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Abstract illustration of DNA
Signaling Dynamics Fine-Tune Gene Expression
Ruth Williams | Sep 3, 2021 | 3 min read
The dynamic behavior of a transcriptional activator can be used to specify the activity level of its target gene, a study suggests.
Illustration showing how yeast is used to study histone modifications
Infographic: A Yeast Model for Studying Histone Modifications
Amanda Heidt | Sep 1, 2021 | 1 min read
The methodology involves modifying histones and displaying them on the cell surface for analysis.
Advances in Nucleic Acid Sequencing
The Scientist | 1 min read
Download this eBook to learn how new sequencing methods revolutionize genetics research!
Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, 3D illustration. Microscopic fungi, baker's or brewer's yeast, are used as probiotics to restore normal flora of intestine
Yeast “Mini Labs” Help Researchers Probe Histone Modifications
Amanda Heidt | Sep 1, 2021 | 3 min read
By harnessing a unique property of yeast, scientists can synthesize histones and the enzymes that modify these proteins, which spool DNA and influence gene expression.
a person in a white lab coat with a blue glove inserting a clear pcr tube into a which thermocycler while holding an orange box
Coronavirus Mutations Could Muddle COVID-19 PCR Tests
Jack J. Lee | May 17, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers find that SARS-CoV-2 variants can evade primer-probe sets and recommend that diagnostic assays include multiple targets for reliability.
Aphid Salivary Gene May Regulate Gall Color
Asher Jones | May 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Whether the galls that aphids make on witch hazel leaves are red or green is associated with a gene expressed in the insects’ salivary glands.
obituary, obituaries, microbiology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics, Stanford University, University of Southern California, cell & molecular biology
Laurence “Larry” Kedes, Molecular Geneticist, Dies at 83
Amanda Heidt | Apr 26, 2021 | 4 min read
In addition to isolating the first protein-coding gene from a eukaryote, Kedes furthered scientists’ understanding of actin genes and also laid the foundations for modern DNA databases such as GenBank.
Cancer May Be Driven by DNA Outside of Chromosomes
Paul Mischel | Apr 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
In the last decade, researchers have come to realize that tumors harbor bits of extrachromosomal DNA that can drive malignancy.
“Rogue” Protein Could Contribute to Humans’ High Cancer Rates
Asher Jones | Apr 1, 2021 | 2 min read
A mutant protein called Siglec-XII may promote carcinoma progression in humans, but inactivation of its gene seems to avoid the problem, according to a study.
Infographic: The Role of Extrachromosomal DNA in Cancer
Paul Mischel | Apr 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Researchers are uncovering how circular bits of DNA found in some cancer cells can help tumors evolve and kill.
Lab-Grown Mouse Embryos Form Limbs and Organs
Lisa Winter | Mar 19, 2021 | 3 min read
The embryos completed one-third of their total gestation outside of a uterus.
Derek Applewhite’s Actin Research Inspires the Next Generation
Lisa Winter | Mar 1, 2021 | 4 min read
The biologist’s undergraduate-centered lab allows students to play a meaningful role in research.
Gene-Edited Organoids Explore Neanderthal Brain Function
Jef Akst | Feb 12, 2021 | 3 min read
Using CRISPR to swap an archaic variant of the NOVA1 gene into human stem cells, researchers create organoids with neurodevelopmental differences from those carrying modern DNA.
Siobhán Brady Uses Big Data to Investigate Plant Development
Shawna Williams | Feb 1, 2021 | 3 min read
The University of California, Davis, professor is a pioneer in teasing apart the changes in gene expression that drive root development.
Stress-Induced Chromosome Changes Protect Flies’ Aging Brains
Lisa Winter | Dec 1, 2020 | 2 min read
Brain cells in older Drosophila tend to have more than two complete sets of chromosomes, and that polyploidy most likely has a protective function, a study shows.
Q&A: How Animals Change in Space
Jef Akst | Nov 25, 2020 | 4 min read
Weill Cornell Medicine geneticist Christopher Mason speaks with The Scientist about a bolus of new work on the physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of leaving Earth.
model organism, zebrafish, sponge, cell &molecular biology, genetics & genomics, enhancer, transcription, non-coding DNA, gene regulation, evolution
Regulators of Gene Activity in Animals Are Deeply Conserved
Amanda Heidt | Nov 6, 2020 | 5 min read
Enhancers, short regions of DNA that direct gene expression, of species separated by 700 million years of evolution worked interchangeably, according to a new study.
How a Centipede Survives its Own Species’ Venom
Shawna Williams | Nov 1, 2020 | 2 min read
The same toxin targets different receptors in prey and conspecifics to deliver either a lethal or non-lethal blow.
Contributors
The Scientist | Sep 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the September 2020 issue of The Scientist.
Gene Splicing Pioneer Dale Kaiser Dies
Ashley Yeager | Jun 29, 2020 | 5 min read
Working with a virus that infects bacteria, the Stanford University biochemist and developmental biologist helped to develop a way to stitch DNA together, a discovery that gave rise to genetic engineering.
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