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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Researchers uncover key mechanisms in chromosome structure development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are making strides in understanding how chromosome structures change throughout the cell's life cycle.
Published Giant salamander-like creature was a top predator in the ice age before the dinosaurs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Meet Gaiasia jennyae, the swamp creature with a toilet seat-shaped head. It lived 40 million years before the first dinosaurs, and it was the top predator in its ecosystem.
Published A new breakthrough in understanding regeneration in a marine worm
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sea worm Platynereis dumerilii is only a few centimeters long but has a remarkable ability: in just a few days, it can regenerate entire parts of its body after an injury or amputation. By focusing more specifically on the mechanisms at play in the regeneration of this worm's tail, a research team has observed that gut cells play a role in the regeneration of the intestine as well as other tissues such as muscle and epidermis.
Published Near chromosome-level genome of the Mojave poppy bee
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation concern.
Published Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The study provides a detailed map of the 3'UTR regions of RNA in C. elegans. 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) are segments of RNA involved in gene regulation.
Published Proteins and fats can drive insulin production for some, paving way for tailored nutrition
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to managing blood sugar levels, most people think about counting carbs. But new research shows that, for some, it may be just as important to consider the proteins and fats in their diet. The study is the first large-scale comparison of how different people produce insulin in response to each of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates (glucose), proteins (amino acids) and fats (fatty acids). The findings reveal that production of the blood sugar-regulating hormone is much more dynamic and individualized than previously thought, while showing for the first time a subset of the population who are hyper-responsive to fatty foods.
Published Organic material from Mars reveals the likely origin of life's building blocks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two samples from Mars together deliver clear evidence of the origin of Martian organic material. The study presents solid evidence for a prediction made over a decade ago that could be key to understanding how organic molecules, the foundation of life, were first formed here on Earth.
Published Genetic patterns of world's farmed, domesticated foxes revealed via historical deep-dive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Domesticated animals play a prominent role in our society, with two-thirds of American families enjoying the companionship of pets and many others relying on animal products for their nutritional needs. But the process of domestication remains a bit of a mystery.
Published Degradation of cell wall key in the spread of antibiotic resistance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study provides new clues in the understanding of how antibiotic resistance spreads. The study shows how an enzyme breaks down the bacteria's protective outer layer, the cell wall, and thus facilitates the transfer of genes for resistance to antibiotics.
Published Researchers thwart resistant bacteria's strategy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria are experts at evolving resistance to antibiotics. One resistance strategy is to cover their cell walls in sticky and gooey biofilm that antibiotics cannot penetrate. A new discovery could put a stop to this strategy.
Published Sixty-million-year-old grape seeds reveal how the death of the dinosaurs may have paved the way for grapes to spread
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists discovered the oldest fossil grapes in the Western Hemisphere, which help show how after the death of the dinosaurs, grapes spread across the world.
Published Investigating newly discovered hydrothermal vents at depths of 3,000 meters off Svalbard
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hydrothermal vents can be found around the world at the junctions of drifting tectonic plates. But there are many hydrothermal fields still to be discovered. During a 2022 expedition of the MARIA S. MERIAN, the first field of hydrothermal vents on the 500-kilometer-long Knipovich Ridge off the coast of Svalbard was discovered.
Published New deep-learning model outperforms Google AI system in predicting peptide structures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a deep-learning model, called PepFlow, that can predict all possible shapes of peptides -- chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins, but perform similar biological functions. Peptides are known to be highly flexible, taking on a wide range of folding patterns, and are thus involved in many biological processes of interest to researchers in the development of therapeutics.
Published Last surviving woolly mammoths were inbred but not doomed to extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The last population of woolly mammoths was isolated on Wrangel Island off the coast of Siberia 10,000 years ago, when sea levels rose and cut the mountainous island off from the mainland. A new genomic analysis reveals that the isolated mammoths, who lived on the island for the subsequent 6,000 years, originated from at most 8 individuals but grew to 200--300 individuals within 20 generations. The researchers report that the Wrangel Island mammoths' genomes showed signs of inbreeding and low genetic diversity but not to the extent that it can explain their ultimate (and mysterious) extinction.
Published Prehistoric 'Pompeii' discovered: Most pristine trilobite fossils ever found shake up scientific understanding of the long extinct group
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have described some of the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever discovered. The fossils, which are more than 500 million years old, were collected in the High Atlas of Morocco and are being referred to by scientists as 'Pompeii' trilobites due to their remarkable preservation in ash.
Published Potent therapy candidate for fatal prion diseases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a gene-silencing tool that shows promise as a therapy against fatal prion diseases. The tool, a streamlined epigenetic editor, paves the way for a new class of genetic approaches to treat certain diseases.
Published New, holistic way to teach synthetic biology
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Synthetic biology combines principles from science, engineering and social science, creating emerging technologies such as alternative meats and mRNA vaccines; Deconstructing synthetic biology across scales gives rise to new approach to uniting traditional disciplines; Case studies offer a modular, accessible approach to teaching at different institutions.
Published Researchers find genetic stability in a long-term Panamanian hybrid zone of manakin birds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source We often think of species as separate and distinct, but sometimes they can interbreed and create hybrids. When this happens consistently in a specific area, it forms what's known as a hybrid zone. These zones can be highly dynamic or remarkably stable, and studying them can reveal key insights into how species boundaries evolve -- or sometimes blur. Researchers now describe a hybrid zone between two manakin species in Panama that has overall remained relatively stable over the past 30 years.
Published Scientists discover genetic 'off switch' in legume plants that limits biological ability to source nutrients
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A genetic 'off switch' that shuts down the process in which legume plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients has been identified for the first time by a team of international scientists.
Published Cell division: Before commitment, a very long engagement
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Before a cell commits fully to the process of dividing itself into two new cells, it may ensure the appropriateness of its commitment by staying for many hours -- sometimes more than a day -- in a reversible intermediate state, according to a new discovery. Their revelation of this fundamental feature of biology includes details of its mechanisms and dynamics, which may inform the development of future therapies targeting cancers and other diseases.