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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Engineering: Graphene
Published New roles for autophagy genes in cellular waste management and aging
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Autophagy, which declines with age, may hold more mysteries than researchers previously suspected. Scientists have now uncovered possible novel functions for various autophagy genes, which may control different forms of disposal including misfolded proteins -- and ultimately affect aging.
Published Nematode proteins shed light on infertility
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists developed a method for illuminating the intricate interactions of the synaptonemal complex in the nematode C. elegans. The authors identified a trio of protein segments that guide chromosomal interactions, and pinpointed the location where they interact with each other. Their novel method uses a technique known as genetic suppressor screening, which can serve as a blueprint for research on large cellular assemblies that resist traditional structural analysis.
Published 'Giant' predator worms more than half a billion years old discovered in North Greenland
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils of a new group of animal predators have been located in the Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality in North Greenland. These large worms may be some of the earliest carnivorous animals to have colonized the water column more than 518 million years ago, revealing a past dynasty of predators that scientists didn't know existed.
Published Functional semiconductor made from graphene
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have created the first functional semiconductor made from graphene, a single sheet of carbon atoms held together by the strongest bonds known. The breakthrough throws open the door to a new way of doing electronics.
Published Better microelectronics from coal
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Coal is an abundant resource in the United States that has, unfortunately, contributed to climate change through its use as a fossil fuel. As the country transitions to other means of energy production, it will be important to consider and reevaluate coal's economic role. Coal may actually play a vital role in next-generation electronic devices.
Published Elusive cytonemes guide neural development, provide signaling 'express route'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Discover the first images of cytonemes during mammalian neural development, serving as express routes to establish morphogen gradients and tissue patterning.
Published Big impacts from small changes in cell
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tiny things matter -- for instance, one amino acid can completely alter the architecture of the cell. Researchers have now investigated the structure and mechanics of the main component of the cytoskeleton of the cell: a protein known as actin. Actin is found in all living cells where it has a range of important functions -- from muscle contraction to cell signalling and cell shape. This protein comes in two different varieties termed 'isoforms', which are known as gamma actin and beta actin.
Published How jellyfish regenerate functional tentacles in days
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source At about the size of a pinkie nail, the jellyfish species Cladonema can regenerate an amputated tentacle in two to three days -- but how? Regenerating functional tissue across species, including salamanders and insects, relies on the ability to form a blastema, a clump of undifferentiated cells that can repair damage and grow into the missing appendage. Jellyfish, along with other cnidarians such as corals and sea anemones, exhibit high regeneration abilities, but how they form the critical blastema has remained a mystery until now.
Published Laser-driving a 2D material
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers pair vibrating particles, called phonons, with particles of light, called photons, to enhance the nonlinear optical properties of hexagonal boron nitride.
Published New tool unifies single-cell data
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new methodology that allows for the categorization and organization of single-cell data has been launched. It can be used to create a harmonized dataset for the study of human health and disease.
Published The future of canine stem cell therapy: unprecedented, painless, and feeder-free
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed an efficient, non-invasive, and pain-free method to generate canine-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). They identified six reprogramming genes that can boost canine iPSC generation by 120 times compared to conventional methods using fibroblasts. The iPSCs were created from urine-derived cells without the need for feeder cells, an impossible feat until now. Their findings are expected to advance regenerative medicine and genetic disease research in veterinary medicine.
Published Bugs that help bugs: How environmental microbes boost fruit fly reproduction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research group found that in female fruit flies, microorganisms enhance reproductive function, boosting the number of cells that form eggs and the number of mature eggs. This is done by controlling the release of hormones to speed up cell division in the ovaries, and limiting programmed cell death. These findings could improve reproductive medicine and could aid the development of new methods to enhance fertility.
Published Researchers solve mystery behind DnaA protein's role in DNA replication initiation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have uncovered how DnaA, the master key to DNA replication, opens the door to bacterial growth. This breakthroughpaves the way for new antibiotics to combat the rising tide of antibiotic resistance.
Published New insights revealed on tissue-dependent roles of JAK signaling in inflammation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have gained a deeper understanding of the nuanced roles of JAK inhibitors, or modulators, in inflammation across various cell types and tissues.
Published How researchers are 'CReATiNG' synthetic chromosomes faster and cheaper
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new technique to clone and reassemble DNA, dubbed CReATiNG, could simplify and lower the cost to make synthetic chromosomes. Potential applications are numerous, including pharmaceutical production, biofuel generation, cancer therapies, and environmental cleanup using modified organisms. The method adds a powerful, versatile tool to the burgeoning field of synthetic biology.
Published A trillion scents, one nose
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has uncovered a previously undetected mechanism in mice -- starring the genetic molecule RNA -- that could explain how each sensory cell, or neuron, in mammalian noses becomes tailored to detect a specific odor chemical.
Published Cells of the future: A key to reprogramming cell identities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The intricate process of duplicating genetic information, referred to as DNA replication, lies at the heart of the transmission of life from one cell to another and from one organism to the next. This happens by not just simply copying the genetic information; a well-orchestrated sequence of molecular events has to happen at the right time. Scientists have recently uncovered a fascinating aspect of this process known as 'replication timing' (RT) and how special this is when life commences.
Published An electrifying improvement in copper conductivity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly developed, highly conductive copper wire could find applications in the electric grid, as well as in homes and businesses. The finding defies what's been thought about how metals conduct electricity.
Published New study examines the relationship between the rate of wound healing, the circadian rhythm, and 'hair' on cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nearly every organism on Earth follows a natural circadian rhythm that is coded by your cell's clock genes, which do exactly as you suspect from the name: regulate your body's rhythm on a 24-hour basis. Most cells in mammalian bodies have cilia of some sort, which are hair-like structures that perform a variety of functions such as movement for motile cilia and aiding in structure in function for non-motile, or primary, cilia. The primary cilia also act as a sensory organ for the cell, a function which has illuminated the primary cilia's potential role in the healing process and how bodies heal at a different rate according to our circadian rhythm. In this research, the role of the primary cilia, biological clock and wound healing is explored.
Published Single-celled protists in the guts of animals thrive without the 'powerhouse of the cell'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Almost all eukaryotic organisms, from plants and animals to fungi, can't survive without mitochondria -- the 'powerhouses of the cell,' which generate chemical energy using oxygen. However, a new study finds that multiple members of the oxymonads, a group of single-celled protists that live inside the guts of termites and other animals, have evolved to live quite happily without them.