Science Magazine Podcast An aggressive cancer’s loophole, and a massive field of hydrogen beneath the ocean floor
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Sep 11, 2025 Join Elie Dolgin, a freelance science journalist, as he unveils an exciting approach to tackling aggressive tumors by targeting extrachromosomal DNA that helps them evade treatments. Meanwhile, Weidong Sun, director at the Center of Deep Sea Research, reveals a groundbreaking discovery of a vast hydrogen field beneath the ocean floor, potentially reshaping our understanding of clean energy. They explore the geological processes behind this hydrogen and the shocking implications for our planet's energy resources.
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ecDNA Drives Rapid Tumor Evolution
- Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) are circular gene-bearing loops found outside chromosomes in tumor cells.
- ecDNA can carry oncogenes like EGFR and create extreme tumor heterogeneity and rapid evolution.
ecDNA Hubs Create Supercharged Gene Expression
- ecDNA form hubs that supercharge gene expression and break Mendelian inheritance.
- Those hubs act like 'super chromosomes' allowing biased inheritance of oncogene copies.
Sequencing Missed ecDNA Without New Tools
- ecDNA occurrences were missed by sequencing because algorithms map reads to healthy reference genomes.
- Combining cytogenetics, imaging, and new bioinformatics revealed ecDNA in many cancer types.