Matthew Fujita, professor of biology (IMAGE)
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By analyzing the flowerpot snake’s unique genome, scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington are uncovering how the tiny reptile repairs its DNA and prevents harmful mutations. The findings, published recently in the journal Science Advances, provides valuable insights into genetic repair mechanisms that could deepen our understanding of human gene evolution.
“This DNA repair and replication activity supports a fascinating mechanism called premeiotic endoreplication, a process through which the snake duplicates its chromosomes before dividing them, sidestepping the need for the typical pairing of chromosomes seen in sexual reproduction,” said Matthew Fujita, a professor of biology at UTA and a co-author on the paper along with researchers from China and Myanmar. “This mechanism allows the snake to produce offspring that are exact genetic clones of itself.”
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