Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Bottlenecks and beehives: How an invasive bee colony defied genetic expectations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An invasive Asian honeybee colony in northern Australia has defied expectations, displaying emergent genetic variation in a short period of time. While bad news for biosecurity agencies, it could be a sign that species under pressure from climate change can be resilient.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Molecular Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How first cells could have formed on Earth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New phospholipid discovery brings researchers closer to understanding how primordial cells emerged during origin of life.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature
Published

The veil varies more than the threat: Predator selection on variability in camouflage and warning signals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers leveraged open-access digital collections to validate an age-old hypothesis in evolutionary ecology. The classic hypothesis proposes that predators select for a great variety of camouflage and a limited variety of warning signals, but the idea has never been tested on natural prey.

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

New tool helps decipher gene behavior      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have extensively researched the structure and sequence of genetic material and its interactions with proteins in the hope of understanding how our genetics and environment interact in diseases. This research has partly focused on 'epigenetic marks', which are chemical modifications to DNA, RNA, and the associated proteins (known as histones).

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

In fight against brain pathogens, the eyes have it      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, researchers have found. In a new study, researchers showed that vaccines injected into the eyes of mice can help disable the herpes virus, a major cause of brain encephalitis. To their surprise, the vaccine activates an immune response through lymphatic vessels along the optic nerve.

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

Radio waves can tune up bacteria to become life-saving medicines      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have found a new way to alter the DNA of bacterial cells -- a process used to make many vital medicines including insulin -- much more efficiently than standard industry techniques.

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

Nanocarrier with escape reflex      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Protein-based drugs must be transported into cells in a way that prevents their immediate degradation. A new approach is intended to ensure that they remain intact only in certain cells, such as cancer cells. A Japanese research team has introduced a nanocarrier that can 'escape' from endosomes before its cargo is destroyed there. This ability to escape is only triggered within the endosomes of certain tumor cells.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature
Published

Counting rays: Aerial surveys reveal ample populations in Southeast Florida      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A unique long-term study quantified the abundance of whitespotted eagle and giant manta rays in Southeast Florida. Researchers conducted 120 survey flights between 2014 and 2021 from Miami north to the Jupiter Inlet. One or both species were seen on nearly every flight and both populations appear to be stable in the region. The giant manta rays were more abundant in the south and the whitespotted eagle rays were found all along the coast. Neither species seems to be deterred by the greater human population density in Fort Lauderdale/Miami.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New disease testing component facilitates lower-cost diagnostics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biomedical researchers have developed a new, less expensive way to detect nuclease digestion -- one of the critical steps in many nucleic acid sensing applications, such as those used to identify COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

First DNA study of ancient Eastern Arabians reveals malaria adaptation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

People living in ancient Eastern Arabia appear to have developed resistance to malaria following the appearance of agriculture in the region around five thousand years ago.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Low-Temperature Plasma used to remove E. coli from hydroponically grown crops      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new study, a team sterilized a hydroponic nutrient solution using low-temperature plasma generated from electricity and the oxygen in the atmosphere. This new sterilization technique may allow farmers to grow crops without the use of chemical pesticides, representing an important advance in agricultural technology for sustainable crop production.

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

New discovery shows how cells defend themselves during stressful situations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study has unveiled an exciting discovery about how our cells defend themselves during stressful situations. The research shows that a tiny modification in the genetic material, called ac4C, acts as a crucial defender, helping cells create protective storage units known as stress granules. These stress granules safeguard important genetic instructions when the cell is facing challenges. The new findings could help shed light on relevant molecular pathways that could be targeted in disease.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

Scientists use blue-green algae as a surrogate mother for 'meat-like' proteins      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have not only succeeded in using blue-green algae as a surrogate mother for a new protein -- they have even coaxed the microalgae to produce 'meat fiber-like' protein strands. The achievement may be the key to sustainable foods that have both the 'right' texture and require minimal processing.