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.

What are Homeobox Genes?

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

What are Homeobox Genes?

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Genetics and Gene Expression

Ras Genes and Cancer

Gene History

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Gene Knockin

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Horizontal Gene Transfer

See more featured articles »

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Genetic Inheritance

Latest Gene News and Research

Scientists identify specialized cells that trigger bone marrow cavity growth

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue located within the hollow center of bones, serving as the primary site for the continuous production of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells.

28 Apr 2026

Baylor researchers develop SAMENT method to map metastatic tumor niches

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions developed a method that reveals the cellular makeup of tissues that support metastatic cancer growth, which is the primary cause of death for most patients with solid tumors.

28 Apr 2026

Harvard scientists create first detailed map of smell receptors

For most of us, the sense of smell is an integral part of everyday life; it plays a critical role in providing information about our surroundings, alerting us to potential dangers, enhancing our sense of taste, and evoking emotions and memories.

28 Apr 2026

Electroacupuncture promotes weight loss by turning white fat into brown

Globally rising obesity rates pose major health risks, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain malignancies.

28 Apr 2026

Study identifies "RNA dicing" as a key cancer driver

Scientists have uncovered an unexpected way cells can generate cancer-driving proteins—by cutting RNA into shorter, functional fragments rather than following the standard blueprint.

28 Apr 2026

New imaging method maps DNA replication forks with single-cell resolution

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new imaging method, known as RF-SIRF, that quantitatively detects and maps reversed DNA replication forks with single-cell resolution

28 Apr 2026

Virginia Tech team identifies proteins that can reverse lung scarring

A Virginia Tech team has identified a promising new therapeutic strategy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), showing that blocking two proteins can halt and even reverse lung scarring in pre-clinical models.

28 Apr 2026

Scientists uncover why brain damage continues after stroke

Every stroke begins with a sudden interruption of blood flow in the brain. But what happens afterward—why neurons continue to lose function and die over the following days—has remained one of the most important unanswered questions in neuroscience.

28 Apr 2026

Lipid pathways driving diabetes and heart disease risk in South Asians

Identifying lipid-linked genetic pathways in Asian Indians offers insights into diabetes and heart disease, crucial for developing ancestry-specific therapies.

28 Apr 2026

Single protein shapes both brain connectivity and vascular stability

The communication network in the developing brain builds when neurons partner up to form contact points called synapses, allowing signals to pass form one cell to another.

27 Apr 2026

Estrogen loss after menopause impacts heart health through gene regulation

Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute say the increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause may stem not only from declining hormone levels, but also from how those changes influence gene activity.

27 Apr 2026

Scientists seek to reverse neurodegeneration by eliminating harmful RNA pollution

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the Salk Institute and Sanford Burnham Prebys have received a four-year, $13 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to investigate how to reverse age-related neurodegeneration by eliminating what the researchers call "RNA pollution" in aging neurons.

27 Apr 2026

Engineered cells boost production of gene editing delivery vehicles

Gene editing has emerged as a powerful approach for targeting the genetic causes of disease, but getting the editing machinery into the right cells efficiently, safely, and at the scale needed for therapies remains one of the biggest set of challenges in the field.

25 Apr 2026

International consortia honored for advancing stem cell research collaboration

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has named CorEUstem COST Action and Stem Cell COREdinates as the recipients of the 2026 ISSCR Public Service Award.

25 Apr 2026

Fucosylated IgG drives adipose tissue dysfunction during aging

A study published in Engineering has identified fucosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) as a key mediator contributing to adipose tissue dysfunction during aging, offering insights into age-related metabolic disorders and potential therapeutic targets.

25 Apr 2026

The heart's constant beating suppresses tumor growth in cardiac tissues

The heart's constant beating may actively suppress tumor growth in cardiac tissues, a new study reports. This is because cellular pathways in these tissues alter gene regulation in cancer cells to keep them from proliferating.

25 Apr 2026

Molecular map reveals how Down syndrome alters brain development

Scientists at UCLA have created one of the first cellular-resolution molecular maps detailing how Down syndrome alters human brain development before birth - a resource that resolves longstanding contradictions in the field and could lay the groundwork for future therapeutic strategies.

25 Apr 2026

Intercellular heme transfer pathway sustains red blood cell production under stress

Scientists have long been puzzled by how maturing red blood cells manage to produce all the hemoglobin they need to carry oxygen to tissues, even after shedding the vital structures they need to produce it.

25 Apr 2026

Molecular gatekeepers in bacteria prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance

A new study finds that bacteria can actively block the transfer of beneficial genes to neighboring cells, using specialized proteins to specifically destroy shared DNA before it spreads.

25 Apr 2026

WHO prequalifies first malaria treatment designed for youngest vulnerable patients

Ahead of World Malaria Day on 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a significant step forward in the fight against malaria with the prequalification of the first treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms.

24 Apr 2026