person unique. Put simply, a single gene can be edited in different ways to produce multiple sets of instructions.

22 May 2026

Explainable AI could make breast cancer drug predictions safer and clearer

AI-driven genomic analysis could help researchers identify existing drugs that may be repurposed for subtype-specific breast cancer treatment. The review proposes an interpretability-driven framework that links multi-omics data, mechanistic validation, and clinical translation to make AI predictions more transparent and clinically useful.

22 May 2026

New genetic roadmap offers targeted treatment for rare inflammatory disorder

Not all broken genes fail in the same way: some simply stop working, while others interfere with what still works.

22 May 2026

New discovery maps how mutant colorectal tumors adapt to KRAS inhibitors

A new preclinical study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine has uncovered genetic and cell-state adaptive mechanisms that drive resistance to KRAS inhibitors in patients with KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer.

22 May 2026

Scientists join international collaborative to advance Parkinson’s disease research

Michael Koob, PhD, and his team from University of Minnesota Medical School have been selected to join the Collaborative Research Network (CRN), an international, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional network working to address high-priority research questions about Parkinson's disease, through a $6 million grant awarded by Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF).

22 May 2026

ISTA researchers prove keratin is indispensable for coherent cell migration

Hair, nails, and horns, all made up of keratin, are some of the hardest and most resilient structures in animals. Inside zebrafish cells, keratin plays a distinct role, giving them the strength they need to move together as a coherent tissue while modulating the driving forces behind their movement during early development. But what happens when keratin is missing?

22 May 2026

Excess EXO1 protein may drive cancer DNA damage and treatment response

When it comes to cancer, tumor suppressor genes are usually thought of as the "good guys." These genes make proteins that protect and repair DNA in cells.

21 May 2026

New eye drop formulation shows promise for dry eye disease

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Okayama University in Japan have developed and tested in mice a promising new eye drop formulation for treating dry eye disease.

21 May 2026

Researchers discover unexpected cellular triggers for precancerous pancreas lesions

In an unexpected finding, a new study flips on its head researchers' understanding of how precancerous pancreas lesions evolve into pancreatic cancer.

21 May 2026

New artificial intelligence model maps how genes work together inside cells

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have created a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that helps reveal how genes function together inside human cells, offering a powerful new way to understand biology and disease.

21 May 2026

Targeting tumor-specific inflammatory process may prevent drug resistance in colon cancer

Chemotherapy drugs that target a common mutation in colorectal cancer rapidly lose efficacy in patients, leading to relapse.

21 May 2026

New computational tool uses plain language for genetic diagnosis

A new computational tool called MARRVEL-MCP helps researchers move toward genetic diagnoses more efficiently by analyzing and interpreting vast amounts of genetic and biological information using everyday language.

21 May 2026

New study shows how exercise hormone reduces multiple sclerosis symptoms

A new study offers clues as to why exercise can improve neurological symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

21 May 2026

Muscle-specific molecular signal regulates how human heart cells produce and utilize critical energy

Researchers have identified a key protein that may help failing hearts regain function, offering new insight into why some hearts recover while others do not.

21 May 2026

First-of-its-kind pregnancy hormone test reveals why female IBD patients face severe symptom flares

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises the inflammatory conditions Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects about 1.6 million Americans, many of whom cannot be effectively treated.

21 May 2026

New gene expression signature may guide immunotherapy for resistant prostate cancer patients

Researchers with the James P. Allison Institute™ at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a new gene expression signature within tumors that can help identify patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who are more likely to experience lasting benefits from combined immunotherapy treatment.

21 May 2026