Prolific Changes in the Human Genome in the Past 5,000 Years
Human populations have grown exponentially in the past 5,000 years, and new genetic mutations arise in each new generation. Humans have a vast abundance of…
DNA
Synthesizing a Flu Vaccine Without the Virus
A new vaccine strategy, which uses synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) instead of proteins purified from viruses, could make flu shots cheaper, safer, and easier to…
Diagnostic Tests Undercut Surveillance Abilities of Health Officials
Some new diagnostic tests for foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli hinder the ability of public health officials to detect outbreaks. The problem…
Proteins Engineered With Predictable Structures
Proteins fold spontaneously into precise conformation, time after time, optimized by evolution. Yet given the number of contortions possible for chains of amino acids, dictating…
Database Will Integrate Data from Clinical Testing Labs & Literature
This week, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a new database known as ClinVar, which will make physicians’ jobs much easier. The NIH…
The Most Comprehensive Catalog of Human Genome Variations
An international team of more than 1,000 scientists participated in a new study showing an integrated map of genetic variation from 1,092 human genomes. A…
Sequencing DNA from Individual Cells Yields Dramatic New Information
Nicolas Navin wanted to work out the sequence from individual cancer cells to see how they had mutated and diverged as the cancer grew. Back…
Mitochondrial Transfer Technology Could Reduce Risk of Childhood Disease
New technology that would allow genetic material to shuffle between unfertilized eggs is ready to make healthier babies. This technique would allow parents to minimize…
New Genome Interpreter Aims to Address Privacy Concerns and Aid Clinicians
DNA sequencing is getting faster and cheaper, and clinicians are now finding uses for it in their practices. A test for malfunctioning genes might show…
Researchers Calculate That DNA Has a 521 Year Half-Life
A new study of fossils in New Zealand has discovered that cloning dinosaurs or organisms that have been extinct for millions of years is highly…
Faster Whole-Genome Sequencing May Lead to Routine Use in Neonatal Intensive Care
A new, faster DNA-sequencing machine, as well as streamlined analysis of its results, will allow physicians to diagnose genetic disorders in days rather than weeks….
Bearing a Male Child Can Alter a Woman’s Brain
A new study indicates that male DNA, left over from pregnancy with a male fetus, can persist in a woman’s brain throughout the rest of…
Genetic Variability Helps Sea Urchins Cope with Environmental Changes
The current rising acidity in the ocean is supposed to have dire consequences for organisms like coral, but there are some sea urchins that have…
DNA Could Predate Existence of Life As We Know It
Chemists are close to showing that DNA could form spontaneously from chemicals which were present during primordial Earth. If they succeed, the work could imply…
Artificial-Enzyme Editing Rewrites Zebrafish DNA, Could be Useful in the Study of Diseases
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a useful model for studying gene behavior and function. Researchers have been able to make custom changes in the zebrafish’s genome,…
Cancer-Fighting DNA Nanorobots Could Target Specific Cells for Repair
Nanites and nano-scale robots have been found mostly in the realm of science-fiction, but scientists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biological Inspired Engineering are working…
Improved Estimates of DNA’s Mutation Rate Paint Clearer Picture of Human Prehistory
Since the 1960s, DNA has changed the story of human ancestry. Some studies have shown that all modern humans are descended from ancestors who lived…
Honeybees Switch Roles within the Hive
Honeybees exhibit subtle differences in their DNA, which is tied to their roles within the hive. These DNA modifications, which are normally fixed, can be…
