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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.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species
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 response 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.

Biology: Developmental
Published

New study challenges our understanding of the immune system      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have created a radical new view of how immune cells recognise threats such as viruses. The discovery could be used to design better vaccines and to gain a deeper insight into autoimmune diseases and allergies.

Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

New insights into cellular 'bridges' shed light on development, disease      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Most cells in the bodies of living things duplicate their contents and physically separate into new cells through the process of cell division. But across many species, germ cells, those that become eggs or sperm, don't fully separate. They remain interconnected through small bridges called ring canals and cluster together. In a new study, researchers uncover how it is that germ cells in fruit flies form these ring canals, a finding that they say will provide new insights into a widely shared feature of development and into diseases in which cell division is disrupted.

Biology: Botany Biology: Developmental Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

An internal thermometer tells the seeds when to germinate      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Germination is a crucial stage in the life of a plant as it will leave the stage of seed resistant to various environmental constraints (climatic conditions, absence of nutritive elements, etc.) to become a seedling much more vulnerable. The survival of the young plant depends on the timing of this transition. It is therefore essential that this stage be finely controlled. Botanists have now discovered the internal thermometer of seeds that can delay or even block germination if temperatures are too high for the future seedling. This work could help optimize plant growth in a context of global warming.

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

Phage attacks shown in new light      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New methodology and tools provide an opportunity to watch in unprecedented detail as a phage attacks a bacterium.

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

Rhythmic eating pattern preserves fruit fly muscle function under obese conditions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Obese fruit flies are the experimental subjects in a study of the causes of muscle function decline due to obesity. In humans, skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in metabolism, and muscle dysfunction due to human obesity can lead to insulin resistance and reduced energy levels.

Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology
Published

Illuminating the evolution of social parasite ants      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The findings offer a new way to understand how some ants become total layabouts.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

Fluorescent protein sheds light on bee brains      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An international team of bee researchers has integrated a calcium sensor into honey bees to enable the study of neural information processing including response to odors. This also provides insights into how social behavior is located in the brain.