Migration has been playing a role in European population dynamics since before the last Ice Age, according to what researchers believe is the most comprehensive genetic analysis of Upper Paleolithic Europeans to date. The team found that all the individuals between ~37,000 and ~14,000 years ago descended from a single founding population, which forms part […]
Tag: DNA
Could those genes be making you look old?
A gene may be partially responsible for how old you look, according to a new study. The gene, MC1R, is known for producing red hair and pale skin, as well as playing a role in repair to damaged DNA and other biological processes. Researchers found people carrying the gene typically look almost two years older […]
People with disease-causing mutations who remain mysteriously healthy
Researchers have identified 13 people who appear to be healthy, despite carrying genetic mutations associated with severe childhood disease. Researchers identified these individuals after performing genomic analysis on more than half a million people. The team believes their study provides a first step toward pinpointing genetic variants that may protect against childhood diseases currently thought to […]
Tracking RNA in real time
By modifying the CRISPR-Cas9 system, typically used for genetic editing, researchers are able to visually track the movement of RNA in living cells. The researchers believe this could be used to study disease-related RNA processes. Many diseases are related to errors in RNA and RNA transcription, such as different cancers and autism. In the future […]
DNA stutters provide a hidden layer of information
Repetitive pieces of DNA, previously thought to be “junk”, play an important role in regulating how genes are expressed, according to a recent study. Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), are sections of DNA which are repeated, similar to a stutter. Researchers found STRs are able to fine tune the expression of nearby genes, and that different […]
Repairing DNA in a matter of weeks
Reprogramming and genetically correcting stem cells can be achieved in as little as two weeks thanks to a new technique. This advance could offer potential therapies for individuals with a range of genetic disorders. Previous techniques to create stem cells from a patient’s tissue and reprogram the stem cell to remove a negative mutation took […]
Small cell lung cancer occurs when two genes are switched off
Using whole-genome sequencing researchers found that small cell lung cancer (SCLC) occurs when both copies of two separate genes responsible for tumor suppression are switched off. The research team hopes this discovery will help the development of new treatments for SCLC, which usually results in patient-death within months. Researchers sequenced the genome of 110 tumor […]
Scientists genetically modify human embryos
In a world first, scientists have reported editing the genomes of human embryos. Chinese researchers using ‘non-viable’ embryos which cannot result in a live birth in order to attempt to modify the gene responsible for a potentially fatal blood disorder called β-thalassaemia. They used a gene-editing technique known as CRISPR/Cas9 (pronounced ‘crisper’) which allows you to […]
Deadly coral snake venom
Researchers now understand why coral snake venom is so deadly and this knowledge could help provide insight into the biology of human diseases and conditions. Unlike most snake venoms which kill by paralyzing their victims, the venom of the coral snake (Micrurus mipartitus) causes deadly seizures. Scientists have discovered the venom’s active ingredient is a […]
Gene causing common scoliosis identified
Researchers have identified the first gene causing idiopathic scoliosis, the most common type of spinal deformity. They identified 11 family members of a French family that were carriers of a rare variant of the gene, called POC5, and then used zebrafish to confirm that this variant really cause spinal deformity. This study is the first […]
How heritable is autism?
A new study shows how complex it is to understand autism from a genetic point of view. Researchers sequenced the genomes of 85 families with two children who are both affected with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They found that the majority (around 70%) of affected siblings did not share common mutations. Greater than 100 susceptibility […]
Ancient Arctic viruses still infect plants
The genome of a virus found in 700-year-old frozen caribous feces was shown to infect plants in the laboratory, a new study reveals. Researchers analyzed the viral genetic material contained in a core drilled through layers of accumulated caribou feces up to 4,000 years old in an ice patch in Canada’s Selwyn Mountain in the […]
New rare genetic disorder traced to early Quebec settlers
A rare genetic disorder can be traced to early settlers in Quebec and their European ancestors according to a new study. Researchers have identified 16 people from Eastern Quebec of French descent who have Chronic Atrial and Intestinal Dysrhythmia. The disorder, also called CAID syndrome, is a combination of heart arrhythmia and intestinal obstruction. Researchers […]
A litmus test for bacteria
Researchers have developed a way to use litmus paper – which changes colour to indicate high or low pH – to provide a simple and effective test for bacteria like E. coli. The team used tiny strands of DNA to create probes that are activated in the presence of bacteria. The activated probes then catalyse […]
On the origins of the monarch butterfly
Monarch butterflies originated in North America 20,000 years ago at the end of the last glacial maximum before dispersing out to locations around the world, a new study shows. The authors sequenced the whole genome of 101 monarch butterflies from around the world to better understand the genetic basis of its migration patterns. The researchers […]
DNA signature in ice storm babies
A new study has detected a distinctive ‘signature’ in the DNA of children born in the aftermath of the 1998 Quebec ice storm. Five months after the 1998 Quebec ice storm, researchers recruited women who had been pregnant during the disaster and assessed their degrees of distress in a study called Project Ice Storm. Fifteen […]
