Every time a cell divides, it must copy its DNA with extraordinary precision. But this process is constantly challenged by DNA damage. Among the most dangerous lesions are DNA interstrand crosslinks ...

DNA replication in eukaryotes is a highly orchestrated process that ensures precise genome duplication before cell division. Initiation occurs at multiple replication origins that are licensed in G1 ...

A "potentially hazardous" asteroid contains all of the "letters" that make up DNA, suggesting that these key ingredients for life may be common in the solar system. Researchers made the discovery ...

In the oceans and on land, scientists are discovering rare, transitional organisms that bridge the gap between Earth’s simplest cells and today’s complex ones. By Carl Zimmer A flurry of new studies ...

When cells proliferate, genomic DNA is precisely duplicated once per cell cycle. Abnormalities in this DNA replication process can cause alterations in genomic DNA, promoting cellular ageing, cancer, ...

The DNA packed inside every human cell contains instructions for life, written in billions of letters of genetic code. Every time a cell divides, the complete code, divided among 46 chromosomes, must ...

Back in high school chemistry, I remember waiting with my bench partner for crystals to form on our stick in the cup of blue solution. Other groups around us jumped with joy when their crystals formed ...

Eukaryotic Polα-primase contains DNA polymerase (Pol1) and RNA primase subunits that together synthesize a >20-nucleotide hybrid RNA–DNA primer. Bacteria and archaea only require a dozen or less RNA ...

For the first time, scientists have witnessed the very moment DNA begins to unravel, revealing a necessary molecular event for DNA to be the molecule that codes all life. A new study from King ...

Every day, billions of cells in your body divide, helping to replace old and injured cells with new ones. And each time this happens, your entire genetic library—your genome, which totals more than 3 ...