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 History

Gene Concepts

Common breast cancer therapies may speed up aging, study shows

A new study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has revealed that common breast cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, may accelerate the biological aging process in breast cancer survivors.

8 Oct 2024

Environmental factors significantly impact gene expression through epigenetic modifications

Epigenetics, the study of changes in gene function that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence, plays a pivotal role in understanding the complex interplay between genetics and the environment. The review article "Epigenetics and Environmental Health" provides an in-depth analysis of how epigenetic modifications can influence the onset and progression of various diseases, particularly cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

8 Oct 2024

Overcoming CRISPR's side effects for therapeutic applications

CRISPR is a revolutionary tool that allows scientists to precisely modify the genome and gene expression of cells in any organism. It's a reagent-;a substance that facilitates a reaction-;that combines an enzyme with a programmable RNA capable of locating specific genetic sequences. Once guided to the correct spot, the enzyme acts like a pair of scissors, cutting, replacing, or deleting sequences of DNA.

7 Oct 2024

Doxycycline increases antimicrobial resistance in the gut without disrupting microbiome diversity

Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis increases tetracycline resistance genes in the gut, without significantly affecting microbiome diversity in men who have sex with men and transgender women.

7 Oct 2024

Epigenetic testing opens new doors for multiple myeloma treatment

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that appears mainly after the age of sixty. Its incidence, therefore, increases with the aging of the population.

7 Oct 2024

When CDK12/13 stalls, healthy prostate cells take a malignant turn

CDK12 is established as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer, with its loss driving aggressive disease and creating vulnerabilities for targeted therapies.

7 Oct 2024

Single-cell genomics unveils secrets of the human microbiome

The human microbiome plays a critical role in our health, influencing everything from disease development to treatment responses.

7 Oct 2024

Researchers identify key mechanism behind atherosclerosis in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome

A team of researchers from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), and the Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM-CSIC) has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease in patients with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), an ultra-rare genetic disorder that accelerates the aging process.

7 Oct 2024

How carnitine transporters boost reproductive health

Research uncovers the critical role of carnitine transporters in maintaining fertility by regulating energy metabolism and protecting reproductive cells from oxidative stress. It suggests new pathways for treating infertility through carnitine supplementation and targeted therapies.

6 Oct 2024

CheekAge: Next-gen epigenetic clock accurately predicts mortality risk

Researchers developed CheekAge, an epigenetic clock based on buccal cells, and found it predicted mortality risk with significant accuracy. This study validates CheekAge as a reliable aging biomarker, outperforming first-generation clocks.

6 Oct 2024

Researchers reveal mechanisms of how CDK12 alterations drive prostate cancer development

When researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center first identified a new subtype of aggressive prostate cancer, they knew they needed to understand how this genetic alteration was driving cancer and how to target it with treatment.

4 Oct 2024

New insights into the role of gamma-delta T cells across 33 cancer types revealed

A new study published in Cell Press reveals critical insights into the role of gamma-delta T cells across 33 cancer types, shedding light on their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer treatment.

4 Oct 2024

Study paves way to more efficient non-addictive treatment for chronic pain

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a new comprehensive mapping of genetic activity for understanding the causes of chronic pain.

4 Oct 2024

Cancer Research UK backs study to develop preventive ovarian cancer vaccine

In this study, the Cancer Research UK-funded scientists will establish the targets for the vaccine. They will find out which proteins on the surface of early-stage ovarian cancer cells are most strongly recognized by the immune system and how effectively the vaccine kills mini-models of ovarian cancer called organoids.

4 Oct 2024

NIH supports research on non-opioid pain relief for oral cancer patients

The School of Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) earned the first National Institutes of Health grant under its new Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research, addressing pain in patients with head and neck carcinoma.

4 Oct 2024

Houston Methodist researchers join national consortium to develop herpesvirus vaccine

Houston Methodist researchers will be part of a national consortium funded by an up to $49 million award from the U.S. Government's Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a vaccine against two of the most common and destructive strains of herpesviruses that latently infect a majority of Americans and can lead to acute infections, multiple forms of cancer, autoimmune disease and birth defects.

3 Oct 2024

New study explores UBA1 dysfunction in VEXAS and cancer

A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on September 30, 2024, entitled, "UBA1 dysfunction in VEXAS and cancer."

3 Oct 2024

Antioxidant-rich diet could help lower risk of infertility in women, new study suggests

The study reveals that increased antioxidant consumption may protect against infertility in women, addressing oxidative stress in reproductive disorders.

3 Oct 2024

New study links pulmonary carcinoid aggressiveness to TERT gene activation

Pulmonary carcinoids are rare tumors of the lung with extremely different clinical courses. In many patients, they behave like benign tumors; surgical removal of the tumor leads to a complete cure. However, some patients experience aggressive growth and spread (metastasis) of the tumor with poor chances of recovery. The biological causes of these different forms of the disease are still unknown.

3 Oct 2024

The threat of serous uterine cancer: A new perspective

Most uterine cancers have excellent five-year survival rates – up to 95% for localized cancer. Serous uterine cancer is an exception, with five-year survival rates of 35% to 50% for stage 1 or 2 cancer.

3 Oct 2024