Showing 20 articles starting at article 1281
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Anthropology: Early Humans, Biology: Biochemistry
Published Microbial research unravels a global nitrogen mystery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research findings show that different AOM lineages employ different regulatory strategies for ammonia or urea utilization, thereby minimizing direct competition with one another and allowing for coexistence.
Published Shining a new light on the tug-of-war between virus and host
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The interplay between ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins is not only important for maintaining cellular homeostasis but is also at the center of the tug-of-war between virus and host. Until now, there has been no method to globally map direct interactions of individual RNA regions in an unbiased fashion without the need for genetic modification of the target RNA or cell. Researchers have now developed a breakthrough tool that overcomes this limitation.
Published Discovery of a third RNA virus linage in extreme environments Jan 17, 2024
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research group has discovered a novel RNA viral genome from microbes inhabiting a high-temperature acidic hot spring. Their study shows that RNA viruses can live in high-temperature environments (70-80 degrees Celsius), where no RNA viruses have been observed before. In addition to the two known RNA virus kingdoms, a third kingdom may exist.
Published Groundbreaking genome editing tools unlock new possibilities for precision medicine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has achieved a major breakthrough in genome editing technology. They've developed a cutting-edge method that combines the power of designer-recombinases with programmable DNA-binding domains to create precise and adaptable genome editing tools.
Published Fungal-rich soil may improve green roofs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Green roofs have become increasingly popular thanks to their benefits related to climate adaptation, mitigation, and urban biodiversity management. But, in the U.S., green roofs are typically planted with non-native plants in sterile soils, and their effectiveness declines over time. A new study finds that managing green roof soil microbes boosts healthy urban soil development, which is a methodology that could be applied to support climate resilience in cities.
Published How seahorse-like toxins kill insects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Insect-killing bacteria typically release toxins to slay their hosts. The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, for example, pumps insect larvae full of the lethal 'Makes caterpillars floppy 1' (Mcf1) toxin, leading them to first become droopy and then dead. However, it has so far been a mystery how Mcf1 unfolds its devastating effect. Researchers successfully used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and biochemical assays to characterize the first-ever Mcf1 structure, allowing them to propose a molecular mechanism of the toxin's action. Understanding how bacterial toxins perform their deadly task in such detail is very useful for engineering novel biopesticides, thereby reducing the use of barely specific chemical agents with harmful side effects for the ecosystem.
Published Engineering viruses to kill deadly pathogens
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent and growing global crisis. Researchers are exploring phages, viruses that infect bacteria, as a possible solution. In the new study, researchers successfully modified DNA from four types of phages to kill a deadly pathogen. The process can also be used to produce more phage variants for further exploration.
Published As sea otters recolonize California estuary, they restore its degraded geology
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As sea otters recolonize a California estuary, they are restoring its degraded geology by keeping populations of overgrazing marsh crabs in check, a new study shows. The crabs' appetite for plant roots, and their tunneling behavior had caused many of the estuary's marshes and creekbanks to erode and collapse in the otters' absence. Today, erosion has slowed by up to 90% in areas with large otter populations and marshes and streambeds are restabilizing.
Published Neanderthals and humans lived side by side in Northern Europe 45,000 years ago
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Archaeologists have debated whether Neanderthals or modern humans made stone tools that are found at sites across northern Europe and date from about 40,000 years ago. A new excavation at one site in Germany turned up 45,000-year-old bone fragments that, when analyzed for mitochondrial DNA, proved to be from Homo sapiens. This is the earliest evidence that modern humans overlapped with Neanderthals in northwest Europe, thousands of years before Neanderthals went extinct.
Published When and how immune cells decide to form pathogen memories
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source During infection, reversible switch permits flexible formation of memory T cells, long-lived blood cells that can remember pathogen encounters and respond upon reinfection.
Published Using computers to design proteins allows researchers to make tunable hydrogels that can form both inside and outside of cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research demonstrates a new class of hydrogels that can form not just outside cells, but also inside of them. These hydrogels exhibited similar mechanical properties both inside and outside of cells, providing researchers with a new tool to group proteins together inside of cells.
Published Scientists pinpoint growth of brain's cerebellum as key to evolution of bird flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Evolutionary biologists report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly?
Published A green alternative for treating Streptococcus iniae bacteria in hybrid striped bass
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a green antibiotic alternative to treat the deadly pathogen Streptococcus iniae in hybrid striped bass, the fourth most farmed finfish in the United States, according to a recent study.
Published DNA particles that mimic viruses hold promise as vaccines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using a DNA-based delivery particle, researchers created a vaccine that can induce a strong antibody response against SARS-CoV-2.
Published Asparagus and orchids are more similar than you think
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How is a beech leaf constructed? What determines the appearance of an asparagus? A new 'encyclopaedia' helps us learn more about the building blocks of plants. The encyclopaedia, probably the largest of its kind, could be used to improve targeted plant breeding efforts, to make them both more climate-resilient and more easily digestible.
Published Using CRISPR technology, researchers succeed in growing tomatoes that consume less water without compromising yield
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have succeeded in cultivating and characterizing tomato varieties with higher water use efficiency without compromising yield. The researchers, employing CRISPR genetic editing technology, were able to grow tomatoes that consume less water while preserving yield, quality, and taste.
Published Resin destroys coronavirus from plastic surfaces
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are currently developing anti-viral surfaces to decrease the spread of infectious diseases. A recent study found that a resin ingredient is effective against coronaviruses and strongly decreases their infectivity on plastic surfaces.
Published Poultry scientists develop 3D anatomy technique to learn more about chicken vision
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Poultry scientists are unraveling the complexities of bird brains and finding less expensive ways to do it. The scientists mapped the intricate neurological pathways that control vision in chickens with detailed 3D models of the connections between the eyes and four regions of the brain.
Published Gut microbiota influence severity of respiratory viral infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The composition of microbiota found in the gut influences how susceptible mice are to respiratory virus infections and the severity of these infections.
Published 'Genomic time machine' reveals secrets of our DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers reveal a novel method to uncover bits of our genetic blueprint that come from ancient genetic parasites, offering fresh insights into human evolution and health.