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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Space: Structures and Features

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The NSL (non-specific lethal) complex regulates thousands of genes in fruit flies and mammals. Silencing the NSL genes leads to the death of the organism, which gave the complex its curious name. Researchers have now discovered that the genes regulated by the NSL complex also include genes of the intraciliary transport system. This enables different cell types to form cilia on their surface, which are important for cell communication. The study shows that these genes are 'switched on' by the NSL complex, regardless of whether a particular cell has cilia or not. The researchers found that this class of cilia-associated genes is crucial for the function of podocytes. This is a highly specialized cell type of the kidney that, paradoxically, does not have cilia. These findings have important implications for ciliopathies and kidney disease.

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A bitter taste in the mouth is often a symptom or side effect of illness, which may be the result of how the body reacts to pathogens. A new study sheds light on the mechanisms involved in the complex interplay between taste perception and immune function. Their work also highlights the potential of a sequencing tool for investigating epigenetic mechanisms that affect taste-cell gene expression.

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Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have observed a large dark spot in Neptune's atmosphere, with an unexpected smaller bright spot adjacent to it. This is the first time a dark spot on the planet has ever been observed with a telescope on Earth. These occasional features in the blue background of Neptune's atmosphere are a mystery to astronomers, and the new results provide further clues as to their nature and origin.

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Researchers have discovered a novel approach for engrafting engineered cells into injured lung tissue. These findings may lead to new ways for treating lung diseases, such as emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis and COVID-19. The two studies describe the methodologies for engineering lung stem cells and transplanting them into injured experimental lungs without immunosuppression.

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Researchers have discovered how proteins work in tandem to regulate 'treadmilling', a mechanism used by the network of microtubules inside cells to ensure proper cell division.

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Regulatory genes -- genes that control how other genes are used -- are responsible for 69% of the heritability of dairy cattle traits such as milk production and fertility, according to a new study. This contribution is 44% more than expected and much higher than previous studies of regulatory genes in humans. The findings, reported by a team of animal and human geneticists, could improve the efficiency of agricultural breeding programs. The study also helps solve the longstanding mystery of why mammalian genomes contain so much noncoding DNA.

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Researchers model and map how neurons across the tiny brain of a C. elegans worm encode its behaviors, revealing many new insights about the robustness and flexibility of its nervous system.

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New research has improved the accuracy of the parameters governing the expansion of the Universe. More accurate parameters will help astronomers determine how the Universe grew to its current state, and how it will evolve in the future.

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Genetic remnants of viruses that are naturally present in the human genome could affect the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers come to this conclusion on the basis of studies on cell cultures.

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Magnetars are the strongest magnets in the Universe. These super-dense dead stars with ultra-strong magnetic fields can be found all over our galaxy but astronomers don't know exactly how they form. Now, using multiple telescopes around the world, researchers have uncovered a living star that is likely to become a magnetar. This finding marks the discovery of a new type of astronomical object -- massive magnetic helium stars -- and sheds light on the origin of magnetars.

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Can you recognize an old friend, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to retain information, but the molecular basis behind this process isn't well understood. New research suggests that complex sugars called glycosaminoglycans might play a major role in the 'plasticity' of the brains of mice and could be used to repair neural connections after injury.

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A new method allows large quantities of muscle stem cells to be safely obtained in cell culture. This provides a potential for treating patients with muscle diseases -- and for those who would like to eat meat, but don't want to kill animals.

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The Noelin family of secreted proteins bind to the external portion of AMPA glutamate receptors and stabilize them on the neuronal cellular membrane, a process necessary for transmission of full-strength signals between neurons, according to a new study.

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Researchers have developed a new algorithm for recovering the 3D refractive index distribution of biological samples that exhibit multiple types of light scattering.

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A mathematical model provides new insights into the distribution of genetic information during bacterial cell division

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Megastorms regularly appear on Saturn, marring the relatively bland surface before disappearing. But radio observations show that the storms have long-lasting effects deeper in the atmosphere, in particular in the distribution of ammonia. Using NRAO's Very Large Array, astronomers see such impacts from storms that happened hundreds of years ago. The findings will help explain the differences between storms on the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter.

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An international research team details changes in DNA that researchers found are shared by humans and other mammals throughout history and are associated with life span and numerous other traits.

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Creating new technologically advanced sensors, scientists have engineered bacteria that detect the presence of tumor DNA in live organisms. Their innovation could pave the way to new biosensors capable of identifying various infections, cancers and other diseases.

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New research has successfully reversed hearing loss in mice. Scientists used a genetic approach to fix deafness in mice, restoring their hearing abilities in low and middle frequency ranges.

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While engaging in cell division research, researchers made a surprisingly quiet discovery. When cells express RNA, there is always some fluctuation, or noise, in how much RNA is produced. The scientists found several genes whose noise dips below a previously established threshold, known as the noise floor, during expression.