DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

Main article: Genetics

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a macromolecule that provides storage, transmission from generation to generation and the implementation of a genetic program for the development and functioning of living organisms. The DNA molecule stores biological information in the form of a genetic code consisting of a sequence of nucleotides.

Photo 51 is the first ever shot of human DNA. Its author was student Raymond Gosling, who worked under the guidance of biophysicist Rosalind Franklin. It took more than 4 days of exposure to DNA fibers on an X-ray diffractometer to obtain the image. 2019 (?)

People's DNA is 99.9 percent the same. The differences are the last 0.1 percent.

DNA has a half-life of 521 years, and after 1.5 million years, even DNA preserved at its best cannot be read.

Nuclear DNA

Nuclear DNA is DNA localized in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell, unlike mitochondrial DNA. Nuclear DNA consists of DNA molecules contained in all chromosomes of the cell.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) - DNA located, unlike nuclear DNA, in mitochondria - organoids of nuclear cells located outside the nucleus. Cell Power Station; the main function is the oxidation of organic compounds and the use of energy released during their decay. In most multicellular organisms, mitochondrial DNA is inherited on the maternal side.

DNA molecules

All DNA molecules in one human cell contain 3.2 billion pairs of nucleotides, which corresponds to 800 megabytes of information.

The DNA of all people living in 2020 will fit into one teaspoon and weigh less than 1.2 grams.

DNA is 5-8% virus DNA

Our DNA is 5-8% virus DNA.

Some of this viral DNA has been adapted by our organisms to adapt to the environment or to protect against viruses.

Other residual parts of viral DNA are the result of long-standing infections that affected our ancestors.

Destruction and recovery

DNA is damaged about a million times a day in every cell in our bodies.

Fortunately, our body has a complex system for its recovery. If it hadn't, it would have led to cancer or cell death.

DNA methylation

Main article: DNA Metalization

It is believed that the change in methylation plays one of the key roles in aging, and in addition, can be used as a molecular clock to determine the biological age, which correlates with the passport, but not absolutely.

DNA sequencing

Main article: DNA sequencing

DNA tests

Main article: DNA tests

Data storage in DNA

Main article: Data storage in DNA

Chronicle

2024: E-cigarettes alter human DNA

On March 19, 2024, specialists from University College London in Britain and Innsbruck University in Austria released the results of a study suggesting that e-cigarettes change human DNA. Moreover, these changes are almost identical to those observed in tobacco smokers. Read more here.

2023: 'Markings' found in bacteria DNA

Scientists from NRNU MEPhI and the Federal Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a mathematical algorithm that allows you to find repeating elements in genomes with high accuracy. They tested the new approach on nine species of bacteria, and previously unknown repeats were found in the genomes of each species, forming a kind of "marking" in the bacterial genome. According to the researchers, the algorithm will help find new genetic targets to increase the productivity of bacterial strains or to obtain new antibiotics. In the genomes of most multicellular organisms (from yeast to humans) there are repeating nucleotide sequences, where they are a kind of letters that make up DNA. NRNU MEPhI announced this on September 25, 2023. Read more here.

2022

In Russia, developed nanorobot from DNA molecules to detect viruses

In Russia, they developed a nanorobot from DNA molecules to detect viruses. We are talking about the development of ITMO University. At the end of October 2022, they told about it at the university itself. Read more here.

Corsight AI has created a system that draws a person's identity from their DNA

On January 31, 2022, Corsight AI announced the creation of DNA to Face technology, using DNA to create a face model that can then be passed through a facial recognition system. The system has been heavily criticized by the scientific community. Read more here.

2021: Creating genomic DNA that 'reproduces'

In late November 2021, Professor Norikazu Ichihashi and colleagues at the University of Tokyo successfully induced gene expression from DNA characteristic of all life for the first time and demonstrated evolution by continuous replication extracellularly using only cell-free materials such as nucleic acids and proteins. The ability to reproduce and evolve is one of the defining characteristics of living organisms. Read more here.

124 thousand years ago: Mitochondrial Eva and Y chromosomal Adam

Thanks to genetic research, it was possible to find out how people settled on Earth.

Mitochondrial DNA is transmitted only through the female line, and the Y chromosome is transmitted through the male. Today it is proven that all living people come from one woman who lived in East Africa about 124 000 - 200 000 years ago.

She passed on both men and women her mitochondrial DNA, and therefore she is called mitochondrial Eve. Of course, she had contemporaries, but the lines of their descendants were interrupted in ancient times.

There was also a Y-chromosomal Adam, who transmitted the Y-chromosome to all modern men. He lived in Africa about 120 000 - 156 000 years ago. Thanks to such studies, anyone today can find out where his ancestors came from.