Molecular evolution is the biological process encompassing changes in the nucleotide sequences of DNA or RNA and the amino acid sequences of proteins over time, driven by mutation, recombination, genetic drift, natural selection, and other population-level forces. It focuses on the rates and patterns of substitutions, insertions, deletions, and genome rearrangements, as well as the emergence of new genes and regulatory elements. Molecular evolution underlies divergence among species, functional innovation, and conservation of essential biomolecules, and is quantitatively analyzed using models of sequence evolution, comparative genomics, and phylogenetic inference to elucidate evolutionary relationships and constraints at the molecular level.
A new study reveals how a remarkable group of plants on the Galápagos Islands developed their diverse leaf shapes—offering unique insight into evolution at the genetic level. A large international team of researchers has ...
Evolution
Apr 27, 2026
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72
A new study finds that bacteria can actively block the transfer of beneficial genes to neighboring cells, using specialized proteins to specifically destroy shared DNA before it spreads. This challenges the long-held view ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 23, 2026
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14
In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers at University of Iowa Health Care discovered that specific genetic sequences have an outsized impact on humans' language abilities and that these sequences evolved before humans ...
Evolution
Apr 23, 2026
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231
Genome duplication probably gave biodiversity a decisive evolutionary boost. A Chinese-German research team led by Axel Meyer from the University of Konstanz has now investigated the early phases of the process known as rediploidization. ...
Evolution
Apr 22, 2026
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13
Although the genetic material of most living organisms is DNA, various self-replicating agents rely instead on RNA, including RNA viruses and viroids, which are infectious RNA molecules that are smaller and structurally simpler ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 21, 2026
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24
A massive study of ancient DNA from nearly 16,000 people across more than 10,000 years in West Eurasia reveals that natural selection has shaped modern human genomes far more than previously thought.
Evolution
Apr 15, 2026
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228
The CRISPR-Cas gene-editing system has long been the focus of research as a promising tool in genome editing. However, the emphasis has been on its underlying mechanisms and nucleases. In contrast, little research has examined ...
Evolution
Apr 14, 2026
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8
A genetic master map of ancient grasses could be the key to future-proofing global food supplies, according to a new study revealing why some crops are naturally better at surviving climate change than others.
Evolution
Apr 14, 2026
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9
The discovery of the oldest ever dog DNA suggests they have been our best friends for nearly 16,000 years—5,000 years earlier than had previously been thought, new research said Wednesday.
Evolution
Apr 11, 2026
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48
A research group has successfully determined, for the first time in the world, the capsid (outer shell) structure of Melbournevirus—a member of the giant virus family—at a resolution of 4.4 Å using cryo-electron microscopy ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 9, 2026
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11
