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Our Favorite Genetics Stories of 2021
Studies The Scientist covered this year illustrate the expanding importance of genetic and genomic research in all aspects of life science, from ecology to medicine.
Our Favorite Genetics Stories of 2021
Our Favorite Genetics Stories of 2021

Studies The Scientist covered this year illustrate the expanding importance of genetic and genomic research in all aspects of life science, from ecology to medicine.

Studies The Scientist covered this year illustrate the expanding importance of genetic and genomic research in all aspects of life science, from ecology to medicine.

genetics & genomics

A semi-translucent hydra, complete with a body column, head, and multiple tentacles, is pictured in front of a gray background.
How Hydras Regenerate Decapitated Heads
Dan Robitzski | Dec 14, 2021 | 5 min read
Hydra vulgaris constantly replenish the cells in their heads and grow new ones to reproduce asexually. But gene expression analyses reveal that regenerating a head after an injury is a very different process.
Artist’s rendering of the protein synthesis process, in which a tRNA molecules carry amino acids to a ribosome that’s decoding a strand of mRNA.
Screen of 250,000 Species Reveals Tweaks to Genetic Code
Dan Robitzski | Nov 9, 2021 | 5 min read
A massive screen of bacterial and archaeal genomes revealed five previously unknown instances where an organism uses an alternate code to translate genetic blueprints into proteins.
a spiny mouse sits on a piece of wood holding a small morsel to its mouth
Spiny Mice Appear to Regenerate Damaged Kidneys
Dan Robitzski | Nov 3, 2021 | 5 min read
The mice, already known to regenerate skin, seem to avoid the tissue scarring that leads to organ failure in other animals.
Conceptual image of gene expression in DNA
Enhancers: Conserved in Activity, Not in Sequence
Jack J. Lee | Nov 1, 2021 | 8 min read
Certain stretches of DNA that regulate gene expression have evolved differently from protein-coding genes.
Colored Genetic Code DNA Molecule Structure stock photo
Genetic Risks for Depression Differ Between Ancestral Groups
Chloe Tenn | Oct 19, 2021 | 4 min read
A large genome-wide association study in East Asians uncovers novel genetic links to depression, calling attention to the consequences of underrepresentation of non-European groups in genetic research data.
Colored artistic rendition of neurons and plaque buildup
Alzheimer’s Risk Gene Paradoxically Protects Against Memory Loss
Chloe Tenn | Oct 8, 2021 | 2 min read
A new study links a variant of the apolipoprotein E gene called APOE ε4 to better memory in older age, even in the presence of amyloid plaques—a possible explanation for the variant’s persistence despite its association with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Photographs of the October 2021 issue's contributors
Contributors
The Scientist | Oct 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the October 2021 issue of The Scientist.
Two sets of identical twin children sitting
Identical Twins Carry Distinctive Epigenetic Marks: Study
Chloe Tenn | Sep 30, 2021 | 2 min read
Researchers found more than 800 sites in the genome where the twins bore the same chemical tags.
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.
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.
Immunofluorescence image of human tenocytes (cell nuclei in blue, actin in red) with PIEZO1 protein labeled in green (Scale bar: 20 ?m)
Mechanosensory Protein Helps Tendons Stiffen After Exercise
Catherine Offord | Sep 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Researchers identify a role for PIEZO1 in tendon adaptation, and show that people with certain versions of the Piezo1 gene tend to be better jumpers.
Five morphs of Poecilia parae—from top: melanzona yellow, melanzona blue, melanzona red, parae, immaculata—and a female (bottom) of the same species
Fish Species’ Y Chromosomes Diverged Even Without Recombination
Catherine Offord | Sep 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Researchers discover surprisingly high levels of genetic diversity among the colorful male morphs of a freshwater fish.
Red blood vessels that decrease in diameter as they radiate outward are pictured on a pink and white surface
Antisense Oligonucleotides Cross Rodents’ Blood-Brain Barrier
Abby Olena, PhD | Aug 18, 2021 | 3 min read
RNA-DNA complexes that were modified with cholesterol made it into the brains of rats and mice, where they knocked down target genes.
3 by 5 grid of black and white photos of indigenous Filipino portraits
Indigenous Filipino Group Has Highest Known Denisovan Ancestry
Annie Melchor | Aug 13, 2021 | 3 min read
Researchers found the relatively high proportion of DNA from a hominin cousin—nearly 5 percent—when they scanned more than 1,000 genomes from 118 distinct ethnic groups.
An artistic rendering of blue neurons against a white background
Participant’s Diagnosis Halts Gene Therapy Clinical Trial
Amanda Heidt | Aug 12, 2021 | 3 min read
The FDA pauses the research program on a lentivirus-based treatment for a rare neurological condition after a patient developed a bone marrow disorder that could presage leukemia.
One hand holds a white envelope with a blue and red striped border, while a second hand places a clear sheet of plastic inside with small squares of paper on it
Freeze-Dried Mouse Sperm Sent by Postcard Produces Baby Mice
Amanda Heidt | Aug 5, 2021 | 4 min read
Rather than relying on samples that need to be shipped in glass vials and on ice, researchers have developed a new method that allows mouse sperm to be sent easily at room temperature using standard mail delivery.
A black mouse runs on a yellow and green spinning wheel against a blue background
Exercising During Pregnancy Protects Mouse Offspring
Jack J. Lee | Aug 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Obese mice that exercised while pregnant gave birth to pups that grew up free of the metabolic issues present in the adult young of sedentary obese mothers—possibly by staving off epigenetic changes to a key metabolic gene.
A microscopy image of several endometrial stromal fibroblasts
Gene Offers Clue to How Human Labor Starts
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Aug 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Genes associated with preterm birth and protecting the fetus from the mother’s immune system appear to be regulated by HAND2.
photo of marshy wetland in california at sunset
Researchers Find DNA “Borgs” in Methane-Chomping Archaea
Annie Melchor | Jul 20, 2021 | 3 min read
Massive extrachromosomal elements named after the hive-minded cyborg villains in Star Trek may be the first of their kind.
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