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A protein once thought to mainly protect chromosome ends may also be essential for keeping muscle stem cells ready to repair injuries. Researchers found that TRF2 helps these cells maintain their identity and coordinate the cycle of rest, repair, and renewal. A protein best known for protecting chromosomes may also be one of the hidden keys to muscle repair and muscular dystrophy.  A protein traditionally associated with protecting chromosome ends…

A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits. Poor sleep may be especially damaging for people carrying certain genes linked to the brain’s nighttime waste-removal system.  New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests that sleep habits and genetics may interact to influence subtle…

A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits. Poor sleep may be especially damaging for people carrying certain genes linked to the brain’s nighttime waste-removal system. The study, conducted by ECU’s Centre for Precision Health (CPH), examined the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene. This gene helps…

Blood cancers that eventually worsen may carry detectable genetic warning signs years before patients develop serious symptoms. The findings could lead to earlier intervention while also helping doctors distinguish true cancer from harmless age-related blood changes. Genetic “family trees” of blood cells may reveal years in advance which cancers will progress and which patients may not have cancer at all. Long-term tracking of chronic blood cancers has revealed major genetic…

Researchers found that insulin-producing cells depend on a team of helper proteins to keep insulin production on track. When one key partner was missing, damaged proteins built up and the cells made less insulin. Strengthening this system could offer a new way to protect the pancreas as diabetes progresses. A hidden protein problem inside insulin-producing cells could lead to a new way to slow diabetes-related damage. Much like paper must…

Researchers rebuilt long-extinct versions of a crucial enzyme that helps make nitrogen available to life, offering an unprecedented glimpse into Earth’s distant past. The breakthrough could aid the search for extraterrestrial life while helping scientists tackle future food-production challenges on Earth and beyond. Scientists have recreated ancient nitrogen-fixing enzymes, opening a rare window into the biology of Earth’s earliest life. Nitrogen is essential for every known form of life on…

Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have turned an unlikely source into a potential new weapon against cancer: bacteria that naturally live inside tumors. They developed a peptide called aurB, inspired by a bacterial protein, that infiltrates cancer cells and effectively cuts off their energy supply by targeting the mitochondria, the cells’ power plants. Scientists turned tumor-dwelling bacteria into a powerful cancer-fighting therapy that effectively cuts off tumors’ energy…

Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery by discovering the missing genetic ingredient that helps melanoma cells become effectively immortal. The breakthrough could open the door to new treatments aimed at disrupting one of cancer’s most important survival strategies. Scientists have uncovered the hidden genetic trick that helps melanoma cells cheat death, revealing a promising new target for fighting skin cancer. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have…

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In a groundbreaking study that could redefine the future of aging research, scientists at the University of Rochester have successfully transferred a longevity gene from naked mole rats to mice. The result is a significant improvement in health and a notable extension of the mice’s lifespan. Scientists borrowed a longevity secret from naked mole rats and used it to make mice healthier and live longer. Naked mole…