Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology
Published

E. coli variant may cause antimicrobial resistance in dogs, humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers studying antimicrobial-resistant E. coli -- the leading cause of human death due to antimicrobial resistance worldwide -- have identified a mechanism in dogs that may render multiple antibiotic classes ineffective.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Researchers find that frogs can quickly increase their tolerance to pesticides      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Although there is a large body of research on pests evolving tolerances for the pesticides meant to destroy them, there have been considerably fewer studies on how non-target animals in these ecosystems may do the same.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research
Published

Unlocking the mystery of preexisting drug resistance: New study sheds light on cancer evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The evolution of resistance to diseases, from infectious illnesses to cancers, poses a formidable challenge. Despite the expectation that resistance-conferring mutations would dwindle in the absence of treatment due to a reduced growth rate, preexisting resistance is pervasive across diseases that evolve -- like cancer and pathogens -- defying conventional wisdom.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Building a roadmap to bioengineer plants that produce their own nitrogen fertilizer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nitrogen fertilizers make it possible to feed the world's growing population, but they are also costly adn harm ecosystems. However, a few plants have evolved the ability to acquire their own nitrogen with the help of bacteria, and a new study helps explain how they did it, not once, but multiple times.

Biology: Biochemistry
Published

Wildlife tracking technology that adheres to fur delivers promising results from trials on wild polar bears      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Studying polar bears just became a lot easier with new 'burr on fur' trackers which confirmed scientists' belief that subadult and adult males spend most of their time on land lazing around, conserving energy until the ice returns. A team used three different 'burr on fur' prototypes to study their effectiveness.

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

Big boost for new epigenetics paradigm: CoRSIVs, first discovered in humans, now found in cattle      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study opens new possibilities to improve production efficiency in the cattle industry and potentially animal agriculture more broadly.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature
Published

How domestic rabbits become feral in the wild      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

After sequencing the genomes of nearly 300 rabbits from Europe, South America, and Oceania, researchers found that all of them had a mix of feral and domestic DNA. They say this was not what they had expected to find.

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

New ways to study spinal cord malformations in embryos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have successfully created mechanical force sensors directly in the developing brains and spinal cords of chicken embryos, which they hope will improve understanding and prevention of birth malformations such as spina bifida.

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

A better way to make RNA drugs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

RNA drugs are the next frontier of medicine, but manufacturing them requires an expensive and labor-intensive process that limits production and produces metric tons of toxic chemical waste. Researchers report a new, enzyme-based RNA synthesis method that can produce strands of RNA with both natural and modified nucleotides without the environmental hazards.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How plant cold specialists can adapt to the environment      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Evolutionary biologists studied spoonworts to determine what influence genome duplication has on the adaptive potential of plants. The results show that polyploids -- species with more than two sets of chromosomes -- can have an accumulation of structural mutations with signals for a possible local adaptation, enabling them to occupy ecological niches time and time again.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

A comprehensive derivative synthesis method for development of new antimicrobial drugs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A method to screen a wide variety of drug candidates without laborious purification steps could advance the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Respiratory bacteria 'turn off' immune system to survive      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified how a common bacterium is able to manipulate the human immune system during respiratory infections and cause persistent illness.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

'A history of contact': Geneticists are rewriting the narrative of Neanderthals and other ancient humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using genomes from 2,000 living humans as well as three Neanderthals and one Denisovan, an international team mapped the gene flow between the hominin groups over the past quarter-million years.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

A stealth fungus has decimated North American bats but scientists may be a step closer to treating white-nose syndrome      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An invasive fungus that colonizes the skin of hibernating bats with deadly consequences is a stealthy invader that uses multiple strategies to slip into the small mammals' skin cells and quietly manipulate them to aid its own survival. The fungus, which causes the disease white-nose syndrome, has devastated several North American species over the last 18 years.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals
Published

Hatcheries can boost wild salmon numbers but reduce diversity, studies find      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The ability of salmon hatcheries to increase wild salmon abundance may come at the cost of reduced diversity among wild salmon, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature
Published

Introducing co-cultures: When co-habiting animal species share culture      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Cooperative hunting, resource sharing, and using the same signals to communicate the same information -- these are all examples of cultural sharing that have been observed between distinct animal species. In a new article, researchers introduce the term 'co-culture' to describe cultural sharing between animal species. These relationships are mutual and go beyond one species watching and mimicking another species' behavior -- in co-cultures, both species influence each other in substantial ways.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Nanoplastics and 'forever chemicals' disrupt molecular structures, functionality      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- commonly known as forever chemicals -- disrupt biomolecular structure and function. The work shows that the compounds can alter proteins found in human breast milk and infant formulas -- potentially causing developmental issues downstream.