Genomes, as physical systems, comprise the complete set of nucleic acid molecules (typically DNA, or RNA in some viruses) that encode the hereditary information of an organism, including all chromosomes and extrachromosomal genetic elements. They are organized into linear or circular polymers of nucleotides, with specific higher-order structures such as chromatin in eukaryotes or nucleoid organization in prokaryotes. At the physical level, genomes exhibit defined sequence composition, length, and structural features (e.g., replication origins, regulatory regions, repetitive elements) that collectively determine their stability, replication dynamics, mutational patterns, and interactions with cellular molecular machinery.
The DNA packed inside every human cell contains instructions for life, written in billions of letters of genetic code. Every time a cell divides, the complete code, divided among 46 chromosomes, must be faithfully copied. ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 29, 2025
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20
The binding of proteins to DNA is crucial for producing other proteins, ensuring that all the necessary processes in cells are performed, and for switching genes on or off. Proteins that bind to DNA are called transcription ...
Biotechnology
Jul 28, 2025
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An international team of scientists has decoded some of the most stubborn, overlooked regions of the human genome using complete sequences from 65 individuals across diverse ancestries.
Biotechnology
Jul 23, 2025
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A new international study suggests that ancient viral DNA embedded in our genome, which were long dismissed as genetic "junk," may actually play powerful roles in regulating gene expression. Focusing on a family of sequences ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 18, 2025
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211
All living organisms encode the amino acid sequences of proteins as nucleotide sequences (genetic information) in their genomic DNA. The genetic information is transcribed and subsequently translated into functional proteins.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 18, 2025
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22
Since the Human Genome Project first produced the genetic instructions for a human being by sequencing DNA 22 years ago, scientists have been focused on roughly 2% of the genome-producing proteins.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 17, 2025
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A team that includes Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists has unlocked some of the secrets of corn DNA, revealing how specific sections of genetic material control vital traits such as plant architecture and pest resistance.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 15, 2025
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38
Scientists have sequenced the complete genome of a roundworm used extensively in biological research, opening a new pathway for synthetic biologists to build and test genetic changes in a multicellular animal species. The ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 15, 2025
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20
Most genes are ancient and shared across species. But a small subset of genes are relative newcomers, spontaneously emerging from stretches of DNA that once encoded nothing at all.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 14, 2025
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101
In biology textbooks and beyond, the human genome and DNA therein typically are taught in only one dimension. While it can be helpful for learners to begin with the linear presentation of how stretches of DNA form genes, ...
Biotechnology
Jul 11, 2025
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