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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.
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JUL 11, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
Mitochondria carry a small amount of their own DNA. If there are mutations in that DNA, they can cause serious disease.Written By: Carmen LeitchJUL 07, 2017Immunology
Thanks to regulatory T cells (Tregs), the immune system is kept in line via a careful system of checks and balanc ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUL 07, 2017Videos
Liquid biopsies, that is the process of looking for cancer biomarkers in blood, are part of the ongoing research into de ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 06, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
This new data on a rare disease could help diagnose the disorder in new patients, and has led researchers to test new tr ...Written By: Carmen LeitchJUL 03, 2017Cardiology
Two small proteins, elastin and collagen, make up a dynamic duo that promote a sturdy foundation of tensile strength and ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUN 20, 2017Cancer
The cancer drug olaparib was recently shown to be effective in some types of advanced prostate cancer. Now, scientists s ...JUN 20, 2017Clinical & Molecular DX
Are you someone who always has the unfortunate luck to catch whatever cold virus that’s going around? Well, scient ...JUN 15, 2017Neuroscience
While there are many neurodegenerative diseases that can devastate patients and families, Huntington’s disease rem ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUN 14, 2017Cardiology
Environmental and lifestyle factors are key in the development of heart disease, a malady that affects a monumental amou ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUN 13, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
DNA is dynamic inside of cells, and though it can seem to be a tangled thicket, it acts to propel important molecules li ...Written By: Carmen LeitchJUN 11, 2017Videos
Floating inside of the cytoplasm are mitochondria, the proverbial "powerhouse of the cell." These organelles also carry ...JUN 10, 2017Microbiology
Some genes that encode for the capsule that protects S.pneumoniae bacteria are in an area that can change quickly.Written By: Carmen LeitchJUN 10, 2017Videos
Sleep is incredibly important for rejuvenating our bodies from day-to-day, but sometimes it continues to elude the best ...Written By: Anthony BouchardJUN 10, 2017Cancer
Multiple recent studies found adverse links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Now a new study may have iden ...JUN 09, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
New trial involving stem cells to treat a gain of function mutation cured some patients, but killed others.Written By: Carmen LeitchJUN 05, 2017Health & Medicine
Why can’t cardiac tissue repair itself? Maybe if Baylor College of Medicine scientists can figure it out, they can ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUN 02, 2017Plants & Animals
It’s generally atypical for birds of flight to lose their ability to soar through the air, so we have very little ...Written By: Anthony BouchardJUN 02, 2017Videos
Do you hate being in small, enclosed spaces? If you feel entrapped in subways, elevators, rooms without windows, tunnels ...Written By: Kathryn DeMuth SullivanJUN 01, 2017Neuroscience
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? In the summer of 2014, Pete Frates, a former Boston College basketball star, came up ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimMAY 30, 2017Cardiology
What happens during development to create the most common congenital heart defect, a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)? The id ...Written By: Kara MarkerMAY 27, 2017Plants & Animals
Portuguese researchers recently made a breakthrough discovery while they were studying a particular fish known as Squali ...Written By: Anthony BouchardMAY 25, 2017Cancer
Seemingly innocent sips of wine on the daily may be increasing a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, reports ...MAY 24, 2017Videos
Did you know that in just the US about 1 million animals loose their lives as roadkill EVERY DAY? That's a lot of chicke ...Written By: Kathryn DeMuth SullivanMAY 22, 2017Cell & Molecular Biology
New lung organoids open up new research possibilities for the study of human disease.Written By: Carmen Leitch
JUL 11, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
Mitochondria carry a small amount of their own DNA. If there are mutations in that DNA, they can cause serious disease.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUL 07, 2017
Immunology
Thanks to regulatory T cells (Tregs), the immune system is kept in line via a careful system of checks and balanc
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUL 07, 2017
Videos
Liquid biopsies, that is the process of looking for cancer biomarkers in blood, are part of the ongoing research into de
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 06, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
This new data on a rare disease could help diagnose the disorder in new patients, and has led researchers to test new tr
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUL 03, 2017
Cardiology
Two small proteins, elastin and collagen, make up a dynamic duo that promote a sturdy foundation of tensile strength and
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUN 20, 2017
Cancer
The cancer drug olaparib was recently shown to be effective in some types of advanced prostate cancer. Now, scientists s
...
JUN 20, 2017
Clinical & Molecular DX
Are you someone who always has the unfortunate luck to catch whatever cold virus that’s going around? Well, scient
...
JUN 15, 2017
Neuroscience
While there are many neurodegenerative diseases that can devastate patients and families, Huntington’s disease rem
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUN 14, 2017
Cardiology
Environmental and lifestyle factors are key in the development of heart disease, a malady that affects a monumental amou
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUN 13, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
DNA is dynamic inside of cells, and though it can seem to be a tangled thicket, it acts to propel important molecules li
...
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUN 11, 2017
Videos
Floating inside of the cytoplasm are mitochondria, the proverbial "powerhouse of the cell." These organelles also carry
...
JUN 10, 2017
Microbiology
Some genes that encode for the capsule that protects S.pneumoniae bacteria are in an area that can change quickly.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUN 10, 2017
Videos
Sleep is incredibly important for rejuvenating our bodies from day-to-day, but sometimes it continues to elude the best
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard
JUN 10, 2017
Cancer
Multiple recent studies found adverse links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. Now a new study may have iden
...
JUN 09, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
New trial involving stem cells to treat a gain of function mutation cured some patients, but killed others.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
JUN 05, 2017
Health & Medicine
Why can’t cardiac tissue repair itself? Maybe if Baylor College of Medicine scientists can figure it out, they can
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUN 02, 2017
Plants & Animals
It’s generally atypical for birds of flight to lose their ability to soar through the air, so we have very little
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard
JUN 02, 2017
Videos
Do you hate being in small, enclosed spaces? If you feel entrapped in subways, elevators, rooms without windows, tunnels
...
Written By:
Kathryn DeMuth Sullivan
JUN 01, 2017
Neuroscience
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? In the summer of 2014, Pete Frates, a former Boston College basketball star, came up
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
MAY 30, 2017
Cardiology
What happens during development to create the most common congenital heart defect, a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)? The id
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
MAY 27, 2017
Plants & Animals
Portuguese researchers recently made a breakthrough discovery while they were studying a particular fish known as Squali
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard
MAY 25, 2017
Cancer
Seemingly innocent sips of wine on the daily may be increasing a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, reports
...
MAY 24, 2017
Videos
Did you know that in just the US about 1 million animals loose their lives as roadkill EVERY DAY? That's a lot of chicke
...
Written By:
Kathryn DeMuth Sullivan
MAY 22, 2017
Cell & Molecular Biology
New lung organoids open up new research possibilities for the study of human disease.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch