The idea of a once-mild virus might mutate into a deadly pathogen is a staple of science fiction, and a common fear since the dawn of the pandemic. Many of the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ relatives, genetically ...

Non-coding RNAs fold into precise base-pairing patterns to carry out critical roles in genetic regulation and protein synthesis, but determining RNA structure remains difficult. Here, we show that ...

No, viruses do not always weaken with mutations. Sometimes mutations can lead to a strain that's more transmissible or capable of causing more disease. "When a virus enters a human cell they replicate ...

Scientists show that in bacteria the rate of beneficial mutations -- those that increase the capacity of an organism to survive in a particular environment -- is much higher than previously thought.

The COVID-19 virus tries to evade any kind of immunity to stay alive, not just immunity that comes from a vaccine, said Ajay Sethi, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In ...

Every virus mutates; it’s part of the virus life cycle. Those shifts and changes aren’t always a big deal. The new coronavirus is an RNA virus: a collection of genetic material packed inside a protein ...

Every living organism on the earth contains a genetic material of its own that carries information about the multiplication, development, and behavior of the organism. Most organisms have DNA as their ...

The possibilities are seemingly endless. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The coronavirus is mutating, picking up genetic changes ...

As the U.S. faces down the COVID-19 Delta variant – now fast-becoming the nation's dominant strain – reports of a new Lambda variant that first emerged in Peru in August 2020 are gaining the attention ...