Aims and Scope

JDRR aims to publish sound, reproducible research that advances understanding of DNA and RNA, to support the methods and technologies built on nucleic acids, and to make the results freely available under an open license.

The journal welcomes work in which DNA or RNA biology is central to the question, from molecular mechanism to genome-scale analysis and from basic discovery to translational application.

The research areas below are illustrative, not a closed list. Work on any organism, from viruses and microbes to plants, animals and humans, is considered.

1. DNA structure, replication and repair

   Chromatin architecture, DNA topology, replication forks, telomeres, DNA damage and repair pathways.

2. Transcription and RNA processing

   Transcriptional regulation, RNA polymerases, splicing, polyadenylation and RNA modifications.

3. Translation

   Ribosome structure and function, mRNA and ribosome interactions and co-translational folding.

4. Epigenetics and chromatin

   DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling and epigenetic inheritance.

5. Genome stability and disease

   Mutation mechanisms, repair deficiencies, cancer genomics and chromosomal aberrations.

6. Non-coding RNAs

   MicroRNAs, long non-coding and circular RNAs, RNA interference and post-transcriptional control.

7. RNA structure and catalysis

   RNA folding, ribozymes, RNA and protein interactions and aptamers.

8. Genome and transcriptome technologies

   Sequencing, single-cell genomics, RNA-seq methods and computational analysis.

9. Genome editing

   CRISPR and Cas mechanisms, base and prime editing, delivery and off-target analysis.

10. Applied nucleic acid technologies

    Molecular diagnostics, mRNA therapeutics, gene therapy vectors and synthetic biology.

• Experimental studies in vitro, in cells and in whole organisms.
• Computational, statistical and bioinformatic analyses of sequence and expression data.
• Development and evaluation of methods, protocols and technologies.
• Structural and biophysical studies of nucleic acids and their complexes.
• Clinical and population studies in which nucleic acid variation or expression is the subject of the research.
• Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, reviews and perspectives that synthesize or interpret the literature.

Research topics and article formats are separate. Any topic above may be submitted in any of the following article types; requirements for each are set out in the Instructions for Authors.

• Original Research
• Review (including mini-review)
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Methods and Protocols
• Short Communication (including technical note)
• Data Note
• Case Report
• Perspective or Commentary
• Letter

A case series is submitted as a Case Report, a technical note as a Short Communication, and a mini-review as a Review.

• Research involving human participants, identifiable human data or human biological material reports ethics approval and informed consent, or a waiver documented by the ethics committee, where applicable.
• Research involving animals reports approval by the relevant animal ethics committee and follows the ARRIVE guidelines.
• Research with recombinant DNA, gene drives, human germline editing or hazardous agents reports compliance with applicable regulations and institutional biosafety review, where applicable.
• Sequence, expression and structural data are deposited in public repositories where applicable. Every empirical research manuscript must include a data-availability statement.

The full requirements are in the Editorial Policies.

Single-blind by default; double-blind review is available on request.

All submissions undergo initial editorial screening. Manuscripts that meet the journal's scope and minimum requirements proceed to independent peer review.

Manuscripts that proceed to external peer review are normally evaluated by at least two independent subject-matter experts.

Editorial decisions are based on scope, scientific quality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, reporting quality, and relevance to the journal.