In prokaryotes, the DNA (chromosome) is in contact with the cellular cytoplasm and is not in a housed membrane-bound nucleus. In eukaryotes, however, the DNA takes the form of compact chromosomes ...

Modern eukaryotic cells have proteins that enable chromosome segregation during cell division, new discoveries shed light on their origin in simpler prokaryotic organisms. Modern nucleated (eukaryotic ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. The first attempt ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Humans have been engineering yeast “for thousands of years ...

Transposons, mobile DNA elements found in the genomes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, move randomly from one site in a chromosome to another using a process catalyzed by transposases. This ...

Scientists have finally filled the gaps in the sequence of the human Y chromosome, 20 years after the first draft of its DNA code was published. The work reveals a complete catalog of the genes in the ...

The chromosome associated with male development, which is the last mysterious piece of the human genome, has been fully sequenced by a team of more than 100 researchers around the world, including ...

Brain cells, or oligodendrocytes (green), in the hippocampus are marked with the GFP genetic marker in the mouse brain. These cells often deteriorate during aging. Image credit: Gadek et al., Science ...

For any mammal, the loss of the Y chromosome should mean the loss of males and the demise of the species. So how the Amami spiny rat manages without a Y chromosome has puzzled biologists for decades.

The molecules that silence a woman’s second X chromosome can confuse the immune system, a new study suggests. By Carl Zimmer Women are much more likely than men to have their immune system turn ...

Human biological sex is determined by the sex chromosomes X and Y. In most cases, females possess two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y. However, there is some evidence that the Y ...