Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

New computational strategy boosts the ability of drug designers to target proteins inside the membrane      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hitting targets embedded within the cell membrane has long been difficult for drug developers due to the membrane's challenging biochemical properties. Now, chemists have demonstrated new custom-designed proteins that can efficiently reach these 'intramembrane' targets.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Sonic youth: Healthy reef sounds increase coral settlement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Healthy coral reefs have rich soundscapes, full of the croaks, purrs, and grunts of various fishes and the crackling of snapping shrimp. Larval coral uses these sounds as cues to identify the best places to settle and grow. The authors found that sound could potentially be a vital tool in the effort to restore coral reefs. Broadcasting the sounds of a healthy reef to a reef that is degraded encourages coral larvae to settle there. This indicates that it's possible that 'acoustic enrichment' can be a key intervention to support imperiled reefs.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Milk to the rescue for diabetics? Cow produces human insulin in milk      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An unassuming brown bovine from the south of Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The advancement could herald a new era in insulin production, one day eliminating drug scarcity and high costs for people living with diabetes.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

A simple and robust experimental process for protein engineering      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A protein engineering method using simple, cost-effective experiments and machine learning models can predict which proteins will be effective for a given purpose, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Who knew that coprophagy was so vital for birds' survival?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research explains how eating feces (known as coprophagy) shapes wild birds' digestive tracts (gut biota), enabling them to absorb lost or deficient nutrients and adjust to seasonal variations in food sources.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Scientists develop a rapid gene-editing screen to find effects of cancer mutations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found a way to screen cancer-linked gene mutations much more easily and quickly than existing approaches, using a variant of CRISPR genome-editing known as prime editing.

Biology: Zoology Chemistry: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While most small insects and mammals urinate in droplets, cicadas urinate in jets. Researchers say the finding could be used to create better robots and small nozzles.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Earth's earliest forest revealed in Somerset fossils      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The oldest fossilized forest known on Earth -- dating from 390 million years ago -- has been found in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England.

Biology: Zoology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Bee-2-Bee influencing: Bees master complex tasks through social interaction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bumblebees successfully learned a two-step puzzle box task through social observation. This task was too complex for individual bees to learn on their own. Observing trained demonstrator bees performing the first unrewarded step was crucial for successful social learning. Individual bees failed to solve the puzzle without previous demonstration, despite extensive exposure.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Genetic mutation in a quarter of all Labradors hard-wires them for obesity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research finds around a quarter of Labrador retriever dogs face a double-whammy of feeling hungry all the time and burning fewer calories due to a genetic mutation.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

New type of nanoparticle makes vaccines more powerful      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A type of nanoparticle called a metal organic framework (MOF) could be used to deliver vaccines and act as an adjuvant. Researchers find these particles provoke a strong immune response by activating the innate immune system through cell proteins called toll-like receptors.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other's eyes in addition to their own. Biologists have found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Optics
Published

Aluminum nanoparticles make tunable green catalysts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A nanotechnology pioneer has uncovered a transformative approach to harnessing the catalytic power of aluminum nanoparticles by annealing them in various gas atmospheres at high temperatures.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that exposure to chronic radiation from Chornobyl has not damaged the genomes of microscopic worms living there today -- which doesn't mean that the region is safe, the scientists caution, but suggests that these worms are exceptionally resilient.