Gene therapy holds the promise of preventing and curing disease by manipulating gene expression within a patient's cells. However, to be effective, the new gene must make it into a cell's nucleus. The ...

Tiny tweaks in DNA folding can have big effects. A study from Umeå University shows that even the most subtle changes in DNA's shape have an important influence on gene activity and energy production.

Scientists may have a step forward in understanding how life on our planet came to exist. The mystery of how tiny molecules of RNA came to be enclosed within membranes, forming the very first cells, ...

If severe DNA damage is not repaired, the consequences for the health of cells and tissues are dramatic. A study led by ...

Genome instability can cause numerous diseases. Cells have effective DNA repair mechanisms at their disposal. A research team has now gained new insights into the DNA damage response. Whenever cells ...

DNA repair is essential for the maintenance of genomic stability and its failure can lead to human disease. Various DNA repair systems exist, such as base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, ...

Although DNA is tightly packed and protected within the cell nucleus, it is constantly threatened by damage from normal metabolic processes or external stressors such as radiation or chemical ...

DNA's iconic double helix does more than "just" store genetic information. Under certain conditions it can temporarily fold ...

DNA's iconic double helix does more than "just" store genetic information. Under certain conditions it can temporarily fold into unusual shapes. Researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, have now shown ...