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

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Gene Knockin

Tumor Suppressor Genes

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Genetic Inheritance

Ras Genes and Cancer

What is SATI Gene Editing?

See more featured articles »

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Gene History

Genes that Control Pluripotency

What are Homeobox Genes?

Genetics and Gene Expression

Latest Gene News and Research

Brain protein CUL5 protects neurons by clearing toxic tau clumps

Researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a hazardous waste collector in the brain that disposes of the toxic clumps of tau protein that can lead to dementia.

28 Jan 2026

How DNA and life experiences leave distinct marks on the human immune system

Using single-cell epigenomic profiling of immune cells from 110 individuals, researchers show that genetic variation and environmental exposures shape the human immune system through distinct DNA methylation mechanisms. Genetic effects concentrate within gene bodies of memory cells, while environmental exposures primarily remodel regulatory regions in naive immune cells.

28 Jan 2026

Zebrafish can play a decisive role in clinical interpretation of spinal muscular atrophy

The tiny zebrafish is helping researchers rapidly determine whether a newborn's genetic mutation is likely to cause spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.

28 Jan 2026

Exploring Targeted Protein Degradation as a New Strategy to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

Targeted protein degradation presents a promising strategy to address antimicrobial resistance, focusing on innovative approaches for gram-negative bacteria.

28 Jan 2026

Newly discovered compound can advance the body's internal clock

A Japanese research team has discovered a new compound that can advance the body's internal clock—offering hope for faster recovery from jet lag and better adaptation to night-shift work.

28 Jan 2026

First topical CRISPR gene therapy corrects disease-causing mutations in human skin

Gene-editing tools like CRISPR have unlocked new treatments for previously uncurable diseases. Now, researchers at the University of British Columbia are extending those possibilities to the skin for the first time.

27 Jan 2026

Purdue researchers discover new therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer

A Purdue University team led by Kyle Cottrell has discovered a new therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer.

27 Jan 2026

Study reveals heart, brain, neuroimmune connections driving damage after heart attacks

Arteries become clogged. Blood flow is restricted and oxygen is cut off. The result is a heart attack, the world's leading cause of death.

27 Jan 2026

PFOA exposure disrupts hormone signaling and impairs embryo implantation in mice

A new experimental study has found that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a widely used industrial chemical, can interfere with key biological processes required for successful embryo implantation, raising concerns about its potential impact on female fertility.

27 Jan 2026

Tracking antibiotic resistance across environmental systems using advanced metagenomic tools

Antibiotic resistance is often framed as a hospital problem, but a growing body of evidence shows that the environment plays an equally critical role in the global spread of drug resistant bacteria.

27 Jan 2026

Why eating more oats can rapidly reduce cholesterol levels

Oat consumption boosts gut microbiota-derived phenolic metabolites, driving cholesterol-lowering effects and improving lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome.

27 Jan 2026

Multi-fluid microRNA signals as markers of endometriosis

Researchers uncover distinct microRNA profiles in bodily fluids, offering insights into noninvasive diagnostic markers for endometriosis and its complexities.

27 Jan 2026

WVU researchers explore how to restore vision in people with inherited blindness

A research team at the WVU is studying how to restore vision in people who develop a form of inherited blindness.

26 Jan 2026

Gene therapy targeting connexin 43 shows promise across inherited heart diseases

University of California San Diego-led team has discovered that restoring a key cardiac protein called connexin‑43 in a mouse model can dramatically improve heart function and extend survival in several inherited forms of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM)

26 Jan 2026

Secondary-treated wastewater still transfers antibiotic resistance to fresh produce

A study reveals tertiary-treated wastewater significantly reduces antimicrobial resistance risks in lettuce irrigation compared to secondary-treated water.

26 Jan 2026

Microbiome differences distinguish preterm infants with parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis

24 Jan 2026

Selective inhibition of cPLA2 shows promise against Alzheimer's-related brain inflammation

A multidisciplinary USC research team has identified new compounds that may target a key driver of brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer's disease. Their research just published in the Nature publication npj Drug Discovery.

24 Jan 2026

PTPN2 gene protects the gut from harmful bacteria driving inflammatory bowel disease

Two recent studies from the University of California, Riverside, published in the same issue of Gut Microbes highlight the role of a gene called PTPN2 in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

24 Jan 2026

Unraveling liver injury mechanisms in familial hypobetalipoproteinemia

Familial Hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL), caused by variants in the apolipoprotein B (APOB) gene, is a rare autosomal co-dominant monogenic disorder characterized by lifelong low plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and APOB.

24 Jan 2026

Shared genetic architecture links schizophrenia with hemispheric white matter microstructure

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous psychiatric disorder affecting ~1% of the global population, typically emerging in adolescence or early adulthood and characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and cognitive impairments; while its etiology remains elusive, genetic factors are widely recognized as fundamental, and GWAS have identified over 200 genome-wide significant loci.

24 Jan 2026