Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals
Published

Epigenetic fingerprint as proof of origin for chicken, shrimp and salmon      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Free-range organic chicken or factory farming? Scientists have developed a new detection method that can reveal such differences in husbandry. The so-called epigenetic method is based on the analysis of the characteristic patterns of chemical markers on the genome of the animals.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

What should we call evolution driven by genetic engineering? Genetic welding, says researcher      (via sciencedaily.com) 

With CRISPR-Cas9 technology, humans can now rapidly change the evolutionary course of animals or plants by inserting genes that can easily spread through entire populations. An evolutionary geneticist proposes that we call this evolutionary meddling 'genetic welding.' He argues that we must scientifically and ethically scrutinize the potential consequences of genetic welding before we put it into practice.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Technology
Published

The powerhouse of the future: Artificial cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers identify the most promising advancements and greatest challenges of artificial mitochondria and chloroplasts. The team describes the components required to construct synthetic mitochondria and chloroplasts and identifies proteins as the most important aspects for molecular rotary machinery, proton transport, and ATP production. The authors believe it is important to create artificial cells with biologically realistic energy-generation methods that mimic natural processes; replicating the entire cell could lead to future biomaterials.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental
Published

Ending THC use may reverse its impacts on male fertility, research shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A previous study confirmed that chronic use of cannabis may greatly impact male fertility and reproductive outcomes in nonhuman primates -- but it was unclear whether the effects are permanent. Now, new research has confirmed that discontinuing use of THC can at least partly reverse these effects, according to a new study.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Technology Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Meet the hybrid micro-robot: The tiny robot that is able to navigate in a physiological environment and capture targeted damaged cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed a hybrid micro-robot, the size of a single biological cell (about 10 microns across), that can be controlled and navigated using two different mechanisms -- electric and magnetic. The micro-robot is able to navigate between different cells in a biological sample, distinguish between different types of cells, identify whether they are healthy or dying, and then transport the desired cell for further study, such as genetic analysis.

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

Harnessing power of immune system may lessen reliance on antibiotics for infections like TB      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found that the body's process of removing old and damaged cell parts, is also an essential part of tackling infections that take hold within our cells, like TB. If this natural process can be harnessed with new treatments, it could present an alternative to, or improve use of antibiotics, especially where bacteria have become resistant to existing drugs.

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

Newly discovered cell in fruit flies is essential for touch sensation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have uncovered a key role for a new type of cell in touch detection in the skin of the fruit fly.

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

Researchers discover a way to fight the aging process and cancer development      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Damage in the human genome can be repaired. But this works better in germ cells, sperm and eggs, than in normal body cells. Responsible for this is the DREAM protein complex, which prevents the activation of all available repair mechanisms. A research team has now shown that normal body cells can also be repaired better once this complex has been deactivated. In the long run, the scientists hope to develop better therapies to prevent cancer and aging-associated diseases.

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

Memory B cell marker predicts long-lived antibody response to flu vaccine      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Memory B cells play a critical role to provide long-term immunity after a vaccination or infection. Researchers have now described a distinct and novel subset of memory B cells that predict long-lived antibody responses to influenza vaccination in humans. These effector memory B cells appear to be poised for a rapid serum antibody response upon secondary challenge one year later.

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

To ward off aging, stem cells must take out the trash      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers find stem cells use a surprising system for discarding misfolded proteins. This unique pathway could be the key to maintaining long-term health and preventing age-related blood and immune disorders.

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

Discovery of an unexpected function of blood immune cells: Their ability to proliferate      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The ability of a cell to divide, to proliferate, is essential for life and gives rise to the formation of complex organisms from a single cell. It also allows the replacement of used cells from a limited number of 'stem' cells, which then proliferate and specialize. In cancer, however, cell proliferation is no longer controlled and becomes chaotic. Researchers have discovered that, in a healthy individual, certain blood immune cells, the monocytes, also have this ability to proliferate, with the aim to replace tissue macrophages, which are essential for the proper functioning of our body.

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Published

Compressive stress shapes the symmetry of Arabidopsis root vascular tissue      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A cytokinin-mediated, proliferation-based mechanism is involved in the generation and maintenance of cell-type specific tissue boundaries during vascular development in Arabidopsis roots. Specifically, the HANABA-TARANU transcription factor forms a feed-forward loop to cytokinin signaling, which in turn regulates the position and frequency of cell proliferation of proto-vascular cells such that mechanical stress of the surrounding tissues guides growth in an apical-oriented manor, maintaining cell patterning throughout the tissue section.

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

Where the HI-Virus sleeps in the brain      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1 is able to infect various tissues in humans. Once inside the cells, the virus integrates its genome into the cellular genome and establishes persistent infections. The role of the structure and organization of the host genome in HIV-1 infection is not well understood. Using a cell culture model based on brain immune microglia cells, an international research team has now defined the insertion patterns of HIV-1 in the genome of microglia cells.

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

Cellular waste removal differs according to cell type      (via sciencedaily.com) 

'Miniature shredders' are at work in each cell, disassembling and recycling cell components that are defective or no longer required. The exact structure of these shredders differs from cell type to cell type, a study now shows. For example, cancer cells have a special variant that can supply them particularly effectively with building blocks for their energy metabolism.

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

Researchers highlight nucleolar DNA damage responseĀ in fight against cancer      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have now encapsulated the young field of nucleolar DNA damage response (DDR) pathways. A new review highlights six mechanisms by which cells repair DNA damage. By attacking these mechanisms, future applied researchers will be able to trip up cancer's reproduction and growth.

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

Molecular component of caffeine may play a role in gut health      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study explores exactly what leads to the generation of Th17 cells -- an important subtype of cells in the intestine -- and uncovers some of the underappreciated molecular players and events that lead to cell differentiation in the gut.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Mirror-image molecules can modify signaling in neurons      (via sciencedaily.com) 

With the aid of some sea slugs, chemists have discovered that one of the smallest conceivable tweaks to a biomolecule can elicit one of the grandest conceivable consequences: directing the activation of neurons. The team has shown that the orientation of a single amino acid -- in this case, one of dozens found in the neuropeptide of a sea slug -- can dictate the likelihood that the peptide activates one neuron receptor versus another. Because different types of receptors are responsible for different neuronal activities, the finding points to another means by which a brain or nervous system can regulate the labyrinthine, life-sustaining communication among its cells.

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

TurboID uncovers new meiotic proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Meiotic recombination assures genetic variation during breeding. During meiotic prophase I, chromosomes are organized in a loop-base array by a proteinaceous structure called meiotic chromosome axis which is critical for meiotic recombination and genetically diverse gametes. An international research team reports the application of a TurboID (TbID)-based approach to identify proteins in proximity of meiotic chromosome axes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Not only known but also new meiotic proteins were uncovered.

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

A quick new way to screen virus proteins for antibiotic properties      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A whole new world of antibiotics is waiting inside the viruses that infect bacteria. Scientists are making it easier to study them.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

How to assemble a complete jaw      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The skeleton, tendons, and glands of a functional jaw all derive from the same population of stem cells, which arise from a cell population known as neural crest. To discover how these neural crest-derived cells know to make the right type of cell in the right location, researchers focused on a particular gene, Nr5a2, that was active in a region of the face that makes tendons and glands, but not skeleton. To understand the role of Nr5a2, the scientists created zebrafish lacking this gene. These mutant zebrafish generated excess cartilage and were missing tendons in their jaws.