Mutation

Microbial Genetics: Genetic Mechanisms in Bacteria and Archaea

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Microbial genetics is a specialized field within genetics that focuses on the study of genetic mechanisms in bacteria and archaea, collectively referred to as microorganisms or microbes. These single-celled organisms play crucial roles in various ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling, biogeochemical processes, symbiotic relationships, and human health. Microbial genetics explores the diversity, evolution, regulation, and … Read more

Evolutionary Genetics: Genetic Changes Over Generations

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Evolutionary genetics is a field of study that explores genetic changes within populations and species over generations, elucidating the mechanisms and processes driving evolutionary processes. It integrates principles from genetics, molecular biology, population genetics, and evolutionary biology to understand how genetic variation, mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and other factors shape the genetic … Read more

Plant Genetics: Breeding and Genetic Modification

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Plant genetics encompasses the study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation in plants, including their breeding, genetic modification, inheritance patterns, molecular mechanisms, and applications in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and biotechnology. Understanding plant genetics is essential for improving crop traits, developing new crop varieties, enhancing agricultural productivity, ensuring food security, and addressing global challenges such as … Read more

Evolutionary Ecology: Adaptations and Evolutionary Responses in Ecological Contexts

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Evolutionary ecology is a multidisciplinary field that integrates principles from evolutionary biology and ecology to study the adaptations, evolutionary responses, and interactions of organisms within ecological contexts. It seeks to understand how ecological factors such as resource availability, environmental conditions, predation pressures, competition, and symbiotic relationships shape the evolution of traits, behaviors, and genetic diversity … Read more

Study reveals protective and regenerative roles of airway hillocks in lung function

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Airway hillocks are mysterious, flat-topped structures that were only recently identified within regular lung tissue, and their role in airway biology and pathology has previously been unknown. A research team from Tufts University School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital is now reporting evidence that hillocks and their stem cells are physiologically distinct from other … Read more

Virology: Study of Viruses and Viral Diseases

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Virology is the scientific study of viruses, their structure, function, evolution, and interactions with host organisms. Viruses are microscopic infectious agents that can infect a wide range of living organisms, from bacteria and archaea to plants, animals, and humans. They are unique entities that straddle the boundary between living and non-living, as they require host … Read more

Human Genetics: Inherited Traits and Genetic Disorders

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Human genetics is the branch of biology that focuses on the study of inherited traits, genetic variation, and genetic disorders in humans. It encompasses a wide range of topics, from the basics of inheritance and genetic inheritance patterns to the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic diseases. Human genetics plays a crucial role in understanding the genetic … Read more

DNA Structure and Function: Blueprint of Life

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DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule that serves as the blueprint of life, carrying the genetic instructions necessary for the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms. Its structure and function are essential components of molecular biology and genetics, providing insights into the fundamental processes that govern life on Earth. DNA Structure The … Read more

Study identifies genetic cause of spinocerebellar ataxia 4, paving the way for treatments

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Some families call it a trial of faith. Others just call it a curse. The progressive neurological disease known as spinocerebellar ataxia 4 (SCA4) is a rare condition, but its effects on patients and their families can be severe. For most people, the first sign is difficulty walking and balancing, which gets worse as time … Read more

NIH trial shows single-dose monoclonal antibody highly effective against malaria in children

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One injected dose of an experimental malaria monoclonal antibody was 77% effective against malaria disease in children in Mali during the country’s six-month malaria season, according to the results of a mid-stage clinical trial. The trial assessed an investigational monoclonal antibody developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and results appear in … Read more

Study uncovers why some species are generalists, others specialists

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In a landmark study based on one of the most comprehensive genomic datasets ever assembled, a team led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Vanderbilt University offer a possible answer to one of the oldest questions about evolution: why some species are generalists and others specialists. Under the guidance of UW–Madison professor of … Read more

Cosmic Rays: High-Energy Particles from Space

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Cosmic rays are high-energy particles originating from outer space that continuously bombard the Earth and other celestial bodies. These particles, which include protons, electrons, and atomic nuclei, carry immense amounts of energy and play a significant role in shaping the universe and influencing various processes on Earth. The study of cosmic rays encompasses a wide … Read more

First ancient genomes reveal surprising origin of common herpes virus

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Ancient genomes from the herpes virus that commonly causes lip sores—and currently infects some 3.7 billion people globally—have been uncovered and sequenced for the first time by an international team of scientists led by the University of Cambridge. Latest research suggests that the HSV-1 virus strain behind facial herpes as we know it today arose … Read more

Blue antelope genome reveals adaptation to small population size, points to human role in extinction

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The blue antelope (Hippotragus leucophaeus) was an African antelope with a bluish-gray pelt related to the sable and the roan antelope. The last blue antelope was shot around 1800, just 34 years after it was first described scientifically. The research team, which included Potsdam evolutionary biologists led by Prof. Dr. Michael Hofreiter, has now succeeded … Read more

Study links hereditary ALS to accumulation of non-functional ribosomal proteins

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating neurodegenerative disease, remains a formidable challenge in medical science. Characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons, ALS robs individuals of their ability to control muscles, ultimately leading to paralysis and, tragically, death. Despite decades of research, the underlying causes of ALS remain elusive, and effective treatments remain elusive. … Read more

Study reveals how daughter cells protect themselves from inherited RNA damage

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During the process of cell division, new daughter cells inherit a mix of genetic material and other molecules from their mother cells. This inheritance includes both beneficial components, which can help them for a robust start in life, and potentially harmful mutations or damaged molecules, posing significant challenges for the newly born daughter cells. How … Read more

Study identifies crucial molecule for healthy kidney development in babies

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Some infants are born with too few nephrons, the filtering units in kidneys that help the body remove waste and excess fluid. Whether due to low birth weight, maternal diabetes, inadequate nutrition or genetic mutations, babies born with improper kidney development are more likely to face a lifetime of challenges such as high blood pressure … Read more

Scientists design drug to outsmart evolving coronavirus

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Although COVID-19 has faded from the headlines, SARS-CoV-2—the coronavirus behind the pandemic—is still rampantly infecting people around the world. Public health officials fear as the virus continues to evolve, it will eventually hit upon a diabolical mutation that renders current treatments ineffective, triggering a new wave of severe infection and social disruption. In pursuit of … Read more

Archaeologists discover enormous black death mass grave in Nuremberg, Germany

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Archaeologists have unearthed a chilling reminder of Europe’s tumultuous past: the largest mass grave of Black Death victims ever found on the continent. Located in southern Germany, the site in Nuremberg has yielded the skeletons of approximately 1,000 individuals, shedding new light on the devastating impact of the bubonic plague during the late medieval and … Read more

Mutated protein in lysosomes linked to dopamine neuron degeneration in Parkinson’s disease

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A mutated protein expressed in lysosomes may contribute to Parkinson’s disease, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Cell Biology. Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S., after Alzheimer’s disease. The National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that as many as one million Americans … Read more