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.

Gene Knockin

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

What is SATI Gene Editing?

What are Homeobox Genes?

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Genetics and Gene Expression

Ras Genes and Cancer

What are Homeobox Genes?

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

See more featured articles »

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Genetic Inheritance

Gene History

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Latest Gene News and Research

Blocking platelet-activating factor reduces liver damage in cirrhosis

Researchers from Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain have identified an effective strategy to reduce structural liver damage and improve hepatic vascular function in cirrhosis.

19 Dec 2025

Genes and biological networks that drive long COVID risk

This study merges causal genetics and network theory, revealing 32 genes linked to long COVID, offering insights for diagnostics and personalized therapies.

19 Dec 2025

Study finds a new protein target against KRAS-driven non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second-most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

18 Dec 2025

Advances in hemophilia gene therapy bring hope for pediatric patients

In the past three years, gene therapy has reshaped what's possible in hemophilia treatment for patients 18 and older. But a key question remains: How soon will these advances reach children?

18 Dec 2025

Junk' DNA may hold new clues to Alzheimer’s disease

When most of us think of DNA, we have a vague idea it's made up of genes that give us our physical features, our behavioral quirks, and keep our cells and organs running.

18 Dec 2025

Social living allows genetic effects to spread through the gut microbiome

Your "roommate's" genes could be influencing the bacteria living in your gut, and vice versa, according to a study of rats published today in Nature Communications.

18 Dec 2025

New research highlights varied cold perception across body tissues

Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche A research team led by Félix Viana, co-director of the Sensory Transduction and Nociception laboratory at the Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), has demonstrated that the body uses different molecular mechanisms to detect cold in the skin and in internal organs.

18 Dec 2025

Eating high-fat cheese and cream may be linked to lower dementia risk

Eating more high-fat cheese and high-fat cream may be linked to a lower risk of developing dementia, according to a new study published on December 17, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

17 Dec 2025

New clinical trial offers hope for patients with advanced “dry” age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans 65 and older, is a progressive disease affecting central vision.

17 Dec 2025

Lysophosphatidylcholines show gene-dependent effects in early Alzheimer’s disease

A new study presents robust evidence on the role of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discovered that LPCs-compounds that transport a variety of healthy fatty acids to the brain-either promote Alzheimer's or protect against it, depending on a person's genetics.

17 Dec 2025

Hyperphosphorylated tau may help protect the brain from infection

One of the main proteins that contributes to Alzheimer's disease is called phospho-tau (p-tau). When p-tau gets too many phosphate groups attached to it (a process called hyperphosphorylation), it starts to stick together and form clumps called "tangles" inside of brain nerve cells.

17 Dec 2025

Researchers uncover how a gene influences cell size across various cell types

What keeps our cells the right size? Scientists have long puzzled over this fundamental question, since cells that are too large or too small are linked to many diseases. Until now, the genetic basis behind cell size has largely been a mystery.

17 Dec 2025

Urine-based microRNA clock predicts biological aging without a blood test

Researchers developed and validated a non-invasive urinary microRNA aging clock using extracellular vesicle miRNAs from more than 6,000 adults. The model predicts age with about 4 to 5 years error and links accelerated aging signals to type 2 diabetes.

16 Dec 2025

Opposing protein forces fine tune mRNA stability in human cells

A newly revealed molecular tug-of-war may have implications for better understanding how a multitude of diseases and disorders - including cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and immune disorders - originate, as well as how to potentially treat them, according to researchers at Penn State.

16 Dec 2025

A multi-gene mouse model reveals new mechanisms of Hirschsprung disease

During development of the digestive system, a complex network of nerves forms around it, creating a "second brain" - the enteric nervous system (ENS) - which controls the movement of food and waste through the gut.

16 Dec 2025

First-of-its-kind mRNA system switches on therapeutic genes inside targeted cells

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a first-of-its-kind mRNA system that switches on therapeutic genes preferentially inside targeted cells-an advance demonstrated in studies in mice that could lay the groundwork for safer, more precise treatments for cancer and other diseases.

16 Dec 2025

Researchers develop AI-powered method for faster lung infection diagnosis

Lung infections like pneumonia are among the world's top killers - but diagnosing them is notoriously hard.

16 Dec 2025

Study identifies molecular drivers of cerebral small vessel disease

A new study identifies molecular factors that promote small vessel disease - and an active drug that can restore impaired vascular functions.

16 Dec 2025

SARS-CoV-2 evolves after jumping from humans to zoo animals

Research on SARS-CoV-2 in zoo tigers, lions, and hyenas shows rapid viral evolution and adaptation, offering insights into cross-species transmission dynamics.

16 Dec 2025

New in vitro platform predicts drug toxicity, improving cancer treatment safety

Overcoming acquired treatment resistance is one of the major challenges in the fight against cancer. While combination therapies hold promise, their toxicity to healthy tissue remains a major hurdle. To anticipate these risks, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed in vitro models of the kidneys, liver, and heart - three organs particularly sensitive to such therapies.

16 Dec 2025