DNA protection, inch by inch
Thursday, July 9, 2015 - 15:30
in Biology & Nature
DNA within reproductive cells is protected through a clever system of find and destroy; new research lifts the veil on how this is done. A team of scientists has discovered how the cells produce tiny pieces of RNA -- called piRNA -- that identify and silence 'jumping genes' or transposons: genes that are able to change their position within the genome and therefore alter or disrupt the genetic code.