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

As we age, our cells are less likely to express longer genes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aging may be less about specific 'aging genes' and more about how long a gene is. Many of the changes associated with aging could be occurring due to decreased expression of long genes, say researchers. A decline in the expression of long genes with age has been observed in a wide range of animals, from worms to humans, in various human cell and tissue types, and also in individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Mouse experiments show that the phenomenon can be mitigated via known anti-aging factors, including dietary restriction.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science
Published

Species diversity promotes ecosystem stability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts? A new study suggests an answer to this question that has been a subject of debate among ecologists for half a century.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Maize genes control little helpers in the soil      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tiny organisms such as bacteria and fungi help to promote the health and function of plant roots. It is commonly assumed that the composition of these microbes is dependent on the properties of the soil. However, researchers have now discovered when studying different local varieties of maize that the genetic makeup of the plants also helps to influence which microorganisms cluster around the roots.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Decoding the plant world's complex biochemical communication networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has begun translating the complex molecular language of petunias. Their grammar and vocabulary are well hidden, however, within the countless proteins and other compounds that fill floral cells. Being rooted to the ground, plants can't run away from insects, pathogens or other threats to their survival. But plant scientists have long known that they do send warnings to each other via scent chemicals called volatile organic compounds.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography
Published

Forest, stream habitats keep energy exchanges in balance, global team finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Forests and streams are separate but linked ecosystems, existing side by side, with energy and nutrients crossing their porous borders and flowing back and forth between them. For example, leaves fall from trees, enter streams, decay and feed aquatic insects. Those insects emerge from the waters and are eaten by birds and bats. An international team has now found that these ecosystems appear to keep the energy exchanges in balance -- a finding that the scientists called surprising.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
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Craving snacks after a meal? It might be food-seeking neurons, not an overactive appetite      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Psychologists have discovered a circuit in the brain of mice that makes them crave food and seek it out, even when they are not hungry. When stimulated, this cluster of cells propels mice to forage vigorously and to prefer fatty and pleasurable foods like chocolate over healthier foods like carrots.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Invasive Species
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Decoding the Easter Bunny -- an eastern Finnish brown hare to represent the standard for the species' genome      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biologists have published a chromosomally assembled reference genome for the European brown hare. The genome consists of 2.9 billion base pairs, which form 23 autosomal chromosomes, and X and Y sex chromosomes. The timing of the genome release is very appropriate as the brown hare also represents the original Easter Bunny familiar from European folklore.

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

Empty 'backpacks' activate the immune system against cancer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that the mere act of attaching their microparticle 'backpacks' to neutrophils is enough to activate them against cancer -- no drugs needed. In experiments, backpack-bearing neutrophils shrank tumors and extended the survival of mice with cancer, and treated animals retained an immune memory of the disease. This approach opens the door to a new class of drug-free immunotherapy for cancer.

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

A protein found in human sweat may protect against Lyme disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human sweat contains a protein that may protect against Lyme disease. About one-third of the population carries a genetic variant of this protein that is associated with Lyme disease in genome-wide association studies.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
Published

Artificial streams reveal how drought shapes California's alpine ecosystems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have used a series of artificial stream channels to mimic the behavior of headwater creeks under future climate change scenarios. They found that drier conditions shifted the life cycles of the algae and insects that form the base of the alpine food web. However, because species adjusted to the shifts in a variety of ways, the stream ecosystems were generally resilient to the changing conditions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Genetic basis for the evolution of hair discovered in the clawed frog      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The development of hair was of central importance for the evolution of mammals and thus also of humans. However, the evolutionary origin of the genetic program of hair was previously unknown. Researchers have now been able to show that important hair components and their genetic control have already evolved in amphibians. Human hair therefore shows unexpected similarities to the claws of clawed frogs.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Water Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Eyes open and toes out of water: How a giant water bug reached the island of Cyprus      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new visitor was reported on the coast of Cyprus, thanks to the growing power of citizen science. Researchers collected information and specimens through personal communication with amateur naturalists, but also through the internet, in order to compose the mosaic of repeated appearances of a giant water bug on the eastern shoreline of the island.

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

How cells are ahead of the curve      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The curvature of a surface determines the migration behavior of biological cells. They preferentially move along valleys or grooves while avoiding ridges. These findings gave rise to a model predicting cellular behavior. Such universal principles now allow a better understanding of the migration of immune and cancer cells, paving the way for new treatment options.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
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Engineers measure pH in cell condensates      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a first for the condensate field, researchers have figured out how nucleolar sub-structures are assembled. This organization gives rise to unique pH profiles within nucleoli, which they measured and compared with the pH of nearby non-nucleolar condensates including nuclear speckles and Cajal bodies.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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DNA origami-based vaccines toward safe and highly-effective precision cancer immunotherapy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have created a DNA origami platform called DoriVac, whose core component is a self-assembling square block-shaped nanostructure. DoriVac vaccines enabled tumor-bearing mice to better control the growth of tumors and to survive significantly longer than control mice.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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The atlas of unburnable oil in the world      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In order to limit the increase in global average temperature to 1.5 C, it is essential to drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. This would mean not exploiting most of the existing coal, conventional gas and oil energy resources in regions around the world, according to new research. The study presents the atlas of unburnable oil in the world, a world map designed with environmental and social criteria that warns which oil resources should not be exploited to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement signed in 2015 to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Technology
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Breakthrough could make automated dosing systems universal      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Automated insulin dosing systems combine low-cost blood-glucose monitors with insulin pumps that use precision dosing to continuously regulate blood-sugar and hold it steady. Synthetic biologists have found a way to piggyback on the technology and make it universally applicable for the precision dosing of virtually any drug.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

New study on mating behaviors offers clues into the evolution of attraction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In examining the mating rituals of roundworms, researchers uncovered a unique approach to reproduction that maximizes genetic fitness.