Genetics
- Animals
Genome clues help explain the strange life of seahorses
Researchers have decoded the genetic instruction manual of a seahorse (Hippocampus comes) and found clues to its nearly 104-million-year evolutionary history.
- Genetics
Year in review: ‘Three-parent baby’ technique raises hope and concern
Safety and ethical concerns surround controversial mitochondrial replacement therapy.
- Genetics
Year in review: How humans populated the globe
DNA studies put new twists on timing of ancient human migrations – but genetics alone are not enough to tell the full story.
- Life
Year in review: ‘Minimal genome’ makes its debut
A synthetic cell reported this year jettisons unnecessary genes and embraces human design principles.
- Oceans
Readers contemplate corals and more
Coral engineering, ancient almanacs and more in reader feedback.
- Genetics
Epigenetic marks may help assess toxic exposure risk — someday
Exposure to things in the environment may change chemical tags on DNA and proteins, but it’s still unclear how to use that data to assess health risks.
- Life
Having an extra chromosome has a surprising effect on cancer
Extra chromosome copies may protect against, not cause, cancer.
- Plants
Tweaking how plants manage a crisis boosts photosynthesis
Shortening plants’ recovery time after blasts of excessive light can boost crop growth.
- Health & Medicine
Chinese patient is first to be treated with CRISPR-edited cells
Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer immune cells that were then injected into a patient with lung cancer, the journal Nature reports.
- Genetics
Cancer mutation patterns differ in smokers, nonsmokers
The DNA of smokers shows more damage than the DNA of nonsmokers who have the same kind of cancer.
- Genetics
Gene gives mice and chipmunks their pinstripes
A recycled regulator paints on rodents’ light stripes.
- Genetics
Genetic variant protects against rash of autoimmune diseases
A natural tweak in the TYK2 protein strikes a balance between weak and overactive immune systems.
