genes

In 2010, scientists plopped the genetic material of one Mycoplasma bacterium into another type to create the self-replicating cells shown above. Six years later, they've come out with an even simpler synthetic organism that has fewer genes.

Scientists Build A Live, No-Frills Cell That Could Have A Big Future

5:48pm March 24, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

In engineering the cell, researchers paired away nearly all genes that weren't essential to life. It might eventually serve as a basic framework for different sorts of cellular factories, they say.

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A 'Celtic Curse' Has Roots Stretching Back To The Bronze Age

8:28pm December 29, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

In people with hemochromatosis, iron builds up and can overload the heart and other organs. Geneticists looking at 5,000-year-old human remains say the disorder may have had evolutionary advantages.

During the first year of life, a baby's gut will become home to about 1,000 species of bacteria.

Bundle Of Joyful Microbes: Mom's DNA Alters Baby's Gut Bacteria

8:35pm April 10, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Babies have a microbe in their gut that prevents infections and helps the immune system. But not all infants get the bacteria at the same time, or in the same amount. Scientists have figured out why.

Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues found an enzyme in bacteria that makes editing DNA in animal cells much easier.

In Hopes Of Fixing Faulty Genes, One Scientist Starts With The Basics

9:46am October 31, 2014

by Joe Palca

Jennifer Doudna used to worry that her science wasn't doing anything important. Then some basic research led her team to a discovery that could one day be crucial in healing some genetic diseases.

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When researchers looked at the genetic sequences of 179 individuals, they found far more defects in the patterns of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs than they expected.

Perfection Is Skin Deep: Everyone Has Flawed Genes

10:19pm December 06, 2012

by Rob Stein

Researchers found a surprising number of mutations, including several associated with disease, in the genes of normal healthy people. Their study raises questions about whether widespread genetic sequencing could end up scaring people for no good reason.

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