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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Offbeat: Plants and Animals

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Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which bacteria share their genetic material through virus parasites. The insights could help scientists to better understand how bacteria rapidly adapt and evolve, and how they become more virulent and resistant to antibiotics.

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The immune regulatory protein STING has a previously unknown function: acting as an ion channel that allows protons to leak into cells. This discovery makes it the first human immune sensor that can translate danger signals into ion flow.

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Researchers have changed the way to look at DNA. They show that DNA is much more than a linear sequence of building blocks; it has a 3D structure that influences the variation of human genome-wide mutation rates meaningfully and consistently, and this is likely conserved among species.

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A team of scientists has made an important breakthrough in the fight against RNA viruses that cause human diseases and pandemics.

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In a breakthrough for bioengineering, researchers have developed organoids that can model the human respiratory tract. The organoids, called AirGels, allow them to uncover the mechanism by which antibiotic-resistant pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa infect the respiratory tract.

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Researchers have discovered new cell types in the visual system of flies, made possible by their creation of a tool that finds and labels neurons during development. The study combines single-cell sequencing data with a novel algorithm to identify pairs of genes that point to previously unknown cells in the brains of fruit flies.

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Chemists describe a powerful new way to create new-to-nature, 'unnatural' amino acids, which could find use in protein-based therapies and open up novel branches of organic chemistry.

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Scientists have pinpointed a genetic cause for virgin birth for the first time, and once switched on the ability is passed down through generations of females.

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Originally, the powerhouses of higher cells, the mitochondria, were independent organisms. Researchers have investigated to what extent their metabolism has blended with that of their host cells in the course of evolution, using the example of a mitochondrial stress response. They have discovered that mitochondria send two different biochemical signals. These are processed together in the cell and trigger a support mechanism to restore cellular balance (homeostasis).

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To study play behaviors in animals, scientists must be able to authentically simulate play-conducive environments in the laboratory. Animals like rats are less inclined to play if they are anxious or restrained, and there is minimal data on the brain activity of rats that are free to play. After getting rats comfortable with a human playmate, tickling them under controlled conditions, then measuring the rats' squeaks and brain activity, a research team reports that a structure in rat brains called the periaqueductal gray is essential for play and laughter.

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A metabolic by-product that is more prevalent during fasting may supercharge immune cells as they fight infection and disease, reports an early stage study. The findings may pave the way for future personalized dietary recommendations to augment treatments for infection, cancer and other diseases.

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Ancient pathogens that escape from melting permafrost have real potential to damage microbial communities and might potentially threaten human health, according to a new study.

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A hot bath is a place to relax. For scientists, it is also where molecules or tiny building blocks meet to form materials. Researchers take it to the next level and use the energy of swimming bacteria to forge materials. A recent study shows us how this works and the potential sustainability benefits that may arise from this innovative approach.

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Bees and wasps have converged on the same architectural solutions to nest-building problems, according to new research.

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In a step forward in the development of genetic medicines, researchers have developed a proof-of-concept model for delivering gene editing tools to treat blood disorders, allowing for the modification of diseased blood cells directly within the body. If translated into the clinic, this approach could expand access and reduce the cost of gene therapies for blood disorders, many of which currently require patients receive chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

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What happens inside the carnivorous plant Venus Flytrap when it catches an insect? New technology has led to discoveries about the electrical signalling that causes the trap to snap shut. Bioelectronic technology enables advanced research into how plants react to their surroundings, and to stress.

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The lifespan of a small roundworm that has been used as a key model organism in aging research is limited by how it self-sacrifices to feed its young, finds a new study.

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A new study in mice suggests replacing traditional protein sources with mealworms in high-fat diets could slow weight gain, improve immune response, reduce inflammation, enhance energy metabolism, and beneficially alter the ratio of good to bad cholesterol.

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The results of a novel study has revealed exciting findings in the pursuit of an HIV cure.

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Egg 'signatures' will allow drongos to identify cuckoo 'forgeries' almost every time, study finds. African cuckoos may have met their match with the fork-tailed drongo, which scientists predict can detect and reject cuckoo eggs from their nest on almost every occasion, despite them on average looking almost identical to drongo eggs.