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Categories: Biology: General, Ecology: Extinction

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While smell plays a considerable role in the social interactions of humans -- for instance, signaling fear or generating closeness -- for ants, it is vitally important. Researchers have found that a key protein named Orco, essential for the function of olfactory cells, is also critical for the cells' survival in ants.

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Scientists used CRISPR/Cas9 to increase gene expression in rice by changing its upstream regulatory DNA. While other studies have used the technology to knock out or decrease the expression of genes, this study, is an unbiased gene-editing approach to increase gene expression and downstream photosynthetic activity. The approach is more difficult than transgenic breeding, but could potentially preempt regulatory issues by changing DNA already within the plant, allowing the plants to get in the hands of farmers sooner.

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By studying mutations in yeast and human cells, scientists say they have found that biochemical bonds between fats and proteins in the mitochondrion, the cell's powerhouse, play a crucial role in how our cells produce energy.

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By studying the brain anatomy of newborn baby baboons, a research group was able to predict what hand they would use to communicate after they had been weaned.

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Biomedical engineers have developed a silk-based, ultrathin membrane that can be used in organ-on-a-chip models to better mimic the natural environment of cells and tissues within the body. When used in a kidney organ-on-a-chip platform, the membrane helped tissues grow to recreate the functionality of both healthy and diseased kidneys.

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What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information. But in underwater environments, invisible compounds create a complex 'soup' that is hard for scientists to decipher. Now, researchers have demonstrated a way to extract and identify these indicator compounds in seawater. They found metabolites previously undetected on reefs, including three that may represent different reef organisms.

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The annual killifish lives in regions with extreme drought. A research group now reports that the early embryogenesis of killifish diverges from that of other species. Unlike other fish, their body structure is not predetermined from the outset. This could enable the species to survive dry periods unscathed.

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A breakthrough study changes the way we understand cyanobacteria, which are essential for the sustenance of life. The study shows that these organisms do not operate in isolation, but rather physically interact through membrane-nanotubes, which function as exchange bridges between cells.

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Advanced technologies enable the controlled release of medicine to specific cells in the body. Scientists argue these same technologies must be applied to agriculture if growers are to meet increasing global food demands.

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Researchers have been investigating the molecular mechanisms responsible for determining sex in ants. Although the vast majority of an ant colony consists of female workers, males are essential to the continuing survival of the species. In order to uncover the mechanisms involved, the researchers decided to focus on diploid males, which occasionally occur in the Argentine ant.

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The swirl of milk and espresso -- a small storm in your mug -- doesn't impact the dynamics of the milk proteins, according to research. Researchers took a molecular view of how milk proteins and caffeine molecules interact in water and in a coffee drink. The results suggest that the structures of milk proteins remain intact, meaning they retain their original mouthfeel and taste in your morning brew.

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An acoustic transmitter -- or tag -- emits unique signals or 'pings' when scientists want to study the long-distance movement of marine animals. However, this method has limitations. Using a movement model, researchers reconstructed animal tracks and leveraged an iterative process to measure the accuracy and precision of these reconstructions from acoustic telemetry data. Results demonstrate how researchers can apply these techniques and measure the accuracy and precision of the methods to their study sites.

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Swimming through turbulent water is easier for schooling fish compared to solitary swimmers, according to a new study.

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Around 100 million years ago, a remarkable evolutionary shift allowed placental mammals to diversify and conquer many cold regions of our planet. New research shows that the typical mammalian heater organ, brown fat, evolved exclusively in modern placental mammals. The research team demonstrated that marsupials, our distant relatives, possess a not fully evolved form of brown fat. They discovered that the pivotal heat-producing protein called UCP1 became active after the divergence of placental and marsupial mammals. This finding is crucial for understanding the role of brown fat in mammalian evolution, endothermy, and metabolism.

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In a parasitic first, a Baltic amber specimen has revealed that millions of years ago tiny worms known as nematodes were living inside of and feeding on the outer protective layer of pseudoscorpions.

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They bedeviled ancient Greek navies, helped shipwreck Christopher Columbus, aided in the sinking of the Spanish Armada and caused the wharves in San Francisco Bay to collapse into the sea, but until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint exactly how shipworms -- a family of mollusks -- are able to cause such damage. A team of researchers has discovered that a population of symbiotic microbes, living in an overlooked sub-organ of the gut called the 'typhlosole,' have the ability to secrete the enzymes needed to digest lignin -- the toughest part of wood.

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Healthcare providers should watch out for new and highly contagious forms of ringworm or jock itch, which are emerging as a potential public health threat, according to a pair of reports.

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Strong bitterness is the main reason why people all over the world, especially children, avoid taking their medicines, putting their health, and sometimes, their lives at risk. Now, a group of scientists has identified the first temporary, universal taste blocker that works in people.

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A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, researchers report in a new study.

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A new genetic study found that heavy fishing in the early part of the fishing season may result in younger and smaller Atlantic salmon. This information can help to conserve large fish essential for the diversity and viability of salmon populations.