DNA Archives

In this video frame, Jason Dworkin holds up a vial that contains part of the sample from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) mission in 2023. Dworkin is the mission’s project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Credit: NASA/James Tralie

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return

Asteroid Bennu Sample Reveals A Mix Of Life’s Ingredients

by Keith CowingJanuary 29, 2025January 30, 2025

Studies of rock and dust from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security–Regolith Explorer) spacecraft have revealed molecules that, on our planet, […]

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Study Sheds Light On The Origin Of Earth Life’s Genetic Code

by Keith CowingJanuary 26, 2025January 26, 2025

Despite awe-inspiring diversity, nearly every lifeform – from bacteria to blue whales – shares the same genetic code. How and when this code came about has been the subject of […]

Two-dimensional Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) of cells colored by either the input cell type annotations

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors

Tricorder Tech: New Method Tracks The ‘Learning Curve’ Of AI To Decode Complex Genomic Data

by Keith CowingJanuary 17, 2025January 17, 2025

Editor’s note: If we aspire to mount expeditions to new worlds and then embrace the task of characterizing and quantifying whatever life forms we find, the ability to map and […]

Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

The Extremophile Protein That Revolutionized DNA Sequencing

by Keith CowingJanuary 16, 2025January 16, 2025

This game-changing bacterium is called Thermus aquaticus, and it can withstand temperatures as high as 80°C. It’s an example of an extremophile – an organism capable of living in extreme […]

Artistic concept of protein structures solving saturation Credit Queralt Tolosa/Centro de Regulación Genómica

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Protein Shapes Can Help Untangle Life’s Ancient History

by Keith CowingJanuary 16, 2025January 16, 2025

The three-dimensional shape of a protein can be used to resolve deep, ancient evolutionary relationships in the tree of life, according to a study in Nature Communications.

The sensor, a glass tube that is melted at the tip to form a sharp needle-like structure, is dipped into a fluid containing molecules. (Kevin Freedman/ImageFX/UCR)

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors

Tricorder Tech: A Nanopore Diagnostic Tool Breakthrough Had Multiple Applications

by Keith CowingJanuary 6, 2025January 5, 2025

Editor’s note: Nanopore technology has been used multiple times on the International Space Station to try and help elucidate changes in genomic function during exposure to conditions of spaceflight. This […]

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Plant Biology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors

Avatar Tech: Breakthrough AI Model Can Translate The Language Of Plant Life

by Keith CowingDecember 23, 2024December 23, 2024

A pioneering Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered model able to understand the sequences and structure patterns that make up the genetic “language” of plants, has been launched by a research collaboration.

The evolutionary history of a protein domain may date back further in time than that of the whole-gene ortholog that it is part of. Multidomain genes 3 and 4 originated around the same time. However, they are made up of two protein domains (blue and orange boxes) that emerged and diverged at different points in time—domain 1 is older than domain 2. -- PNAS

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Study Sheds Light On The Origin Of The Genetic Code

by Keith CowingDecember 13, 2024

Despite awe-inspiring diversity, nearly every lifeform – from bacteria to blue whales – shares the same genetic code. How and when this code came about has been the subject of […]

Bright field microscopic image corresponding to pTERF image showing control S. cerevisiae cox 2-60, and chimeras S. cerevisiae cox2-60-SynJEC3, S. cerevisiae cox2-60-SynBD2, S. cerevisiae cox2-60-SynBD3 and S. cerevisiae cox2-60-SynBD8. Marged image of bright field chimeric cells (at gray) and pTIRF (X100) microscopic images can be predicted using 561 nm laser for visualization of endosymbiont autofluorescence chlorophyl (in red Em.=653/95 nm) from photosynthetically enabled engineered Syn. No such signal was detected from control yeast cells. SP8 Fluorescent confocal microscopic (x63) image of control S. cerevisiae cox 2–60, and endosymbiontic chimera. Marged images: host cell was stained using Conn A-FITC (emission at 510–520 nm wavelength, in green) and cyanobacterial autofluorescence can detected at 616-650 nm wavelength range. The experiment was repeated three times independently with similar results. -- Nature

Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

New Insight Into Chloroplast Evolution

by Keith CowingDecember 12, 2024December 12, 2024

One of the most momentous events in the history of life involved endosymbiosis — a process by which one organism engulfed another and, instead of ingesting it, incorporated its DNA […]