How do jumping genes cause disease, drive evolution?

Almost half of our DNA sequences are made up of jumping genes—also known as transposons. They jump around the genome in developing sperm and egg cells and are important to evolution. But their mobilization can also cause ...

In roundworms, fats tip the scales of fertility

Proper nutrition can unleash amazing powers, moms have always assured us, frequently citing Popeye the Sailor Man as evidence. Now, two University of Colorado Boulder scientists have confirmed just how potent some nutrients ...

For the perfect eggs, roundworms use small RNAs

All multicellular organisms that reproduce sexually rely on eggs to support early life. Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Ludwig Cancer Research used the tiny roundworm C. elegans as ...

New molecular target for malaria control identified

A new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and University of Perugia (UNIPG) researchers has shown that egg development in the mosquito species primarily responsible for spreading malaria depends on a switch ...

New study reveals responses of genes in females to sex

Sex can trigger remarkable female responses including altered fertility, immunity, libido, eating and sleep patterns—by the activation of diverse sets of genes, according to research from the University of East Anglia.

Discovery could shrink dengue-spreading mosquito population

Each year, dengue fever infects as many as 100 million people while yellow fever is responsible for about 30,000 deaths worldwide. Both diseases are spread by infected female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which require vertebrate ...

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