RNA's part in determining the health of stem cells

What makes stem cells so interesting is that they are pluripotent: they have the potential to become any cell in an organism. Their ability to differentiate into any cell and be used to replace those that are damaged or ...

DNA division can slow to a halt

A key mystery of the DNA replication process has been unraveled by researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Faster, not stronger: How a protein regulates gene expression

Inside the cell, DNA is tightly coiled and packed with several proteins into a structure called "chromatin", which allows DNA to fit in the cell while also preventing genes from being expressed at the wrong time. Guided by ...

Epigenetic 'switch' regulates RNA-protein interactions

Chemical changes - also known as epigenetic modifications - to messenger RNA (mRNA) are thought to play an important role in gene expression, and have recently been found to affect biological processes such as circadian clock ...

New mechanism in gene regulation revealed

The information encoded in our genes is translated into proteins, which ultimately mediate biological functions in an organism. Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays an important role, as it is the molecular template used for translation. ...

Versatility in genetic expression aids rapid microbial evolution

Microbiologists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered that an identical protein is used differently by two species of bacteria to help them cope with distinct types of environmental stress. The discovery reveals an ...

Scientists identify a key to body's use of free calcium

Scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have figured out a key step in how "free" calcium—the kind not contained in bones—is managed in the body, a finding that could aid in the development of new treatments for a variety ...

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