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 ...

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication is fundamental to life, yet the precise mechanics of how helicases unwind the genome for replication remain unclear. A recent study published in Nature used ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Homologous recombination is a DNA repair mechanism that counteracts double-stranded breaks in DNA. Researchers at Kindai University have recently revealed how the Sae2 protein coordinates with the ...