📄 Category

molecular biology

316 papers

Molecular biology explores the tiny machinery inside living cells, revealing how genetic instructions are read, copied, and turned into the proteins that keep us alive. This field acts as a bridge between the static code of DNA and the dynamic processes that drive growth, disease, and life itself, offering insights into everything from cellular repair to the development of new medicines.

On Gist.Science, we track every new preprint uploaded to bioRxiv in this category to make these complex discoveries accessible to everyone. Our team processes each submission to provide both clear, plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries, ensuring you can grasp the core findings without getting lost in dense academic jargon.

Below are the latest molecular biology papers freshly processed from bioRxiv, ready for you to explore and understand.

📄 molecular biology

Inferring Accumulation Times of Mitochondrial DNA Deletion Mutants from Cross-Sectional Single-Cell Data: Application to Tabula Muris Senis

By applying a stochastic modeling framework to Tabula Muris Senis single-cell RNA sequencing data, this study quantifies mitochondrial DNA deletion dynamics in mouse limb muscle, revealing that rare mutation events followed by rapid clonal expansion drive accumulation over approximately three months, with specific gene disruptions influencing heteroplasmy levels.

Kowald, A., Kirkwood, T. B. L.2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

Molecular characterization of chikungunya viruses associated with outbreaks in Kenya from 2017 to 2020

This study characterizes the molecular epidemiology of Chikungunya virus outbreaks in Kenya from 2017 to 2020, revealing that Indian Ocean Lineage strains with fitness-enhancing mutations caused geographically distinct but related transmission clusters in Mombasa and Dadaab-Hagadera, while identifying specific clinical symptoms that can aid in differentiating Chikungunya from other acute febrile illnesses in resource-limited settings.

Ochieng, D. A., Juma, B., Muriuki, J., Ochieng, C., Koech, N., Kikwai, G., Mwasi, L., Ochieng, M., Ngugi, C., Emily, D. (…)2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

An Alport variant illuminates the bioactivity of the collagen IV α565- α121 scaffold in Bowman's capsule.

This study demonstrates that relocating a specific eight-amino acid "Z-appendage" variant from the collagen IV α3 chain to the α5 chain in Alport syndrome mice shifts the pathology from glomerular basement membrane defects to marked thickening of Bowman's capsule, thereby revealing a critical bioactive role for the collagen IV α565-α121 scaffold in maintaining the structural integrity of Bowman's capsule.

Pokidysheva, E., Koirala, R., Clarke, B., Delpire, E., Boudko, S., Hudson, B. G.2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

Dosage compensation defects due to roX RNA deletion are rescued by recalibration of X/autosome stoichiometry

This study demonstrates that in Drosophila male cells lacking roX RNA, the failure of the dosage compensation complex to activate X-linked genes is bypassed by the rapid acquisition of extra X chromosomes, which restores the essential X-to-autosome expression ratio and viability.

Gkountromichos, F., Yankson, G., Jayakrishnan, M., Campos Sparr, A., Müller, M., Heun, P., Becker, P. B.2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

Circadian immunometabolic states impart a temporal response to SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in mammalian macrophages

This study demonstrates that circadian rhythms regulate macrophage responses to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins by driving time-dependent immunometabolic states characterized by central metabolic and mitochondrial changes rather than classical immune activation.

Buel, S. M., Balaraman, J., Jankowski, M. S., Hixson, K. K., Gao, Y., Kim, Y.-m., Munoz, N., Kyle, J. E., Lipton, M. S. (…)2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

Evidence of Anopheles stephensi involvement in the transmission of Plasmodium vivax in Djibouti, 2024

This study confirms that the invasive mosquito *Anopheles stephensi* is actively transmitting *Plasmodium vivax* in Djibouti, as evidenced by the detection of infective sporozoites in local populations that share genetic characteristics with other invasive strains across the Horn of Africa.

Rao, S., Samake, J. N., Rafferty, C., Mumba, P., Chibsa, S., Balkew, M., Khaireh, B. A., Guelleh, S. K., Ibrahim, M. M. (…)2026-02-25
📄 molecular biology

Proteomic Signatures of Mitochondrial Dysfunction Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in Goats

This study utilizes bioinformatic analysis of proteomic data from goat atrial tissue to reveal that atrial fibrillation triggers a coordinated mitochondrial adaptation involving oxidative phosphorylation enrichment and HSPA9-mediated regulation of respiratory chain complexes.

Ayagama, T., Barrett-Jolley, R., Fischer, R., Hester, S., Schotten, U., Verheule, S., Burton, R.-A. B.2026-02-24
📄 molecular biology

The Structured RNA-binding Domains and Condensation Capacity of FUS Shape its RNA-binding Landscape and Function.

This study demonstrates that the structured RNA-binding domains and condensation capacity of the ALS-linked protein FUS function as distinct yet synergistic mechanisms to shape its RNA-binding landscape, thereby governing nuclear condensate assembly, DNA damage response, and transcriptional regulation.

Jutzi, D., Alcalde, J., Hutten, S., Tiryaki, F., Davies, B., Plun-Favreau, H., Sibley, C., Dormann, D., Ruepp, M.-D.2026-02-22
📄 molecular biology

A negatively charged unstructured loop autoinhibits mammalian Dicer and supports fidelity of miRNA biogenesis.

This study reveals that a conserved, negatively charged intrinsically disordered region in mammalian Dicer acts as an autoinhibitory element that stabilizes a pre-dicing state to ensure the high-fidelity processing of microRNA precursors while suppressing broader RNAi activity.

Joseph, D. F., Noskova, N., Malik, R., Zapletal, D., Pasulka, J., Buccheri, V., Buchta, D., Petrovsky, J., Kubicek, K. (…)2026-02-20