DNA, which has a double-helix structure, can have many genetic mutations and variations. Credit: NIH When cells in the human body divide, they must first make accurate copies of their DNA. The DNA ...

The DNA packed inside every human cell contains instructions for life, written in billions of letters of genetic code. Every time a cell divides, the complete code, divided among 46 chromosomes, must ...

The process begins by unzipping DNA's ladder-like structure, resulting in two strands called the leading and lagging strands. A molecular construction crew then assembles the missing halves of the ...

Not all DNA looks like the familiar double helix. Sometimes, parts of our genetic code fold into unusual shapes under certain conditions. One such structure known as a G-quadruplex (G4) looks like a ...

Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies. The findings visualize for the ...

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent stem cells that can produce all cell types of an organism. ES cells proliferate rapidly and have been thought to experience high levels of intrinsic ...

Researchers have analyzed the three-dimensional structure of a protein that suppresses the development of colorectal polyposis, MUTYH, at the atomic level and clarified the repair mechanism for DNA ...

Ongoing research aims to confirm the mechanism by which ICP4 fluidizes the nucleus, which could indicate specific targets to counter viral replication.

DNA replication is a complex process with many moving parts. In baker's yeast, the molecular complex Ctf18-RFC keeps parts of the replication machinery from falling off the DNA strand. Human cells use ...

Reactive oxygen species produced inside cells oxidize DNA, and when the guanine base in DNA undergoes oxidation, 8-oxoguanine base is produced. Normally, guanine pairs with cytosine, but 8-oxoguanine ...