Ancient Genomes Suggest the Real Reason Woolly Rhinos Went Extinct
Woolly rhinoceros likely went extinct due to climate change, not overhunting. The extinction of prehistoric megafauna like the woolly mammoth, cave lion, and woolly rhinoceros…
Genetics
Researchers Examined What COVID-19 Does to Taste Bud Cells – Here’s What They Found
COVID-19 does not directly damage taste bud cells. First study to show taste bud cell immunity from contact with virus particle. A new study from…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers: Viruses Can Steal Our Genetic Code to Create New Human-Virus Genes
Study unveils novel mechanism that allows viruses to produce unexpected proteins. Like a scene out of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” a virus infects a…
An Ancient Reptile in Peril: The Curious Genome of the Tuatara, a Vulnerable Species That Is NOT a Lizard
Researchers have sequenced the genome of the tuatara, revealing its unique evolutionary history. Summary International scientists and Ngātiwai, a Māori tribe, teamed up to sequence…
Scientists Use CRISPR to Target Gene Messages Involved in Early Development
CRISPR is a gene-editing tool that has enabled researchers to study the function of different genes in model organisms. Scientists at the Stowers Institute for…
Shocking Research Finds DNA From an Ancient, Unidentified Ancestor Was Passed Down to Humans Living Today
New algorithm suggests that early humans and related species interbred early and often. A new analysis of ancient genomes suggests that different branches of the…
Understanding Human Evolution: Neanderthal DNA Contributes to Genetic Diversity
The advent of DNA sequencing has given scientists a clearer insight into the interconnectedness of evolution and the web-like path that different organisms take, splitting…
Surprising Similarities Between Humans and Flies: Solving the Jigsaw Puzzle of How the Brain Evolved
A new study led by researchers from King’s College London has shown that humans, mice and flies share the same fundamental genetic mechanisms that regulate…
Scientists Say Oriole Hybridization Is a Dead End
Baltimore and Bullock’s Orioles Are Not Merging A half-century of controversy over two popular bird species may have finally come to an end. In one…
The Six Strains of SARS-CoV-2: Despite Its Mutations, the Virus Shows Little Variability
The virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, presents at least six strains. Despite its mutations, the virus shows little variability, and this is…
“Synthetic Lethality” – Exploiting Cancer-Specific Genetic Defects to Target Cancers
Approach exploits tumor weaknesses when 2 genetic defects are combined. With advances in genome sequencing, cancer treatments have increasingly sought to leverage the idea of…
Sexual Parasitism: Deep-Sea Anglerfish Evolved a New Type of Immune System to Physically Fuse With Their Mates
Deep-sea anglerfishes have evolved a curious reproductive strategy. Tiny males attach themselves to gigantic females so tightly that the tissues of the two animals eventually…
Powerful DNA Manipulation: Improved Gene Editing With New Understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 Tool
Cryo-EM captures CRISPR-Cas9 base editor in action. Within a mere eight years, CRISPR-Cas9 has become the go-to genome editor for both basic research and gene…
Raw Genetic Basis of Bats’ Unique Adaptations and Remarkable Superpowers Revealed
First six reference-quality bat genomes released and analyzed. For the first time, the raw genetic material that codes for bats’ unique adaptations and superpowers such…
Solving a DNA Mystery: “The Bizarre Thing About the Bubbling DNA”
Exposure to enzymes causes peculiar response in liquid droplets formed by DNA; new study explains mechanisms behind it. “A watched pot never boils,” as the…
We Are Mutating SARS-CoV-2 – The COVID-19 Virus – But It Is Evolving Back
Scientists at the Milner Centre for Evolution looked at the evolution of the virus that causes Covid19; their findings could help the design of a…
Encyclopedia Created to Detail the Inner Workings of the Human and Mouse Genomes
ENCODE Project’s third phase offers new insights into the organization and regulation of our genes and genome. The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project is…
Quadruple Helix DNA Formation Tracked in Live Human Cells for the First Time
The formation of four-stranded DNA has been tracked in living human cells, allowing scientists to see how it works, and its possible role in cancer….