Life's instructions are written in DNA, but it is the enzyme RNA polymerase II (Pol II) that reads the script, transcribing RNA in eukaryotic cells and eventually giving rise to proteins. Scientists ...

Chemical structure of guanine, showing its double-ring purine structure and the functional groups involved in hydrogen bonding with cytosine. (Image: Public Domain) Guanine has the chemical formula ...

Cedars-Sinai scientists have created a new experimental drug called TY1 that helps the body repair damaged DNA and restore ...

The mammalian elongation complex has remained a mystery – until researchers discovered how it controls its speed.

Cells use the genetic information contained in DNA to generate proteins, which carry out many of the processes of life. RNA is the intermediate molecule; it is transcribed from DNA, then edited, ...

Dr. Cech is a biochemist and the author of the forthcoming book “The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets,” from which this essay is adapted. From E=mc² to splitting the atom ...

The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets. Thomas Cech. W.W. Norton; 304 pages; $28.99 and £23.99 All this is the subject of Thomas Cech’s new book, “The Catalyst”. The author ...

Within each cell, there is a constant struggle between life-sustaining molecules and molecules that could hasten its demise. For the first time, scientists have created a molecule that can identify ...

To our immune system, a potentially lifesaving gene therapy can look a lot like a dangerous infection. That's because most ...