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.
An international research team has deciphered a mechanism of the evolutionary arms race in human cells. The findings provide insights into how mobile elements in DNA hijack cellular functions—and how cells can defend themselves ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 11, 2025
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118
When people think of DNA, they usually think of genes, the parts that code for proteins and drive inherited traits. But there's a whole lot of DNA beyond genes that we are just starting to understand. One such mysterious ...
A new genomic study reveals how human populations adapted, survived, and diversified in the Himalayas, one of the most extreme and challenging environments on Earth.
Evolution
Jul 10, 2025
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85
Creating genomes from DNA is hugely important for managing threatened species—understanding their past and how they have adapted to their environment helps conservationists protect them.
Plants & Animals
Jul 8, 2025
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29
Researchers from more than 50 international institutions have launched Open Problems, a collaborative open-source platform to benchmark, improve, and run competitions for computational methods in single-cell genomics.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 3, 2025
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19
Genome editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 have transformed biology, medicine, and agriculture, but concerns remain about unintended edits at off-target DNA sites. These off-target effects can cause harmful mutations and ...
Biotechnology
Jul 1, 2025
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23
Polyploidy, or whole-genome duplication (WGD), is a major mechanism of genome evolution across the tree of life and is particularly prevalent in plants, where it facilitates the evolution of new traits.
Plants & Animals
Jun 27, 2025
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61
So much science starts with deciphering a genome, the blueprint for every being on Earth. With such roadmaps in hand, scientists can trace the evolutionary roots of human language, better understand the intelligence of other ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jun 26, 2025
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109
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that the "pacemaker" controlling yeast cell division lies inside the nucleus rather than outside it, as previously thought. Having the pacemaker in the same compartment ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 25, 2025
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19
Understanding human biology requires more than mapping our genes—we must also understand how gene expression is regulated to guide healthy development, growth, and maintenance of our body systems over a lifetime.
Molecular & Computational biology
Jun 18, 2025
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