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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Space: Structures and Features
Published Mice possess natural gene therapy system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A previously mysterious small RNA molecule in mice is found to play a crucial role in gene expression, and may be the first identified member of a new class of regulatory RNAs.
Published A rare enzyme role change with bacterial defense system assembly
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have revealed a never-before-seen phenomenon in a protein: Alone, the enzyme processes DNA and RNA but, when bound to another protein as part of a defense system, interacts with a completely different type of compound to help bacteria commit suicide.
Published Some icy exoplanets may have habitable oceans and geysers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study expands the search for life beyond our solar system by indicating that 17 exoplanets (worlds outside our solar system) could have oceans of liquid water, an essential ingredient for life, beneath icy shells. Water from these oceans could occasionally erupt through the ice crust as geysers. The science team calculated the amount of geyser activity on these exoplanets, the first time these estimates have been made. They identified two exoplanets sufficiently close where signs of these eruptions could be observed with telescopes.
Published NASA's Webb stuns with new high-definition look at exploded star
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Like a shiny, round ornament ready to be placed in the perfect spot on a holiday tree, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) gleams in a new image.
Published Fat flies live longer on a diet at any age
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Putting even elderly, obese flies on a restricted calorie diet extends their lifespan markedly, suggesting obese humans might get similar benefits from cutting calories, even at advanced age.
Published Underwater architects: The 'burrowing effect' of foraminifera on marine environments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Impact of single-cell organisms on sediment oxygen levels and bacterial diversity measured for the first time.
Published A new mechanism by which rotavirus makes you sick
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists report a new mechanism by which rotavirus induces diarrhea by interfering with the normal absorption of nutrients in the intestine.
Published Nature and animal emojis don't accurately represent natural biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The current emoji library doesn't accurately represent the 'tree of life' and the breadth of biodiversity seen in nature according to a new analysis. A team of conservation biologists categorized emojis related to nature and animals and mapped them onto the phylogenetic tree of life. They found that animals are well represented by the current emoji catalog, whereas plants, fungi, and microorganisms are poorly represented. Within the animal kingdom, vertebrates were over-represented while arthropods were underrepresented with respect to their actual biodiversity.
Published Zika's shape-shifting machinery, and a possible vulnerability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Viruses have limited genetic material -- and few proteins -- so all the pieces must work extra hard. Zika is a great example; the virus only produces 10 proteins. Now researchers have shown how the virus does so much with so little and may have identified a therapeutic vulnerability.
Published How immune cells recognize their enemies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In order for immune cells to do their job, they need to know against whom they should direct their attack. Research teams a have identified new details in this process.
Published New genes can arise from nothing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The complexity of living organisms is encoded within their genes, but where do these genes come from? Researchers resolved outstanding questions regarding the origin of small regulatory genes, and described a mechanism that creates their DNA palindromes. Under suitable circumstances, these palindromes evolve into microRNA genes.
Published Molecular fossils shed light on ancient life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Paleontologists are getting a glimpse at life over a billion years in the past based on chemical traces in ancient rocks and the genetics of living animals. New research combines geology and genetics, showing how changes in the early Earth prompted a shift in how animals eat.
Published Giant doubts about giant exomoons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The extrasolar planets Kepler-1625b and Kepler-1708b are supposedly the home worlds of the first known exomoons. A new study now comes to a different conclusion.
Published Manipulation of gut microbiota with flaxseed could reduce breast cancer risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study demonstrates that the human gut microbiome may be a factor in breast health.
Published Growing biofilms actively alter host environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dental plaque, gut bacteria and the slippery sheen on river rocks are all examples of biofilms, organized communities of microorganisms that colonize our bodies and the world around us. A new study reveals exactly how growing biofilms shape their environments and fine-tune their internal architecture to fit their surroundings. The findings may have implications for a wide variety of applications, from fighting disease to engineering new types of living active materials.
Published Tiny llama nanobodies neutralize different noroviruses: Can they improve human anti-viral therapies?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers investigated a novel strategy to neutralize human noroviruses. They tested the ability of tiny antibodies produced by llamas, called nanobodies, to effectively neutralize human norovirus infection in the lab. The unexpected findings reveal that nanobodies could be developed as a therapeutic agent against human norovirus.
Published Ancient stars made extraordinarily heavy elements
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How heavy can an element be? An international team of researchers has found that ancient stars were capable of producing elements with atomic masses greater than 260, heavier than any element on the periodic table found naturally on Earth. The finding deepens our understanding of element formation in stars.
Published Fungus-fighting protein could help overcome severe autoimmune disease and cancer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A protein in the immune system programmed to protect the body from fungal infections is also responsible for exacerbating the severity of certain autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease (IBS), type 1 diabetes, eczema and other chronic disorders, new research has found. The discovery could pave the way for new and more effective drugs, without the nasty side effects of existing treatments. In addition to helping to manage severe autoimmune conditions, the breakthrough could also help treat all types of cancer.
Published Greenhouse gases in oceans are altered by climate change impact on microbes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The ocean is a global life-support system, and climate change causes such as ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and nitrogen-deposition alter the delicate microbial population in oceans. The marine microbial community plays an important role in the production of greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane. Scientists have explored the climate change impact on marine microbes. Their research helps raise awareness about climate change severity and the importance of ocean resources.
Published The ocean may be storing more carbon than estimated in earlier studies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The ocean's capacity to store atmospheric carbon dioxide is some 20% greater than the estimates contained in the latest IPCC report. Scientists looked at the role played by plankton in the natural transport of carbon from surface waters down to the seabed. Plankton gobble up carbon dioxide and, as they grow, convert it into organic tissue via photosynthesis.