Recent Research Highlights

Why TOFU is good for worms

Transposons are DNA sequences that can catalyze their own movement within and between genomes, and are a major source of species diversification.…

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On and off: scientists describe mechanism to regulate gene transcription

The development of organisms depends on the correct regulation of gene expression, including the silencing of genes that should not be active. This…

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Virus-like transposons wage war on the species barrier

Scientists have known for decades that genes can be transferred from one species to another, both in animals and plants. However, the mechanism of how…

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Fighting tuberculosis with bacterial self-sabotage

With 1.6 million casualties in 2021, tuberculosis remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease arising from a single agent. Resistant strains of…

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Architects of the genome

Fitting two metres of DNA into a microscopic cell nucleus: that is the challenge that cohesin takes on, folding long chromosomes into many loops.…

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From a loose string to a compact globule: scientists reshape our understanding of messenger RNA

Messenger RNA (mRNA) is the universal blueprint for protein production. Biology textbooks often depict mRNAs as an extended, string-like molecule that…

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"Guardian of the Cell": structure and key function of giant protein explained

The enormous protein BIRC6 plays an important role in preventing programmed cell death – earning BIRC6 the nickname “Guardian of the Cell”. Scientists…

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The dormant egg: scientists bring the ‘sleep mode’ of egg ribosomes to light

In animals, eggs serve as a stockpile that contains all the necessary components for the early stages of embryonic development. Ribosomes, the…

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Punching holes in the nucleus

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are the gateways between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. How the individual components assemble into a functional pore is…

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Awakening the genome

Researchers from the Tachibana lab show that the pioneer factor Nr5a2 can awaken the inactive genome in the early embryo. Part of this work was…

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A matter of time: scientists uncover secret behind lymphoma-associated mutations

The chromosomes in our B cells mutate and delete DNA fragments to diversify the sequences that encode antibodies. Occasionally, these rearrangements…

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Breaking down proteins: How starving cancer cells switch food sources

Cancer cells often grow in environments that are low in nutrients, and they cope with this by switching to using proteins as alternative “food”.…

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