RNA
Seeking the ‘secret ingredient’ that led to life on Earth. Researchers may have discovered it
Think of the RNA world as a pot of gazpacho. We prepare ingredients and then stir them into a single ...
Can a novel ‘genetic’ pesticide knock out citrus greening disease before it devastates US orange groves?
[Citrus greening] disease has already decimated citrus groves in the other major citrus-producing states of Florida, California and Texas. According ...
Squids’ ability to edit their own RNA could lead to human disease treatments
For nearly every animal on Earth, any changes made to the DNA are transmitted from the cell nucleus by messenger ...
Spray-on ‘vaccine’ could protect food crops from pests in countries that ban GMO disease-resistant plants
In August 2019, a research group .... announced the development of a rapid and reliable approach to creating a “vaccine” for ...
Genetically engineered poplar trees slash air pollution in 3-year field trial
Field trials in the Northwest and Southwest show that poplar trees can be genetically modified to reduce negative impacts on ...
3 advantage of editing RNA with CRISPR, including this: It’s easier to erase mistakes
Rather than targeting DNA, a team at MIT repurposed CRISPR to edit single letters in RNA, the messengers that carry ...
Podcast: Does the Nobel Prize overlook important scientific achievements?
Nobel prizes are often seen as the pinnacle of scientific achievement. But are they a fair way of recognizing contributions ...
Open-source gene expression platform could yield more efficient food, biofuel crops
An open-source RNA analysis platform has been successfully used on plant cells for the first time -- a breakthrough that ...
‘Biotech fantasy’? This startup wants to kill cancer by targeting RNA with new generation of pills
Arrakis Therapeutics is named for the desert planet in the legendary “Dune” series of science-fiction novels. It’s an apt name because ...
Meet 5 RNA ‘movers and shakers’ including one that may protect against Alzheimer’s
RNAs, composed of strings of genetic letters called nucleotides, are best known for ferrying instructions from the genes in our ...
RNA-based pesticides are coming, but how will they affect the ecosystem?
New research shows how a new kind of genetically engineered pesticide moves through and degrades in the soil. This new generation ...
‘Epitranscriptomics’: New field aims to treat cancer through RNA code
It’s not every day that a biotech investor stumbles across an entirely new field of science. And frankly, Carlo Rizzuto ...
Was life on Earth sparked by ‘moon-sized’ impact 4.4 billion years ago?
A cataclysm may have jump-started life on Earth. A new scenario suggests that some 4.47 billion years ago—a mere 60 ...
Recreating the chemical soup that may have sparked life on earth
In the molecular dance that gave birth to life on Earth, RNA appears to be a central player. But the ...
Did GMO connection prompt Gates Foundation to halt support for corn-aflatoxin breakthrough?
When Gates Foundation reviewers rejected a researcher's bid for new funding, one of the reasons cited was a concern over ...
Micro RNA: Genetic suppression might control insect-borne diseases and limit pesticide use
New methods of controlling mosquitos without chemicals include releasing sterile males, spreading confusing pheromones and, most recently, disrupting egg development ...
Podcast: Can the food we eat change our RNA and the way genes work?
Molecular biologist Ken Witwer: Can the food we eat change our RNA and the way our genes work? ...
Behold the octopus: Problem solver, tool user and now, gene editor
The more we learn about octopuses and squids, the more mysterious they become. The ability to edit their own RNA ...
Genes identified that extend life
Is the secret to extending human life span written in our genes? Clues from other organisms suggest it might be ...
Artificial DNA acts just like the real thing. Does that mean we should we make it?
We know we can create 'artificial DNA'. The real questions are: Should we? and To What end? Should there be ...
