Follow
Gene mutations
Gene mutations describe a change in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. There are many kinds of gene mutations which have been characterized by scientists. The main categories of mutations are germline mutations, which occur in the gametes (haploid male or female reproductive cells), and somatic mutations, occur in all other cell types. Chromosomal alterations are mutations that change the structure of chromosomes in a variety of ways such as deletion, duplication, insertion, translocation, or inversion of a section of the chromosome. Point mutations include a single nucleotide change within the DNA and these mutations can be classified as silent (the mutation codes for the same amino acid so the change has no effect), missense (the mutation codes for an alternative amino acid), and nonsense (the mutation codes for a premature stop codon). Frameshift mutations occur when the addition or deletion of nucleotide(s) alter the reading frame of the sequence altering all subsequent amino acid coding.
-
SEP 11, 2017Cancer
Aside from their iconic fiery mane, redheads are also often blessed with pale skin and plenty of freckles. With their fa ...SEP 05, 2017Cancer
Women of child-rearing age who receive cancer treatments often face higher risks of infertility. Now, researchers say th ...SEP 03, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
Around one in every 68 children in the United States is affected by autism spectrum disorder. The etiology of the diseas ...Written By: Carmen LeitchAUG 23, 2017Videos
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, ...AUG 21, 2017Cancer
A new study reports that vitamin C has the capacity to stop leukemic cells from multiplying. The results are part of a g ...AUG 21, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
Our genomic material is in a constant state of replication, and errors in that process have been linked to disease. New ...Written By: Carmen LeitchAUG 19, 2017Cancer
For disease as complex as cancer, knowing a single mutation is sometimes not enough. In the case of lethal brain tumors, ...AUG 16, 2017Microbiology
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease knew that some viruses - herpes simplex virus, f ...Written By: Kerry EvansAUG 15, 2017Clinical & Molecular DX
An estimated 7.9 million babies are born every year with birth defects. In efforts to understand the causes of these def ...AUG 14, 2017Neuroscience
Surviving cancer is a major win for anyone, but when a child survives pediatric cancer, it's an especially sweet vic ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimAUG 10, 2017Immunology
In very rare cases - two in 10,000 people experts say - a chickenpox infection can trigger extremely dangerous brain inf ...Written By: Kara MarkerAUG 07, 2017Immunology
Cancer can't hide from the immune system anymore - scientists are on the verge of identifying every single gene muta ...Written By: Kara MarkerAUG 03, 2017Cardiology
Using in vitro fertilization (IVF), scientists are introducing genetic editing machinery into egg and sperm cells to pre ...Written By: Kara MarkerAUG 03, 2017Cancer
In surveying the blood for signs of cancer DNA, researchers found that liquid biopsies can also reveal clues about why s ...AUG 02, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
Researchers have made a breakthrough by successfully repairing a deleterious genetic mutation in a human embryo that cau ...Written By: Carmen LeitchAUG 02, 2017Immunology
There is a connection between autophagy, a process that keeps a cell clean of trash and debris, and Crohn’s diseas ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUL 31, 2017Cardiology
Most other current research on progeria, a rare and fatal genetic aging condition, revolves around genetics, but John P. ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUL 31, 2017Cancer
A study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examined DNA repair genes and whether mutations in these gene ...JUL 28, 2017Videos
Genetic testing that can be done in the home are becoming popular with individuals looking to research their ancestry. H ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 24, 2017Space & Astronomy
Life didn’t always exist on Earth; when it first started, it was rapidly changing and evolving to keep up with the ...Written By: Anthony BouchardJUL 18, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
Our genome, the sum total of our genetic material, contains the directions for building our bodies. Could 75% of it be j ...Written By: Carmen LeitchJUL 16, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
NF2 affects thousands of people. New research could help bring treatment to those patients.Written By: Carmen LeitchJUL 15, 2017Immunology
Chronic skin disorders are often grouped and studied together although on a molecular level, they are very different. Fr ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUL 14, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool has tremendous potential, and researchers are working to improve it.Written By: Carmen Leitch
SEP 11, 2017
Cancer
Aside from their iconic fiery mane, redheads are also often blessed with pale skin and plenty of freckles. With their fa
...
SEP 05, 2017
Cancer
Women of child-rearing age who receive cancer treatments often face higher risks of infertility. Now, researchers say th
...
SEP 03, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
Around one in every 68 children in the United States is affected by autism spectrum disorder. The etiology of the diseas
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
AUG 23, 2017
Videos
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity,
...
AUG 21, 2017
Cancer
A new study reports that vitamin C has the capacity to stop leukemic cells from multiplying. The results are part of a g
...
AUG 21, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
Our genomic material is in a constant state of replication, and errors in that process have been linked to disease. New
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
AUG 19, 2017
Cancer
For disease as complex as cancer, knowing a single mutation is sometimes not enough. In the case of lethal brain tumors,
...
AUG 16, 2017
Microbiology
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease knew that some viruses - herpes simplex virus, f
...
Written By:
Kerry Evans
AUG 15, 2017
Clinical & Molecular DX
An estimated 7.9 million babies are born every year with birth defects. In efforts to understand the causes of these def
...
AUG 14, 2017
Neuroscience
Surviving cancer is a major win for anyone, but when a child survives pediatric cancer, it's an especially sweet vic
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
AUG 10, 2017
Immunology
In very rare cases - two in 10,000 people experts say - a chickenpox infection can trigger extremely dangerous brain inf
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
AUG 07, 2017
Immunology
Cancer can't hide from the immune system anymore - scientists are on the verge of identifying every single gene muta
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
AUG 03, 2017
Cardiology
Using in vitro fertilization (IVF), scientists are introducing genetic editing machinery into egg and sperm cells to pre
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
AUG 03, 2017
Cancer
In surveying the blood for signs of cancer DNA, researchers found that liquid biopsies can also reveal clues about why s
...
AUG 02, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
Researchers have made a breakthrough by successfully repairing a deleterious genetic mutation in a human embryo that cau
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
AUG 02, 2017
Immunology
There is a connection between autophagy, a process that keeps a cell clean of trash and debris, and Crohn’s diseas
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUL 31, 2017
Cardiology
Most other current research on progeria, a rare and fatal genetic aging condition, revolves around genetics, but John P.
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUL 31, 2017
Cancer
A study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examined DNA repair genes and whether mutations in these gene
...
JUL 28, 2017
Videos
Genetic testing that can be done in the home are becoming popular with individuals looking to research their ancestry. H
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 24, 2017
Space & Astronomy
Life didn’t always exist on Earth; when it first started, it was rapidly changing and evolving to keep up with the
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard
JUL 18, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
Our genome, the sum total of our genetic material, contains the directions for building our bodies. Could 75% of it be j
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUL 16, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
NF2 affects thousands of people. New research could help bring treatment to those patients.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUL 15, 2017
Immunology
Chronic skin disorders are often grouped and studied together although on a molecular level, they are very different. Fr
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUL 14, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool has tremendous potential, and researchers are working to improve it.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch