Packaging and unpacking of the genome

DNA represents a dynamic form of information, balancing efficient storage and access requirements. Packaging approximately 1.8m of DNA into something as small as a cell nucleus is no mean feat, but unpacking it again to access ...

DNA strands often 'wiggle' as part of genetic repair

Sometimes, the molecules that make up life exhibit strange behavior. For instance, in simple organisms such as yeast, when genetic material becomes damaged, the affected DNA strands increase their motion, waving about inside ...

Bacteria use DNA replication to time key decision

In spore-forming bacteria, chromosomal locations of genes can couple the DNA replication cycle to critical, once-in-a-lifetime decisions about whether to reproduce or form spores. The new finding by Rice University bioengineers ...

Forks colliding: How DNA breaks during re-replication

Leveraging a novel system designed to examine the double-strand DNA breaks that occur as a consequence of gene amplification during DNA replication, Whitehead Institute scientists are bringing new clarity to the causes of ...

Scientists identify protein profiles of DNA repair

During each cell division, more than 3.3 billion base pairs of genomic DNA have to be duplicated and segregated accurately to daughter cells. But what happens when the DNA template is damaged in such a way that the replication ...

High fidelity: Researcher finds keys to genome integrity

Maintaining the stability and the correct sequence of our genetic information is vital to the accurate transmission of our genetic code. However, in the course of replicating, our DNA frequently runs into roadblocks, arising ...

Researchers clarify how DNA damage signaling works

The DNA molecule is chemically unstable, giving rise to DNA lesions of various kinds. That is why DNA damage detection, signaling and repair, collectively known as the DNA damage response, are needed. The DNA damage response ...

Letting go of the (genetic) apron strings

A new study from Princeton University sheds light on the handing over of genetic control from mother to offspring early in development. Learning how organisms manage this transition could help researchers understand larger ...

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