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SubscribeJanuary 2022, Issue 2 Table of Contents
AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
This Issue
January 2022, Issue 2
Jumping to Evolve
By moving around in the genome, transposons contribute to adaptation
Feature
Adapting with a Little Help from Jumping Genes
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jan 17, 2022 | 10+ min read
Long lambasted as junk DNA or genomic parasites, transposable elements turn out to be contributors to adaptation.
The Literature
Mechanism of a Genome Packaging Machine Discovered
Mechanism of a Genome Packaging Machine Discovered
Detailed analyses of cohesin’s movements indicate how this protein complex hauls chromatin fibers to package DNA into loops.
Freeze Frame
Caught on Camera
Caught on Camera
Selected Images of the Day from the-scientist.com
Infographics
Infographic: How Genome-Packaging Protein Cohesin Handles DNA
Infographic: How Genome-Packaging Protein Cohesin Handles DNA
The hinge region of cohesin pulls DNA to two head regions, like a person’s hand-to-hand motion of pulling on a rope.
Infographic: How Transposable Elements Can Shape Evolution
Infographic: How Transposable Elements Can Shape Evolution
The movements of so-called jumping genes can generate the genetic diversity needed to drive evolutionary change in populations over time.
Careers
Twitter’s Science Stars Fight Misinformation
Twitter’s Science Stars Fight Misinformation
COVID-19 has thrown science and scientists into the spotlight. Some have accepted the challenge, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers and using the ongoing pandemic as a “teachable moment.”
Scientist to Watch
Roxanne Beltran Dives into Seal Research
Roxanne Beltran Dives into Seal Research
This University of California, Santa Cruz, biologist is dedicated to her marine mammal research, as well as to making the field more diverse and equitable.
Reading Frames
Opinion: Going Beyond Seed Banks
Opinion: Going Beyond Seed Banks
Rethinking why and how we conserve crop genetic diversity