These gastric cancer cells contain circular fragments of DNA (ecDNA) that encode two different oncogenes, one in red and one in green. Cooperating ecDNAs are often passed into the same cell during cell division. Image credit: Ivy Tsz-Lo Wong (Stanford University).

A Stanford-led study has identified a mutation on the X chromosome that causes orange fur in cats. The mutation switches on the normally silent <i>Arhgap36</i> gene in pigment cells, blocking black/brown pigment production.

Taking inspiration from a rare mutation that makes people impervious to viral diseases, a Columbia researcher is developing a therapy that could bestow this superpower on the rest of us.

Efforts to improve honey bee colony health continue due to persistent high loss rates. A major focus in this area is Deformed wing virus (DWV), a key driver of colony loss. The application of modern molecular techniques has characterized the DWV genome and…

A desert community lives on a diet of blood and meat that would make most people sick.