How viruses infect bacteria: A tale of a tail
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Using state-of-the-art tools, EPFL scientists have described a million-atom "tail" that bacteriophages use to breach bacterial surfaces. The...
View Article'Genetically engineered' crops not adverse to environment or human health
Genetically engineered crops have not hurt the environment and are not adversely affecting human health, according to a comprehensive study coordinated by the National Academy of Sciences.
View ArticleScientists reveal sub-Saharan Africa's 4000-year legacy of past migrations
Researchers from the University of Oxford have revealed that the genetic ancestries of many of sub-Saharan Africa's populations are the result of historical DNA mixing events, known as admixture,...
View ArticleEngineered human colon model could aid in cancer research
Genetic mutations are a major cause of cancer, and tracking the role of each gene in cancer pathogenesis has long been an important tool in the fight against a disease that is expected to kill more...
View ArticleExtensive variation revealed in 1,001 genomes and epigenomes of Arabidopsis
An international team of scientists has sequenced the whole genomes and epigenomes of more than 1,000 Arabidopsis thaliana plants, sampled from geographically diverse locations. The collection of 1,001...
View ArticleEarly controlled use of fire may have led to emergence of tuberculosis
(Phys.org)—A small team of researchers with the University of New South Wales and Monash University, both in Australia, has developed a theory that suggests tuberculosis may have evolved into a disease...
View ArticleWhere there's smoke—and a mutation—there may be an evolutionary edge for humans
A genetic mutation may have helped modern humans adapt to smoke exposure from fires and perhaps sparked an evolutionary advantage over their archaic competitors, including Neandertals, according to a...
View ArticleSpeedy the tortoise and altering the genetic code
Last week my sister sent me a great article from Buzzfeed on "a reptile dysfunction". It's about stupid people who buy cute little baby tortoises that, after a few sweet months, enter a growth spurt...
View ArticleIsraeli scientists say they can block melanoma spread
Israeli scientists have uncovered how the most severe form of skin cancer spreads to other organs in a discovery that could revolutionise treatment of the disease, they said Tuesday.
View ArticleGenetics of African KhoeSan populations maps to Kalahari Desert geography
Geography and ecology are key factors that have influenced the genetic makeup of human groups in southern Africa, according to new research discussed in the journal Genetics, a publication of the...
View ArticleVideo: Genetically modified humans? CRISPR/Cas 9 explained
Thanks to a new, cheap and accurate DNA-editing technique called CRISPR-Cas9, targeted genetic modification in humans is no longer just the realm of science fiction. Both the British and U.S....
View ArticleSmallest-reported artificial virus could help advance gene therapy
Gene therapy is a kind of experimental treatment that is designed to fix faulty genetic material and help a patient fight off or recover from a disease. Now scientists have engineered the...
View ArticleHuman DNA tied mostly to single exodus from Africa long ago (Update)
A study of hundreds of new genomes from across the globe has yielded insights into modern genetic diversity and ancient population dynamics, including compelling evidence that essentially all...
View ArticleLandmark map reveals the genetic wiring of cellular life
Researchers at the University of Toronto's Donnelly Centre have created the first map that shows the global genetic interaction network of a cell. It begins to explain how thousands of genes coordinate...
View ArticleGenes underlying dogs' social ability revealed
The social ability of dogs is affected by genes that also seems to influence human behaviour, according to a new study from Linköping University in Sweden. The scientists have found a relationship...
View ArticleResearch finds enzymes essential for DNA repair
Scientists at ANU and Heidelberg University in Germany have found an essential component in the DNA repair process which could open the door to the development of new cancer drugs.
View ArticleDNA analysis of ancient teeth shows dogs gained ability to digest starches at...
(Phys.org)—A team of researchers from France, Sweden and Romania has found genetic evidence that indicates that domesticated dogs developed an ability to digest starch during the same time period as...
View ArticleOnly half of a chromosome is DNA, study finds
DNA makes up only half of the material inside chromosomes – far less than was previously thought – a study has revealed.
View ArticleRapid population decline among vertebrates began with industrialization
Rapid population decline among vertebrate species began at the end of the 19th century when industrialization was at its peak, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center...
View ArticleGenomes in flux: New study reveals hidden dynamics of bird and mammal DNA...
Evolution is often thought of as a gradual remodeling of the genome, the genetic blueprints for building an organism. But in some instance it might be more appropriate to call it an overhaul. Over the...
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