Improving research with more effective antibodies
A new study points to the need for better antibody validation, and outlines a process that other labs can use to make sure the antibodies they work with function properly.
Read moreGenes
New DNA 'clock' could help measure development in young children
Scientists have developed a molecular 'clock' that could reshape how pediatricians measure and monitor childhood growth and potentially allow for an earlier diagnosis of life-altering development disorders.
Read moreFrom ribbon to scroll: Gaining shape control by electrostatics
New insights into how the molecular organization of charged molecules can be regulated to transform large-scale structures from ribbons to scroll-like cochleate structures could inform future drug-delivery strategies.
Read moreDNA fracturing rewires gene control in cancer
A multi-institutional team has brought attention to genomic structural variation as a previously unappreciated mechanism involved in altering DNA methylation, a form of gene control, in human cancers.
Read moreNew method for quicker and simpler production of lipidated proteins
The new method is leading to a better understanding of natural protein modifications and improved protein therapeutics.
Read morePowerful new genomics method can be used to reveal the causes of rare genetic diseases
The technique makes use of the fact that people inherit two copies or ''alleles'' of virtually every gene, one from the mother and one from the father. The new method compares activity levels of maternal and paternal alleles across the genome and detects when the activity of an allele lies far enough outside the normal range to be a plausible cause of disease.
Read moreNew genetic link found for some forms of SIDS
Some forms of sudden infant death syndrome stem from a genetic mutation that keeps infants from processing lipids in milk, a new study has discovered. The build-up of unprocessed fatty material disrupts heart functions. While no treatments are yet available, the finding could help in genetic screening. Drugs are also being tested to see if they can help.
Read moreJumping genes can cause rare developmental disorders in children
The largest study of its kind into childhood developmental disorders has discovered that jumping genes cause genetic changes in some patients with undiagnosed neurodevelopmental diseases. The research enabled genetic diagnoses for three children with previously undiagnosed rare developmental diseases, enrolled in the Deciphering Developmental Disorders project. Reported in Nature Communications, these diagnoses will help the families access support and understand the disease risks for any future children.
Read moreScientists ask: How can liquid organelles in cells coexist without merging?
New research may help to explain an intriguing phenomenon inside human cells: how wall-less liquid organelles are able to coexist as separate entities instead of just merging together.
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