Molecular biology

Preserving its DNA ought to be a cell’s top priority. But bacteria slow their DNA repair to a crawl in favor of proofreading gene transcripts.

Studies of the energy-harvesting proteins in primitive cells suggest that key features of photosynthesis might have evolved a billion years earlier than scientists thought.

If DNA repair makes useful mutations more likely, it could accelerate cells’ adaptations to harsh environments.

Species gain and shed startling amounts of DNA as they evolve, and even genomes that look stable churn furiously. What does it mean?

Mathematical insights into how RNA helps viruses pull together their protein shells could guide future studies of viral behavior and function.

Sex might help natural selection purge excessive mistakes from our genes.

New techniques expose unexpected diversity within seemingly uniform tissues.

The proteins that unravel as the temperature starts to rise turn out to be among the most vital.

Without viruses, we might never have evolved.