Genetics

  1. Plants

    Bits of bacterial DNA naturally lurk inside sweet potatoes

    Samples of cultivated sweet potatoes worldwide carry DNA from Agrobacterium cousin of bacterium used for GMOs.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Same mutations can show up in tumors, healthy tissues

    Analyzing samples of healthy and tumor tissues could pinpoint which mutations are driving cancer and help develop better-targeted treatments.

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  3. Plants

    From lemons to kumquats, roots of citrus variety dug up

    Citrus fruits’ lineage is traced through chloroplast DNA, revealing both maternal and paternal heritage.

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  4. Science & Society

    The Angelina effect should be about knowing your cancer risk

    Angelina Jolie’s public message about her medical decisions related to cancer is about knowing your risks for disease, not hers.

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  5. Genetics

    Mountain gorilla genome reveals inbreeding

    Mountain gorillas are highly inbred, with good and bad consequences.

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  6. Genetics

    Contagious cancer found in clams

    A soft-shell clam disease is just the third example of a contagious cancer.

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  7. Genetics

    Mummies tell tuberculosis tales from the crypt

    Hungarian mummies contracted multiple strains of tuberculosis at the same time, researchers find.

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  8. Genetics

    Anti-inflammation genes linked to longer lives

    Inflammation-dampening genes fight oxidants and promote longer life spans.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Mutation regions mapped on genes that cause breast and ovarian cancer

    An analysis of mutated BRCA genes could someday be used for personalized medicine in the fight against breast and ovarian cancer.

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  10. Neuroscience

    Brains may be wired to count calories, make healthy choices

    Fruit flies appear to make memories of the calories in the food they eat, an observation that may have implications for weight control in humans.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    A more accurate prenatal test to predict Down syndrome

    A test to detect genetic problems such as Down syndrome examines a baby’s DNA in the mother’s blood and may limit the need for more invasive screening.

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  12. Humans

    Egg-meet-sperm moments are equal opportunities for girls and boys

    Despite previous claims, equal numbers of male and female embryos are conceived, new data suggest.

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