🧬 Category

genetics

158 papers

Genetics is the fascinating study of how traits are passed down and how our DNA shapes everything from eye color to disease risk. At Gist.Science, we bring you the very latest discoveries in this dynamic field directly from bioRxiv, the leading preprint server for biology. Because these findings appear months before formal publication, staying updated requires sifting through complex data that often feels inaccessible to non-specialists.

To bridge that gap, our team processes every new genetics preprint uploaded to bioRxiv, transforming dense scientific reports into clear, plain-language explanations alongside detailed technical summaries. This dual approach ensures that whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about how genes work, you can grasp the core insights without getting lost in jargon. Below are the latest papers in genetics, curated and simplified for your reading.

🧬 genetics

Cryptic diversity in Astyanax (Characiformes: Acestrorhamphidae) from the Magdalena basin, Colombia: Insights from molecular and morphometric evidence

By integrating microsatellite genotyping, phylogenetic analyses, and geometric morphometrics, this study reveals that *Astyanax* sp. in Colombia's Magdalena basin comprises two distinct cryptic lineages exhibiting significant genetic and phenotypic differentiation, thereby highlighting the need for targeted conservation strategies amidst hydroelectric threats.

Marquez, E. J., Garcia-Castro, K. L., Alvarez, D. R., DoNascimiento, C.2026-03-31
🧬 genetics

The world's first cloned golden wild yak via interspecific SCNT: 4800m donor origin and 4200m vitrified blastocyst transfer

This study reports the first successful birth of a cloned golden wild yak via interspecific somatic cell nuclear transfer, achieved by generating vitrified blastocysts from 4,800m-altitude donor cells in Beijing and transferring them to domestic yak surrogates at 4,200m altitude in Xizang, thereby establishing a viable conservation strategy for this critically endangered high-altitude species.

Yu, D., Zhang, Q., Cao, L., Gu, S., Zhang, Y., Liu, C., Yin, K., Wang, J., Pan, B., Liu, Y., Zhou, G., Lan, D., Huang, Y (…)2026-03-31
🧬 genetics

NLGN3 autism variants have distinct functional impact on synapses and sleep behavior in Drosophila

This study utilizes *Drosophila* models to demonstrate that different *NLGN3* autism-associated variants exert distinct functional impacts on synaptic architecture and sleep behavior, suggesting that de novo variants in females act primarily as gain-of-function mutations while maternally inherited variants exhibit mixed loss- and gain-of-function effects, thereby contributing to the phenotypic heterogeneity observed in autism spectrum disorder.

Townsley, R., Andrews, J., Srivastav, S., Jangam, S., Hannan, S., Kanca, O., Yamamoto, S., Wangler, M. F.2026-03-30
🧬 genetics

The multidimensional structure of wellbeing: genetic evidence from a multivariate twin study including the Mental Health Continuum

This multivariate twin study of 5,212 individuals reveals that while the Mental Health Continuum and other wellbeing measures share substantial genetic overlap, their underlying genetic architecture is multidimensional rather than driven by a single common factor, with the Mental Health Continuum best explained by its three distinct subscales.

Azcona Granada, N., Geijsen, A., de Vries, L. P., Pelt, D., Bartels, M.2026-03-30
🧬 genetics

Single-cell full-length transcriptome of human lung reveals genetic effects on isoform regulation beyond gene-level expression

This study presents a single-cell long-read RNA-sequencing atlas of the human lung from 129 never-smoking Korean women, demonstrating that isoform-level analysis reveals cell-type-specific genetic regulation and unannotated variants that improve disease risk prediction beyond traditional gene-level expression data.

Li, B., Luong, T., Sisay, E., Yin, J., Zhang, Z. E., Vaziripour, M., Shin, J. H., Zhao, Y., Tran, B., Byun, J., Li, Y. (…)2026-03-30
🧬 genetics

Single-cell lung eQTL dataset of Asian never-smokers highlights the roles of alveolar cells in lung cancer etiology

This study constructed a single-cell lung eQTL dataset from 129 Korean never-smokers to identify East Asian-specific and alveolar cell-driven susceptibility genes for lung cancer, experimentally validating the role of TCF7L2 in lung adenocarcinoma growth.

Luong, T., Yin, J., Li, B., Shin, J. H., Sisay, E., Mikhail, S., Qin, F., Anyaso-Samuel, S., Kane, A., Golden, A., Liu (…)2026-03-27
🧬 genetics

Local genomic estimates provide a powerful framework for haplotype discovery

This study demonstrates that the local genomic estimated breeding values (localGEBV) method, which aggregates marker effects within linkage disequilibrium blocks, outperforms traditional genome-wide association studies in discovering quantitative trait loci and predicting phenotypes for complex traits like barley row type.

Shaffer, W., Papin, V., Yadav, S., Voss-Fels, K. P., Hickey, L., Hayes, B., Dinglasan, E. G.2026-03-26
🧬 genetics

Identification of a somatic H3K23me3 methyltransferase SET-19 in C. elegans

This study identifies SET-19 as a somatic-specific H3K23 methyltransferase in *C. elegans* that deposits the H3K23me3 mark at heterochromatic regions to repress gene expression and regulate development, without affecting germline RNAi or transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.

Xu, M., Fan, Z., Yan, C., Chen, X., Huang, X., Zhu, C., Hong, M., Cheng, J., Hou, X., Li, S., Li, M., Shi, Y., Huang, M. (…)2026-03-26