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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms
Published Not so selfish after all: Viruses use freeloading genes as weapons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Certain pieces of DNA have been labeled as 'selfish genetic elements' due to notions that they don't contribute to a host organism's survival. Instead, researchers have now discovered that these elements have been weaponized and play a crucial role by cutting off a competitor's ability to reproduce.
Published Scientists map how deadly bacteria evolved to become epidemic
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- an environmental bacteria that can cause devastating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in people with underlying lung conditions -- evolved rapidly and then spread globally over the last 200 years, probably driven by changes in human behavior, a new study has found.
Published Never-before-seen view of gene transcription captured
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New tech reveals findings that address long-standing theories about how bacteria begin the process of making RNA from DNA.
Published Do genes-in-pieces code for proteins that fold in pieces?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study offers new insights into the evolution of foldable proteins.
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 Retreating glaciers: Fungi enhance carbon storage in young Arctic soils
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Melting Arctic glaciers are in rapid recession, and microscopic pioneers colonize the new exposed landscapes. Researchers revealed that yeasts play an important role in soil formation in the Arctic.
Published Mechanism of bio-inspired control of liquid flow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The more we discover about the natural world, the more we find that nature is the greatest engineer. Past research implied that liquids can only be transported in fixed direction on species with specific liquid communication properties and cannot switch the transport direction. Recently, researchers have shown that an African plant controls water movement in a previously unknown way -- and this could inspire breakthroughs in a range of technologies in fluid dynamics and nature-inspired materials, including applications that require multistep and repeated reactions, such as microassays, medical diagnosis and solar desalination etc.
Published Advancing toward a preventative HIV vaccine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A major challenge in developing a vaccine for HIV is that the virus mutates fast -- very fast. Although a person initially becomes infected with one or a few HIV strains, the virus replicates and mutates quickly, resulting in a 'swarm' of viral strains existing in a single body.
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 Study illuminates cues algae use to 'listen' to their environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows how a small group of single-celled algae are able to use chemical cues to communicate stress information. Understanding this ability, once thought unique to plants, helps illuminate the complex evolutionary history of plants and algae.
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 Shrinking glaciers: Microscopic fungi enhance soil carbon storage in new landscapes created by shrinking Arctic glaciers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Shrinking glaciers expose new land in the Arctic, creating unique ecosystems. Researchers studied how microbes colonize these barren landscapes. The study reveals a crucial role for specific fungal species in capturing and storing carbon in the newly formed soil. These findings suggest fungi are essential for future carbon storage in the Arctic as glaciers continue to recede.
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 Creating supranormal hearing in mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has produced supranormal hearing in mice, while also supporting a hypothesis on the cause of hidden hearing loss in people.
Published Long-standing marine mystery solved: How algae get nitrogen to grow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists shed light on an unexpected partnership: A marine diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean. This symbiosis likely plays a key role for global marine nitrogen fixation and productivity, and thus uptake of carbon dioxide. The newly-discovered bacterial symbiont is closely related to the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia which live in partnership with many crop plants and may also open up new avenues for engineering nitrogen-fixing plants.
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.