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.

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Ras Genes and Cancer

What are Homeobox Genes?

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Gene History

Gene Knockin

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

See more featured articles »

Genetic Inheritance

Genetics and Gene Expression

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

What are Homeobox Genes?

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Latest Gene News and Research

Machine learning model filters out the biological noise in liquid biopsy samples

A machine learning model developed by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center filters out the biological noise in liquid biopsy samples, helping clinicians better match therapies to their patients' tumors.

9 Jun 2026

Study identifies key protein driving colon cancer drug resistance

One of the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal cancer is 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a cornerstone treatment that has improved outcomes for countless patients.

9 Jun 2026

Uninherited parental genes leave lasting imprint on children's lives

Our parents' genes, even the ones we didn't inherit, leave a measurable lasting imprint on our lives. An international team led by researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health developed a new approach to analyze genetic data from tens of thousands of families.

9 Jun 2026

Massive genetic study uncovers new insights into anxiety risk

A study led by researchers at King’s College London and QIMR Berghofer medical research institute analysed genetic data on anxiety symptoms in 693,869 people of European ancestry, revealing new insight into the genetic pathways involved in the condition.

9 Jun 2026

Scientists use inactive virus to safe-deliver spasticity-reversing spinal genes

Muscle spasticity is a common and often debilitating consequence of spinal cord injury that can significantly affect mobility and quality of life. Spasticity is a condition in which muscles become abnormally stiff or tight because of disrupted nerve signaling, often causing exaggerated reflexes, involuntary muscle spasms and difficulty with movement.

9 Jun 2026

Fathers shape childhood obesity risk long before birth

New research highlights fathers' influence on childhood obesity risk through sperm changes, lifestyle, and parenting, urging inclusive prevention strategies.

9 Jun 2026

Protein repair defects linked to hidden heart failure

Researchers in the del Monte Lab at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are the first to observe defects in the protein repair system associated with the peculiar, misfolded protein plaques previously observed in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM ).

9 Jun 2026

Study reveals protein driving fast-twitch muscle formation

University of Maine researchers have published new findings about how muscles form, why certain muscle diseases develop and why symptoms may not appear until years after muscle degeneration begins.

8 Jun 2026

Brazil launches genetic screening project for prospective parents

In the coming weeks, the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) will begin recruiting participants for the "Our Genes" project.

8 Jun 2026

Blocking immune pathway slows Huntington disease in mouse models

Huntington disease is a rare, inherited brain disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells, leading to worsening movement, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms.

8 Jun 2026

AI-designed molecular switch uses caffeine to control engineered cells

For many of us, a warm cup of coffee is how we start our day. For Texas A&M Health researchers, it may also offer a new way to control engineered cells in future medicines.

8 Jun 2026

Study identifies new therapeutic candidate for KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer

A new research paper was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on June 3, 2026, titled "The anticancer effects of PCAIs in pancreatic cancer cells involve MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways hyperactivation."

8 Jun 2026

New genetic disorder linked to severe childhood lung disease

A new report in the American Journal of Human Genetics describes a novel disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the TMEM63B gene, which results in severe lung disease.

8 Jun 2026

Female brain forms fear memories through unique molecular process

Women are twice as likely as men to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - and new research may offer a biological clue as to why.

8 Jun 2026

Antidepressants trigger opposite reactions in different groups of serotonin-producing brain cells

A new study has uncovered how antidepressants affect different groups of serotonin-producing brain cells in opposite ways, offering new insights into why selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can cause unpleasant side effects at the start of treatment but lead to symptom relief over time.

8 Jun 2026

Infant receives world's first gene therapy for WOREE syndrome

An eight-month-old infant with a severe genetic epilepsy has become the first patient in the world to receive an experimental gene replacement therapy designed to restore the function of the WWOX gene directly in the brain.

8 Jun 2026

DNA study links BRCA genes to aggressive early-onset breast cancer in black women

Black women experience disproportionately elevated risks of developing and dying from early-onset breast cancer. New research published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, reveals the genes that are most likely to be mutated to contribute to these increased risks.

8 Jun 2026

Researchers challenge the traditional understanding of how histone deacetylase inhibitors function

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions are challenging the traditional understanding of how cancer drugs called histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors function.

5 Jun 2026

Ancient Y chromosome gene UTY retains regulatory function in humans

The study, published in Volume 153, Issue 9 of the journal Development on May 14, 2026, by The Company of Biologists, is the first to precisely map endogenous UTY occupancy across the human genome and demonstrate that UTY remains functionally involved in transcriptional regulation during early human development.

5 Jun 2026

Grant fuels research into SYNGAP1-linked behavioral abnormalities

CURE SYNGAP1 501(c)(3) is pleased to announce a $130,000 grant to Dr. Helen Willsey and Dr. David Kastner at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

5 Jun 2026