然而，在这些已知的生命过程中，一个共同的“规则”似乎从未被打破——所有序列特异性的聚合酶，都必须依赖一条核酸（DNA 或 RNA）作为合成的模板。那么，一个更大胆的问题随之而来——生命世界中是否存在“例外”？有没有一种聚合酶，可以完全摆脱对核酸模板的依赖，直接以蛋白质为模板来合成 DNA？ 换句话说，蛋白质所蕴含的化学信息，能否直接被“翻译”回 DNA ...

Non-coding DNA variants contribute to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) chemotherapy resistance. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified specific DNA variants in the ...

Most hypotheses suggest that earlier forms of life had partial genetic codes and used fewer than 20 amino acids. To test these hypotheses, a team from Columbia and Harvard decided to see if they could ...

For decades, biologists have known that the instructions for life are written in DNA, yet the vast majority of those letters seemed to sit in the dark, doing little that was obvious. Now a new ...

The DNA of nearly all life on Earth contains many redundancies, and scientists have long wondered whether these redundancies served a purpose or if they were just leftovers from evolutionary processes ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Recent breakthroughs in genetics research may have uncovered new genes underlying common psychiatric disorders. Schizophrenia and ...

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. This chart was used in the National ...

Researchers have revealed that so-called ‘junk DNA’ contains powerful switches that help control brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s disease. When people picture DNA, they often imagine a set of genes ...

The genetic code is the recipe for life, and provides the instructions for how to make proteins, generally using just 20 amino acids. But certain groups of microbes have an expanded genetic code, in ...

The first human trials of DNA vaccines designed to produce live viruses in people’s bodies could start next year. A US company called Medigen has told New Scientist it is seeking approval for such ...