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.
Genomic editing holds great potential yet continues to have limitations. Current methods either rely on untargeted gene delivery or short DNA edits that need to be individualized for each patient. A new paper published today ...
Biotechnology
Sep 16, 2026
0
57
When you think of viruses, you probably think of flu-like symptoms and quarantines. Humankind has suffered from viral diseases ranging from smallpox to COVID-19, hantavirus and Ebola since the dawn of recorded history.
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 16, 2026
0
10
After an injury, DNA not only changes its activity but also the way it is organized spatially within the cell nucleus. In this process, certain regions of DNA establish new physical contacts through chromatin loops that act ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 14, 2026
0
12
DNA repair mechanisms are essential for maintaining the integrity of our genome. When they malfunction, they can cause disease or contribute to the development of cancer. Nature, however, offers remarkable examples of organisms ...
Evolution
Sep 14, 2026
0
20
A study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has found that new cutting-edge techniques can accurately edit genes in human embryos—giving scientists indispensable tools for understanding ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 12, 2026
1
132
An international team of scientists, including Donald Danforth Plant Science Center member emerita Elizabeth "Toby" Kellogg, Ph.D., has produced a chromosome-level genome assembly that offers a new view of the earliest evolution ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 11, 2026
1
79
Research teams from INRAE, the University of Clermont Auvergne and the CNRS have reconstructed 10 ancient genomes (paleogenomes) that are the common ancestors of 84 botanical species of agronomic interest. Their work makes ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 11, 2026
0
36
The human genome is about two meters (6.6 feet) long, yet it is folded inside a cell nucleus only about 10 micrometers in diameter. To fit into this tiny space, DNA is wrapped around histone proteins to form nucleosomes, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 8, 2026
0
11
A new study led by Francesca Storici, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and faculty member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has uncovered an unexpected feature of human DNA ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 2, 2026
0
15
Why do humans rely on XY chromosomes to determine sex, while birds use ZW—and many reptiles use neither, letting temperature decide instead? Sex determination is remarkably diverse across the animal kingdom. In genotypic ...
Evolution
Aug 27, 2026
0
23
