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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Ecology: Invasive Species
Published Although tiny, peatland microorganisms have a big impact on climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Polyphenols are generally toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an oxygen-dependent enzyme, and thus that low-oxygen conditions inhibit microbes' carbon cycling. However, a new study found that Arctic peatland microorganisms used alternative enzymes, with and without oxygen, to break down polyphenols. This suggests carbon stored in these ecosystems is more at risk than previously thought.
Published Ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The human genome is filled with flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago. Scientists used to think they were harmless, but new research shows that, when reawakened, they help cancer survive and thrive.
Published Discovery of a hybrid lineage offers clues to how trees adapt to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The discovery of a hybrid population of poplar trees in western Wyoming has provided insight into how natural hybridization informs the evolution of many plant species, according to researchers. They also said their discovery suggests that genetic exchange between species may be critical for adaptation to environmental change.
Published Paleolithic diets are not without risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-protein diets, known as 'Paleolithic diets', are popular. Using mouse models, scientists have studied their impact. While effective in regulating weight and stabilizing diabetes, these diets are not without risks. Excess protein greatly increases ammonium production, overwhelming the liver. Excess ammonium can cause neurological disorders and, in severe cases, lead to coma. These results suggest caution when following these diets.
Published Smart soil can water and feed itself
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly engineered type of soil can capture water out of thin air to keep plants hydrated and manage controlled release of fertilizer for a constant supply of nutrients.
Published Forests endure as carbon sink despite regional pressures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Despite facing regional threats like deforestation and wildfires, the world's forests continue to be a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. A new study reveals these vital ecosystems have consistently absorbed carbon dioxide for the past three decades, even as disruptions chip away at their capacity. The study, based on long-term ground measurements combined with remote sensing data, found that forests take up an average of 3.5 0.4 billion metric tons of carbon per year, which is nearly half of the carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels between 1990 and 2019.
Published Logged forests can still have ecological value -- if not pushed too far
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have analysed data from 127 studies to reveal 'thresholds' for when logged rainforests lose the ability to sustain themselves. The results could widen the scope of which forests are considered 'worth' conserving, but also show how much logging degrades forests beyond the point of no return.
Published Switching off inflammatory protein leads to longer, healthier lifespans in mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that 'switching off' a protein called IL-11 can significantly increase the healthy lifespan of mice by almost 25 percent.
Published Genome recording makes living cells their own historians
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Genomes can now be used to store information about a variety of transient biological events inside of living cells, as they happen, like a flight recorder collecting data from an aircraft. The method, called ENGRAM, aims to turn cells into their own historians. ENGRAM couples each kind of biological signal or event inside a cell to a symbolic barcode. This new strategy traces and archives the type and timing of biological signals inside the cell by inserting this information into the genome. For example, this record-keeping can track the commands that turn genes on or off.
Published Influenza viruses can use two ways to infect cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most influenza viruses enter human or animal cells through specific pathways on the cells' surface. Researchers have now discovered that certain human flu viruses and avian flu viruses can also use a second entry pathway, a protein complex of the immune system, to infect cells. This ability helps the viruses infect different species -- and potentially jump between animals and humans.
Published Llama nanobodies: A breakthrough in building HIV immunity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biology researchers have developed a new antibody therapy that can neutralize a wide variety of HIV-1 strains. They found success in an unlikely source -- llamas.
Published A new addition to the CRISPR toolbox: Teaching the gene scissors to detect RNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source CRISPR-Cas systems, defense systems in bacteria, have become a plentiful source of technologies for molecular diagnostics. Researchers have now expanded this extensive toolbox further. Their novel method, called PUMA, enables the detection of RNA with Cas12 nucleases, which naturally target DNA. PUMA promises a wide range of applications and high accuracy.
Published Scientists use machine learning to predict diversity of tree species in forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers used machine learning to generate highly detailed maps of over 100 million individual trees from 24 sites across the U.S. These maps provide information about individual tree species and conditions, which can greatly aid conservation efforts and other ecological projects.
Published Unique characteristics of previously unexplored protein discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research achieves scientific breakthrough in understanding cell division.
Published Ancient microbes offer clues to how complex life evolved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that a single-celled organism, a close relative of animals, harbors the remnants of ancient giant viruses woven into its own genetic code. This finding sheds light on how complex organisms may have acquired some of their genes and highlights the dynamic interplay between viruses and their hosts.
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.
Published Loss of oxygen in lakes and oceans a major threat to ecosystems, society, and planet
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Oxygen is a fundamental requirement of life, and the loss of oxygen in water, referred to as aquatic deoxygenation, is a threat to life at all levels. In fact, researchers describe how ongoing deoxygenation presents a major threat to the stability of the planet as a whole.
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.
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.
Published Study examines urban forests across the United States
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tree-planting campaigns have been underway in the United States, especially in cities, as part of climate mitigation efforts given the many environmental benefits of urban forests. But a new study finds that some areas within urban forests in the U.S., may be more capable than trees growing around city home lawns in adapting to a warmer climate.