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

Studies reveal cell-by-cell changes caused when pig hearts and kidneys are transplanted into humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two new studies detail the changes seen at the single-cell level in pig organs and recipient human bodies before, during, and just after the xenotransplantation surgeries in the decedents.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Diverse headgear in hoofed mammals evolved from common ancestor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

From the small ossicones on a giraffe to the gigantic antlers of a male moose -- which can grow as wide as a car -- the headgear of ruminant hooved mammals is extremely diverse, and new research suggests that despite the physical differences, fundamental aspects of these bony adaptations likely evolved from a common ancestor.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology
Published

New mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two newly discovered mechanisms in bacteria have been identified that can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. Changing the number of copies of resistance genes in bacteria increases antibiotic resistance, and can do so very quickly. These two mechanisms, along with a third known mechanism, can occur independently of each other, even within the same bacterial cell.

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

Chronic wasting disease unlikely to move from animals to people      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study of prion diseases, using a human cerebral organoid model, suggests there is a substantial species barrier preventing transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from cervids -- deer, elk and moose -- to people. The findings are consistent with decades of similar research in animal models.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

Plants restrict use of 'Tipp-Ex proteins'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plants have special corrective molecules at their disposal that can make retrospective modifications to copies of genes. However, it would appear that these 'Tipp-Ex proteins' do not have permission to work in all areas of the cell, only being used in chloroplasts and mitochondria. A study has now explained why this is the case. It suggests that the correction mechanism would otherwise modify copies that have nothing wrong with them, with fatal consequences for the cell.

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

Fruit fly wing research offers window into birth defects      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If fruit fly wings do not develop into the right shape, the flies will die. Researchers have learned how fly embryo cells develop as they need to, opening a window into human development and possible treatments for birth defects.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Environmental: General
Published

A new 'rule of biology' may have come to light, expanding insight into evolution and aging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A molecular biologist may have found a new 'rule of biology.' The rule challenges long-held notions that most living organisms prefer stability over instability because stability requires less energy and fewer resources.

Biology: Biochemistry Chemistry: Biochemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Spider silk sound system      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have investigated how spiders listen to their environments through webs and found that the webs match the acoustic particle velocity for a wide range of sound frequencies. Playing sound ranging from 1 Hz to 50 kHz for the spiders and measuring the spider silk motion with a laser vibrometer, they found the sound-induced velocity of the silk was the same as the particles in the air surrounding it. This confirmed the mechanism that these spiders use to detect their prey.

Chemistry: General Energy: Technology Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: Optics
Published

Metalens expands Its reach from light to sound      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers achieve a wide field-of-hearing acoustic metalens free from aberrations.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Like dad and like mum ... all in one plant      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have established a system to generate clonal sex cells in tomato plants and used them to design the genomes of offspring. The fertilization of a clonal egg from one parent by a clonal sperm from another parent led to plants containing the complete genetic information of both parents.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

Research on centromere structure yields new insights into the mechanisms of chromosome segregation errors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have made a surprising new discovery in the structure of the centromere, a structure that is involved in ensuring that chromosomes are segregated properly when a cell divides. Mistakes in chromosome segregation can lead to cell death and cancer development. The researchers discovered that the centromere consists of two subdomains. This fundamental finding has important implications for the process of chromosome segregation and provides new mechanisms underlying erroneous divisions in cancer cells. The research was published in Cell on May 13th 2024.

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

Cellular activity hints that recycling is in our DNA      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Introns are perhaps one of our genome's biggest mysteries. They are DNA sequences that interrupt the sensible protein-coding information in your genes, and need to be 'spliced out.'

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

US Navy Growler jet noise over Whidbey Island could impact 74,000 people's health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As often as four days a week, Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island fly loops overhead as pilots practice touch-and-go landings. The noise is immense. New research shows that the noise isn't just disruptive -- it presents a substantial risk to public health.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental
Published

New tool to boost battle against childhood undernutrition      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The tool will help researchers better understand major challenges that afflict undernourished children, such as changes in cognitive development and higher infection rates.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

New sex-determining mechanism in African butterfly discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a study of a species of African butterfly, researchers have discovered a previously undescribed molecular mechanism of how the sex of an embryo is initially specified.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

An epigenome editing toolkit to dissect the mechanisms of gene regulation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study led to the development of a powerful epigenetic editing technology. The system unlocks the ability to precisely program chromatin modifications at any specific position in the genome, to understand their causal role in transcription regulation. This innovative approach will help to investigate the role of chromatin modifications in many biological processes, and to program desired gene activity responses, which may prove useful in disease settings.

Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

This sound-suppressing silk can create quiet spaces      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers developed a silk fabric, which is barely thicker than a human hair, that can suppress unwanted noise and reduce noise transmission in a large room.

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

Fruit fly model identifies key regulators behind organ development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new computational model simulating fruit fly wing development has enabled researchers to identify previously hidden mechanisms behind organ generation. An research team developed a fruit fly model to reverse engineer the mechanisms that generate organ tissue.

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

Progression of herpesvirus infection remodels mitochondrial organization and metabolism      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found that herpesvirus infection modifies the structure and normal function of the mitochondria in the host cell. The new information will help to understand the interaction between herpesvirus and host cells. Knowledge can be utilized in the development of viral treatments.

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

How a 'conductor' makes sense of chaos in early mouse embryos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The earliest stages of mammalian embryo development are like an orchestra performance, where everyone must play at the exact right moment and in perfect harmony. New research identifies one of the conductors making sense of the chaos.