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Categories: Biology: General, Space: The Solar System
Published A stealth fungus has decimated North American bats but scientists may be a step closer to treating white-nose syndrome
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An invasive fungus that colonizes the skin of hibernating bats with deadly consequences is a stealthy invader that uses multiple strategies to slip into the small mammals' skin cells and quietly manipulate them to aid its own survival. The fungus, which causes the disease white-nose syndrome, has devastated several North American species over the last 18 years.
Published Muscle machine: How water controls the speed of muscle contraction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The flow of water within a muscle fiber may dictate how quickly muscle can contract, according to a new study.
Published Introducing co-cultures: When co-habiting animal species share culture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cooperative hunting, resource sharing, and using the same signals to communicate the same information -- these are all examples of cultural sharing that have been observed between distinct animal species. In a new article, researchers introduce the term 'co-culture' to describe cultural sharing between animal species. These relationships are mutual and go beyond one species watching and mimicking another species' behavior -- in co-cultures, both species influence each other in substantial ways.
Published Nanoplastics and 'forever chemicals' disrupt molecular structures, functionality
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- commonly known as forever chemicals -- disrupt biomolecular structure and function. The work shows that the compounds can alter proteins found in human breast milk and infant formulas -- potentially causing developmental issues downstream.
Published Mapping the world's fungi from air samples
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that the key to a quick and cost-effective mapping of biodiversity has been right in front of our eyes all along, but at the same time invisible -- i.e., in the air that surrounds us.
Published Opening the right doors: 'Jumping gene' control mechanisms revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source International joint research led by Akihisa Osakabe and Yoshimasa Takizawa of the University of Tokyo has clarified the molecular mechanisms in thale cresses (Arabidopsis thaliana) by which the DDM1 (Decreased in DNA Methylation 1) protein prevents the transcription of 'jumping genes.' DDM1 makes 'jumping genes' more accessible for transcription-suppressing chemical marks to be deposited. Because a variant of this protein exists in humans, the discovery provides insight into genetic conditions caused by such 'jumping gene' mutations.
Published First ever 3D reconstruction of 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth chromosomes thanks to serendipitously freeze-dried skin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research team has assembled the genome and 3D chromosomal structures of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth -- the first time such a feat has been achieved for any ancient DNA sample. The fossilized chromosomes, which are around a million times longer than most ancient DNA fragments, provide insight into how the mammoth's genome was organized within its living cells and which genes were active within the skin tissue from which the DNA was extracted. This unprecedented level of structural detail was retained because the mammoth underwent freeze-drying shortly after it died, which meant that its DNA was preserved in a glass-like state.
Published Researchers pinpoint brain cells that delay first bite of food
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Do you grab a fork and take a first bite of cake, or say no and walk away? Our motivation to eat is driven by a complex web of cells in the brain that use signals from within the body, as well as sensory information about the food in front of us, to determine our behaviors. Now, scientists have identified a group of neurons in a small and understudied region of the brain -- the parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN) -- that controls when an animal decides to take a first bite of food.
Published Novel genome editing approach restores hearing in adult preclinical models with genetic deafness
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers restored hearing in preclinical mouse models with a specific form of inherited deafness called DFNA50 caused by mutations in microRNA, by using a novel in vivo CRISPR genome editing approach. Since mouse and human microRNAs have identical sequences, the researchers hope this work can one day be translated into applications for humans.
Published Mars likely had cold and icy past, new study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The question of whether Mars ever supported life has captivated the imagination of scientists and the public for decades. Central to the discovery is gaining insight into the past climate of Earth's neighbor: was the planet warm and wet, with seas and rivers much like those found on our own planet? Or was it frigid and icy, and therefore potentially less prone to supporting life as we know it? A new study finds evidence to support the latter by identifying similarities between soils found on Mars and those of Canada's Newfoundland, a cold subarctic climate.
Published Pumpkin disease not evolving, could make a difference for management
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The pathogen that causes bacterial spot is very good at what it does. Forming small lesions on the rinds of pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits, it mars the fruits' appearance and ushers in secondary pathogens that lead to rot and severe yield loss. The bacterium, Xanthomonas cucurbitae, is so successful that it has had no reason to evolve through time or space.
Published Atlas of proteins reveals inner workings of cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discover how proteins behave inside cells using AI, which has the potential to guide drug design.
Published Discovery of a new defense mechanism in bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When confronted with an antibiotic, toxic substance, or other source of considerable stress, bacteria are able to activate a defense mechanism using cell-to-cell communication to 'warn' unaffected bacteria, which can then anticipate, shield themselves and spread the warning signal.
Published Research reveals the most complete dinosaur discovered in the UK in a century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The most complete dinosaur discovered in the UK in the last 100 years, with a pubic hip bone the size of a 'dinner plate', has been described in a new article.
Published Not so simple: Mosses and ferns offer new hope for crop protection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mosses, liverworts, ferns and algae may offer an exciting new research frontier in the global challenge of protecting crops from the threat of disease.
Published The origins of dark comets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Up to 60% of near-Earth objects could be dark comets, mysterious asteroids that orbit the sun in our solar system that likely contain or previously contained ice and could have been one route for delivering water to Earth, according to a new study.
Published The detection of a massive harmful algal bloom in the Arctic prompts real-time advisories to western Alaskan communities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A summer 2022 research cruise that detected a massive and highly toxic harmful algal bloom (HAB) in the Bering Strait has provided a dramatic example of science that utilized new technology to track a neurotoxic HAB and effectively communicate that information in real-time to protect remote communities in coastal Alaska.
Published Phage-derived enzyme targets E. faecalis biofilms to mitigate acute graft-versus-host disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Acute graft-versus-host disease occurs when donor immune cells attack the recipient's tissues after an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Researchers recently identified a bacteriophage-derived enzyme called endolysin capable of targeting biofilms formed by Enterococcus faecalis. Their findings offer hope for tailored interventions in allo-HCT.
Published Big gain in battle against harmful bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria.
Published Strong evidence for intermediate-mass black hole in Omega Centauri
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most known black holes are either extremely massive, like the supermassive black holes that lie at the cores of large galaxies, or relatively lightweight, with a mass of under 100 times that of the Sun. Intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) are scarce, however, and are considered rare 'missing links' in black hole evolution.