New DNA Synthesis Pathway Challenges Central Dogma

 New DNA replication pathway discovered in bacterial defense systems.

Figure 1: DNA replication is carried out using the RNA template in beige and the amino acid sequence of the light-blue enzyme.

For nearly a century, semi-conservative DNA replication, the formation of two DNA strands identical to the original parent strand, has been an essential component of the Central Dogma of Biology. New research from Stanford University has found a bacterial enzyme that synthesizes DNA from its own amino acid sequence. DRT3, the bacterial defense system utilized in this study, does not fall in line with Chargaff's rules of base pairing. With two reverse transcriptases, one of the enzyme builds a single strand of DNA based off of an RNA transcript, while the second enzyme, more formally known as Drt3b, uses its own amino acid sequence to build the complementary strand.

Researchers believe that this unique form of replication is carried out either to directly attack bacteriophages from infecting the cell or to help the cell recognize the phage as an infection. Many scientist are hopeful that this conceptual shift away from the Central Dogma will inspire discovery of other new biological systems and lead to new biological tools, similar to CRISPR.

Sources:

https://www.science.org/content/article/scientists-stunned-fundamentally-new-way-life-produces-dna

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aed1656

Biological Pathways and the Risk of Inheriting Cancer

     Researchers at Stanford Medicine studied different biological pathways that are associated with the chance of inheriting cancer. These researchers found less than 400 pathways that are functionally related to the risk of inheriting cancer. This research was the first large scale screening of DNA changes to determine which exact changes in nucleotide changes lead to cancer.  The study focused on the DNA sequences that existed after conception. This is referred to as a germ line genome because it is not the DNA changes that occur during the life of an individual. The study saw 380 variants that control the cancer associated gene expression. Major mutations in genes that have an association with the risk of inheriting cancer are the BCRA1 and BCRA2 genes; these genes indicate a higher risk of inheriting breast cancer. 

Figure 1. Location of BCRA1 and BCRA2 Genes on Chromosomes

    In this article, the author mentioned that this research opens doors to being able to assess a persons lifetime risk of having cancer. This idea could be interpreted in two ways. A person might want to know what the chances of them having cancer in their lifetime can be to feel relieved, grateful, or even so they can make life decisions that can help their situation if they were to be diagnosed. However, on the other side of things, people can fixate on their determined risk of having cancer and never be able to relax because they feel impending doom. Ultimately, I believe this research is beneficial to learning more about cancer and how it is inherited but individuals might have mixed emotions about hearing their lifetime risk of cancer.

Source: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/02/dna-cancer-risk.html

Additional link from National Cancer Institute focusing on BRCA gene:

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet

AI and Genetics: AlphaGenome

AlphaGenome is the latest AI model for analyzing vast stretches of DNA, published by Google DeepMind on Jan 28th, 2026. Where its predecessor, Borzoi, created in August 2023, could only analyze 500,000 base pairs, the new version can read more than one million. AlphaGenome can identify points of interest down to a single base pair and shows potential for applications in diagnosing genetic diseases, identifying mutations, and developing therapies. The AI model can also predict the results of single nucleotide polymorphisms, making it a unique tool for understanding gene expression and regulation. 

There are many AI tools being used in the field of genomics with advancements in technology continuing to propel the generation of new versions with increased capabilities. Alternative models are specialized for specific applications such as ChromBPNet, which focuses on predicting the accessibility of chromatin in DNA sequences. Just as AlphaGenome was built upon the foundation provided by Borzoi, the current technology will provide a platform for further development.

Souce:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ai-tool-alphagenome-predicts-genetics

Additional Link:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41606153/

Could Cats lead us to a Deeper Understanding of Cancer

 A recent study found that the genes that cause cancer in cats are very similar to cancer causing genes in humans. Researchers analyzed tumors from 493 cats with multiple types of cancer. They discovered that many of the same mutations that cause cancer in cats cause cancer in humans. The study identified  cancer related genes such as TP53 and PIK3CA that appear in both humans and cats, showing that cancers in both species is developed in a similar manner. Due to the fact cats live in the same environments as humans, they are exposed to similar risk factors; which may help explain these similarities. Overall, the research suggests that studying cancer in cats could improve understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in both animals and humans, potentially leading to more targeted therapies in the future.

https://www.avma.org/news/study-finds-similarities-genes-drive-cancer-cats-humans

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cats-cancer-genes-show-striking-similarity-to-humans/

Red Hair Gene & Natural Selection

Carmine Martino

BIOL-2110-001

Dr. Guy Barbato

April 18th, 2026 

    New research looked at how certain human traits have changed over time by analyzing DNA from nearly 16,000 ancient individuals and more than 6,000 modern people. The findings suggest that natural selection has continued to shape human genetics over the past 10,000 years, especially in regions like West Eurasia.

    Researchers identified 479 genetic variants that appear to have been favored, including those linked to red hair, fair skin, and some disease-related traits. Red hair and lighter skin may have provided advantages in areas with lower sunlight, since they can help with vitamin D production. At the same time, it is not completely clear if red hair itself was directly beneficial or if it became more common because it was linked to another useful trait.

    Some of the genetic variants that increased over time are also connected to diseases such as coeliac disease and tuberculosis. This suggests that traits that may be considered harmful today could have been helpful for survival in the past under different environmental conditions.

    In conclusion, the findings show that natural selection has played a larger role in shaping human genetics in recent history than previously thought. I thought this was interesting because it shows that evolution is still happening and that traits like red hair may have become more common because they were beneficial at some point in the past.

Article: 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/16/red-hair-gene-favoured-natural-selection-study

Extra Source:

https://medicover-genetics.com/red-hair-its-in-your-genes/

CRISPR and personalized treatment

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CRISPR-Cas9 was implemented for the first time in June of 2025 in a personalized gene editing treatment for a baby with CPS1 (carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1) deficiency. KJ was given two doses of a specialized therapy at 7 and 8 months old, showing improvements within two months. With CRISPR gene-editing technology, a team at the University of Pennsylvania formulated a treatment using LNPs (lipid nanoparticles) to deliver a base editor capable of correcting KJ’s unique genetic mutation. The success of KJ’s case highlights the potential of gene editing therapies to transform medicine and manufacture solutions for rare diseases.

Specialized treatments with CRISPR provide a novel solution treating debilitating genetic mutations, yet the insurmountable price tag makes it unattainable for the vast majority. The highly powerful tool is still new, with the long term effects remaining unknown. However, CRISPR-based solutions provide the opportunity to address previously untreatable diseases. With the selective ability of CRISPR-Cas 9, it is the hope that such personalized treatments will become the standard of care in the future. 

Source:

https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/precision-medicine/first-personalized-crispr-gene-editing-therapy-patient-baby-kj-discharged/

Additional link:

https://oncodaily.com/blog/crispr-297474

Extremophiles are Revolutionizing Biotechnology

Breakthroughs in CRISPR genome editing technology have completely transformed how scientists both engineer and study extremophiles. These advancements allow researchers to identify the genes associated with extremotolerance and to potentially edit strains for industrial use. Furthermore, the application of CRISPR technology to different extremophile types may allow for the future development of various extremophilic cells for synthetic biology applications.


Image 1: A tardigrade in moss from Science Photo Library

Extremophiles are microorganisms that can survive in harsh environments that were previously thought to be uninhabitable. By living in high heat, intense cold, dryness, high salinity, alkaline, pressurized, heavy metal, and radiation environments, these organisms have developed unique genetic and metabolic adaptations that enable their survival. The resilience of extremophiles makes them highly valuable in biotechnology, including the production of thermostable DNA polymerase, as well as in industrial processes such as biofuel production, and environmental applications like bioremediation. With advances in CRISPR-Cas, a genome editing technology that utilizes Cas enzymes to delete, add, or replace genetic material in living cells, it is possible to enhance or manipulate extremophilic genomes, allowing scientists to uncover the genes responsible for extremotolerance.

By using CRISPR in thermophiles, a heat-tolerant extremophile, scientists have developed a thermostable Cas variant. This can be used to revolutionize high-temperature industrial biotechnology and to innovate bioremediation in geothermal environments. Another example of CRISPR use includes its application to psychrophiles, a cold-tolerant extremophile, to expand the use of psychrophiles for cold-chain bioprocessing, enzyme production, or bioremediation in polar or deep-sea ecosystems.

Given the vast array of extremophiles, the future potential for genome editing technologies in extremophiles is very promising. As CRISPR technology advances, research into the genetic basis of extremotolerance can be conducted with more precision. Furthermore, the engineering of strains with enhanced production of industrial enzymes, biofuels, bioplastics, or even metal recovery efficiency under extreme conditions can be developed. Developments can also improve the effectiveness of bioremediation in harsh environments. The continued investment in developing these frameworks is crucial to the future potential of new applications and biotechnologies.



Source:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S305064172500029


Additional:

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1754802/full

CRISPR Babies

In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui had used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit human embryos and the first genetically altered babies were produced. With the gene editing tool, Jiankui had altered the DNA of a single-celled embryo to be resistant to HIV infection. Although, the resulting twin girls’ condition has not been able to be independently verified and it is unknown whether or not he was successful. Jiankui was condemned in the scientific community for his reckless experimentation on human embryos and subsequently imprisoned for three years by the Chinese government for violating medical regulations and ethical codes. 

The revelation sparked controversy over both the ethical and social implications of applying this technology in the human genome. Questions regarding the motivations and objectives of using CRISPR have emerged which are still under debate today. Eight years later, the subject has been broached again by private companies and investors with plans to revitalize, with concessions that the technology would only be used for genetic disease prevention. However, there is a large pushback on altering the human genome for fear of irreversible effects and the shift towards eugenics. It is currently prohibited to edit the genes of human embryos in the U.S..

Source:

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5493448/gene-editing-human-embryos-designer-babies

Additional link:

https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/distillations-pod/the-crispr-babies/ &

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/26/670991254/chinese-scientist-says-hes-created-first-genetically-modified-babies