Study Shows that Genetics Play an Important Role in Anti-Tobacco Policies
A newly published study from Yale University suggests that genetics play an important role in whether a person responds to tobacco-control policies, finding that…
Genetics News
Genetic Trickery Coaxes Heart to Heal Itself
Two new studies suggest that heart muscle cells can make copies of themselves at a very low rate, but researchers have developed a genetic trick…
Inherent Complexity of the Wheat Genome
An international team has produced a rough draft of wheat’s DNA sequence. The draft identifies many of its genes and makes it possible to identify…
Telomerase Gene Therapy Extends Mouse Lifespan by 24%
Inducing cells to express telomerase, the enzyme which is supposed to slow down the metabolic clock, has enabled researchers boost the lifespan of mouse by…
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…
Full Genome of Domestic Pig Will Benefit Farmers & Researchers
Scientists have finally been able to completely sequence the genome of a domestic pig, which will allow farmers to breed healthier and meatier pigs, as…
Bactrian Camel Genome Might Help Survival in Harsh Environments
Bactrian camels have sky-high blood glucose levels, a diet loaded with salt, and tend to pack away fat. These evolutionary adaptations help them survive in…
Whole-Genome Analysis Identifies the Source of a Recent MRSA Outbreak
In Cambridge, UK, there was a superbug outbreak at a special-care neonatal unit that lasted several months last year. Thanks to insights gained from whole-genome…
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…
Genetically Modified Tomatoes Counteract Heart Disease
Researchers have developed a genetically modified tomato that produces a certain peptide which will lower the plaque buildup in the arteries of mice. This could…
Genes Related to Host-Microbe Interactions Linked to IBD
A newly published study identified 71 additional genetic associations for IBD and suggests a strong overlap between IBD susceptibility genes and genes tied to the…
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…
Reaction to Placebo Effect May Be Genetic
The reason why some people tend to respond to treatments that have no active ingredients might be down to genetics. A new study indicates that…
Atomic Level Splicing Further Establishes RNA’s Chemical and Structural Complexity
A newly published paper from researchers at Yale University looks at the process of splicing RNA at the atomic level, establishing RNA’s chemical and structural…
Study Provides Picture of Human Expansion From Africa
A newly published study analyzes genetic and paleoanthropological evidence, showing that today’s human population is the result of a great demographic and geographic expansion that…
Genetic Evidence Tracks Missing Otomí During Aztecs Conquest
In the 15th century, the population of the city-state Xaltocan, part of the Otomí, vanished and was replaced by the growing Aztec culture. The fate…
