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illustration of neurons in blue and microglia in orange
Ancient Viral DNA Helps Mouse Brains Fight Infection
Mammals that give birth to live young may have evolved to make use of the remnants of viruses in their genomes to ward off pathogens, a study suggests. 
Ancient Viral DNA Helps Mouse Brains Fight Infection
Ancient Viral DNA Helps Mouse Brains Fight Infection

Mammals that give birth to live young may have evolved to make use of the remnants of viruses in their genomes to ward off pathogens, a study suggests. 

Mammals that give birth to live young may have evolved to make use of the remnants of viruses in their genomes to ward off pathogens, a study suggests. 

retrotransposon

Professor Alexandra Whiteley and graduate student Autumn Matthews look at an image of a western blot on their laboratory computer.
An Ancient Viral Protein May Play a Key Role in ALS
Aditi Subramaniam, PhD | Aug 15, 2023 | 4 min read
Researchers find that UBQLN2 gene dysfunction causes a virus-like protein to accumulate in cells, which changes gene expression and may contribute to disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
artistic representation of jumping gene
Jumping Genes Can Cause Movement Disorder: Study
Sophie Fessl, PhD | Sep 13, 2022 | 3 min read
Mice with overactive LINE-1 retrotransposons in their brains exhibit movement difficulties, suggesting the genetic elements may play a role in ataxia in humans. 
Illustration of a DNA virus sneaking genetic material into a host’s nucleus
Infographic: Possible Mechanisms of Gene Transfer in Eukaryotes
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jul 5, 2022 | 6 min read
Genetic studies have made it clear that eukaryotic horizontal gene transfer can and does happen. Exactly how, though, remains speculative.
Cow image
Slideshow: Examples of Eukaryotic Horizontal Gene Transfer
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jul 5, 2022 | 4 min read
Horizontally transferred genes play significant roles in eukaryotic genomes
Landscape illustration
Horizontal Gene Transfer Happens More Often Than Anyone Thought
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Jul 5, 2022 | 10+ min read
DNA passed to and from all kinds of organisms, even across kingdoms, has helped shape the tree of life, to a large and undisputed degree in microbes and also unexpectedly in multicellular fungi, plants, and animals.
red defocused lights
Retrotransposon RNA Triggers NLRC4 Inflammasome Formation: Study
Rachael Moeller Gorman | Dec 10, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers identify a sensor that sets off inflammation in the absence of infection when it detects RNA from the mobile genetic elements.
blind mole rat
Blind Mole Rats Use Junk DNA to Combat Cancer
Ruth Williams | Sep 30, 2021 | 3 min read
Activation of retrotransposons in the animals’ cancerous cells sets off an innate immune response that triggers cell death.
close-up of a retina showing blood vessels and a damaged spot
DNA in Cell Cytoplasm Implicated in Age-Related Blindness
Katarina Zimmer | Sep 29, 2021 | 5 min read
A new study suggests that DNA synthesized in the cell cytoplasm drives retinal cell death in an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
retina atrophic age-related macular degeneration amd alu line-1 l1 retrotransposon cytoplasm cdna reverse transcription replication genome dna
Human Cells Can Synthesize DNA in Their Cytoplasm
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Feb 8, 2021 | 4 min read
While studying a degenerative eye disease, researchers find the first evidence that cells produce endogenous DNA in the cytoplasm. Drugs that block this activity are linked with reduced risk of atrophic age-related macular degeneration.
Mouse Moms’ Behavior Affects Pups’ Genome Structures
Abby Olena, PhD | Mar 22, 2018 | 3 min read
Mice who get less attention from their mothers have more copies of a common retrotransposon in the genomes of their hippocampal neurons.
Advancing Techniques Reveal the Brain’s Impressive Diversity
Sara B. Linker, Fred H. Gage, and Tracy A. Bedrosian | Nov 1, 2017 | 10+ min read
No two neurons are alike. What does that mean for brain function?
Infographic: Understanding Our Diverse Brain
Fred H. Gage, Tracy A. Bedrosian, and Sara B. Linker | Oct 31, 2017 | 2 min read
Recent advances in single-cell omics and other techniques are revealing variation at genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and posttranscriptomic levels.
RNA Protects “Naked” Genomes from Retrotransposons
Shawna Williams | Jun 30, 2017 | 1 min read
Transfer RNA fragments prevent jumping genes from hopping around in the mouse embryo, when histone methylation can’t do the job.
Sequencing Reveals Genomic Diversity of the Human Brain
Ben Andrew Henry | Sep 16, 2016 | 3 min read
Researchers examine the role of long interspersed element-1 retrotransposition in neuronal mosaicism.
Clyde A. Hutchison III: Genome Sequencer and Synthetic Biologist
Anna Azvolinsky | Aug 1, 2016 | 8 min read
From sequencing bacteriophages to synthesizing bacterial genomes to defining a minimal genome
Tethering Transposons
Ruth Williams | Oct 15, 2015 | 3 min read
Panoramix, a newly identified transcription repressor, takes the bounce out of jumping genes.
Wrangling Retrotransposons
Andrei Seluanov, Michael Van Meter, and Vera Gorbunova | Mar 1, 2015 | 8 min read
These mobile genetic elements can wreak havoc on the genome. Researchers are now trying to understand how such activity contributes to the aging process.
Schizophrenia’s Jumping Genetics
Jef Akst | Jan 6, 2014 | 2 min read
Researchers find evidence that transposable elements, also known as jumping genes, may contribute to the development of the psychiatric disorder.
DNA Jumps Between Vertebrates
Dan Cossins | Jan 3, 2013 | 1 min read
Scientists show that horizontal transfer of a particular DNA sequence among a diverse range of vertebrates is more widespread than previously believed.
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