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

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Genetic Inheritance

Ras Genes and Cancer

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Gene Knockin

Gene History

Genetics and Gene Expression

See more featured articles »

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Latest Gene News and Research

Unexpected behavior observed during interactions between immune cells and dying cells

Over the years, cell biology has built a detailed picture of how cells compartmentalize their internal functions. Central to this organization is the nucleus, which houses the genetic material and is separated from the cytoplasm by a robust nuclear envelope.

25 Feb 2026

Breakthrough gene therapy for sickle cell disease remains out of reach in Africa

As Uganda rolls out mandatory nationwide screening of newborns for sickle cell disease this month, a gene therapy celebrated in the United States and Europe remains financially out of reach for most patients in Africa.

25 Feb 2026

Simple blood test measuring piRNAs may help better understand health and aging

Research in Aging Cell indicates that blood levels of particular small non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression, may influence how long a person lives.

25 Feb 2026

Muscles retain molecular memory of repeated inactivity

Muscle loss, or atrophy, due to inactivity is common after illness, injury, hospitalization or falls, and becomes increasingly frequent with aging.

25 Feb 2026

Lingering brain inflammation found after mild COVID infection

Even a mild case of COVID-19 or the flu can impact the body long after the fever and cough fade, according to new Tulane University research that may help explain why some people struggle to feel fully recovered weeks or months later.

25 Feb 2026

New Pico C technology maps genome structure before activation

For decades, scientists viewed the genome of a newly fertilised egg as a structural 'blank slate' – a disordered tangle of DNA waiting for the embryo to 'wake up' and start reading its own genetic instructions.

24 Feb 2026

Study sheds light on behavior of yeast cells in the gut

A new study sheds light on the behavior of yeast cells in the gut, paving the way for new lines of yeast that more efficiently produce therapeutic drugs tailored to address specific diseases.

24 Feb 2026

Viral RNA modifications trigger celiac inflammation

An EHU study indicates that a drug already approved for use in humans could help to reduce the inflammation associated with celiac disease.

24 Feb 2026

ATG14 found to be a critical defender against hepatic injury and fibrosis

Autophagy is indispensable for maintaining hepatocyte integrity, metabolic homeostasis, and survival. While several autophagy-related proteins have been studied in hepatic physiology, the specific role of Autophagy Related 14 (ATG14) in liver health has remained unclear.

24 Feb 2026

Modified Clostridium sporogenes shows promise in targeting solid tumors

A research team led by the University of Waterloo is developing a novel tool to treat cancer by engineering hungry bacteria to literally eat tumors from the inside out.

24 Feb 2026

WashU Medicine receives 80 million to study exceptional longevity

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received an $80 million grant to continue research into the mysteries of exceptional longevity.

23 Feb 2026

Engineers develop highly precise gene editor for safer cystic fibrosis treatments

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania and Rice University have refined a technology for editing individual genetic "base pairs" to a new level of precision, opening the door to safer, more reliable therapies for a wide range of genetic diseases, and to potential treatments for some cystic fibrosis patients that may yield better outcomes than existing therapies.

23 Feb 2026

Combining gene and biomarker screening for newborn health

For more than six decades, biomarker-based newborn screening has played a pivotal role in reducing infant mortality and long-term disability by enabling early detection of metabolic and endocrine disorders.

23 Feb 2026

Study identifies PPP2R5C blood marker that may detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier

Emerging evidence suggests reduced plasma PPP2R5C levels may serve as an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease before overt clinical symptoms appear. The protein appears linked to tau regulation, autophagy pathways, and cognitive decline, supporting its potential diagnostic relevance.

22 Feb 2026

Neutral polymer enables safer DNA delivery into cells

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new molecule which carries DNA into biological cells, to treat or vaccinate against illnesses.

22 Feb 2026

New maps of mouse brains reveal patterns of myelin formation

Johns Hopkins scientists say they have used 3D imaging, special microscopes and artificial intelligence (AI) programs to construct new maps of mouse brains showing a precise location of more than 10 million cells called oligodendrocytes.

22 Feb 2026

Discovery offers hope for reducing immune-related heart risks in cancer patients

For many people diagnosed with cancer, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has dramatically extended lives.

20 Feb 2026

Grant supports research into how microglia may spread toxic tau in Alzheimer’s

A researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio has received a two-year, $402,500 grant award from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund to study how microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, paradoxically might contribute to the spread of toxic forms of tau protein in the disease.

20 Feb 2026

Genetic mismatch identified as major risk factor in cord blood transplantation

A Japanese study of more than 7,400 patients has identified a genetic mismatch that sharply increases the risk of severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following umbilical cord blood transplantation.

20 Feb 2026

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals accelerated T cell aging in viral infections

A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on February 8, 2026, titled "Single-cell transcriptomics reveal intrinsic and systemic T cell aging in COVID-19 and HIV."

19 Feb 2026