RNA

Samples taken from the near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu continue to provide scientists with important insights. The discovery of the nucleobase uracil, a part of RNA, in the samples, hints at the potential beginnings of life on our planet.

The world got COVID vaccines at a record pace, but RNA therapies for diseases has felt like it is still in a galaxy far, far away. A team of scientists now believe they're on the edge of the next frontier, harnessing the activity of RNA-editing enzymes.

They can live in extreme cold and heat, at pressures six times that of the deepest ocean trenches, and in the vacuum of space. One mechanism that makes the tardigrade so resilient has now been tapped to help crucial medicines travel further, easier.

With the incidence of type 2 diabetes on the rise, science is looking to genetics for answers. A new study has isolated a gene not previously associated with the disease that appears to impair insulin production in type 2 diabetics.

Researchers in Japan have demonstrated a promising new cancer treatment. The team developed artificial DNA sequences shaped like hairpins that latch onto molecules overexpressed in cancer and trigger a strong immune response.

The first results from a trial testing mRNA technology against cancer reveal 44% of patients fared better than those on conventional treatments. The announcement from Moderna reveals Phase 3 trials for its mRNA skin cancer vaccine will commence next year.

Scientists have identified a toxin used by bacteria to kill others through a unique mechanism. It's the first found to directly target RNA in what the team describes as “a total assault on the cell,” which could lead to a new class of antibiotics.

Researchers have created a new mRNA vaccine for cancer that’s designed to carry its cargo to the lymph nodes rather than the liver. Tests in mice showed significant inhibition of the tumors, with complete remission in a decent percentage of cases.

Researchers have demonstrated a new technique for helping heart cells regenerate after a heart attack, using mRNA to return the cells to a stem-cell-like state. Tests in mice showed drastic improvements to heart function a month after a heart attack.

Evidence is mounting that the key building blocks of life may have been delivered to our home planet from space. Scientists have now identified in meteorites the last two DNA nucleobases that hadn’t yet been found in extraterrestrial samples.

In phase 1 trials, an RNA gene therapy has shown promise for reducing levels of a lipoprotein associated with a high risk of heart disease. The treatment could help fight a form of the disease that can’t currently be treated through lifestyle changes.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have created an RNA molecule that can not just replicate, but “evolve” into a diverse range of more complex molecules. This find could plug a major gap in the puzzle of how life on Earth began.