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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Geoscience: Landslides
Published Maths unlocks molecular interactions that open window to how life evolved



Landmark research by mathematicians sets out the definitive picture of biological adaptation at the level of intermolecular interactions.
Published New findings indicate gene-edited rice might survive in Martian soil



New research suggests future Martian botanists may be able to grow gene-edited rice on Mars.
Published Brain circuits for locomotion evolved long before appendages and skeletons



Scientists found parallels between the neural circuitry that guides locomotion in sea slugs and in more complex animals like mammals.
Published Near-universal T cell immunity towards a broad range of bacteria



Typically T cells of the immune system respond to a specific feature (antigen) of a microbe, thereby generating protective immunity. Scientists have discovered an exception to this rule. Namely, a group of divergent bacterial pathogens, including pneumococci, all share a small highly conserved protein sequence, which is both presented and recognized by human T cells in a conserved population-wide manner.
Published Ocean ecosystem: Mixotrophic microorganisms play key role



Researchers have identified a previously unknown group of bacteria, called UBA868, as key players in the energy cycle of the deep ocean. They are significantly involved in the biogeochemical cycle in the marine layer between 200 and 1000 meters.
Published Luring the virus into a trap



Viruses like influenza A and Ebola invade human cells in a number of steps. Research teams investigated the final stages of viral penetration using electron tomography and computer simulations. So-called fusion pores, through which the viral genome is released into the host cell, play a central role in these processes. If they can be prevented from forming, the virus is also blocked. The Heidelberg scientists describe previously unknown mechanisms, which might lead to new approaches to prevent infections.
Published Researchers reveal an ancient mechanism for wound repair



The study is the first to identify a damage response pathway that is distinct from but parallel to the classical pathway triggered by pathogens.
Published 'BeerBots' could speed up the brewing process



Craft brewers are continuously upping the ante and coming up with innovative ways to make or flavor their newest beers. Now, researchers are adding a new twist of their own, speeding up the brewing process with beer-making mini-robots or 'BeerBots.' The team shows that these self-propelled, magnetic packages of yeast can make the fermentation phase go faster and cut out the need to filter the beverage.
Published This gel stops brain tumors in mice. Could it offer hope for humans?



Medication delivered by a novel gel cured 100% of mice with an aggressive brain cancer, a striking result that offers new hope for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest and most common brain tumors in humans.
Published Testing antibiotic resistance with a fast, cheap, and easy method



Researchers have developed a novel and highly efficient method for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing using optical microscopy. The technique, called Optical Nanomotion Detection, is extremely rapid, single-cell sensitive, label-free, and requires only a basic traditional optical microscope, equipped with a camera or a mobile phone.
Published New biologic effective against major infection in early tests



A research team has shown in early tests that a bioengineered drug candidate can counter infection with Staphylococcus aureus -- a bacterial species widely resistant to antibiotics.
Published Algae in Swedish lakes provide insights to how complex life on Earth developed



By studying green algae in Swedish lakes, a research team has succeeded in identifying which environmental conditions promote multicellularity. The results give us new clues to the amazing paths of evolution.
Published Researchers reveal a map to study novel form of cell-to-cell communication



An international team of researchers lays the foundation to examine how extracellular RNA and its carrier proteins found in bodily fluids function in a healthy as well as a diseased setting, potentially providing a means to accurately implement early detection and monitor disease processes.
Published Synthetic biology meets fashion in engineered silk



Engineers developed a method to create synthetic spider silk at high yields while retaining strength and toughness using mussel foot proteins.
Published Reinforcement learning: From board games to protein design



An AI strategy proven adept at board games like Chess and Go, reinforcement learning, has now been adapted for a powerful protein design program. The results show that reinforcement learning can do more than master board games. When trained to solve long-standing puzzles in protein science, the software excelled at creating useful molecules. In one experiment, proteins made with the new approach were found to be more effective at generating useful antibodies in mice than were previous methods. If this method is applied to the right research problems, it likely could accelerate progress in a variety of scientific fields.
Published Evolution of two contagious cancers affecting Tasmanian devils underlines unpredictability of disease threat



Evolution of two contagious cancers affecting Tasmanian devils underlines unpredictability of disease threat. Scientists have traced the family trees of two transmissible cancers that affect Tasmanian devils and have pinpointed mutations which may drive growth of deadly diseases.
Published Fungal genetics could help develop novel biotechnologies



An essential pillar of Earth's ecological system, fungi have long been used to better the lives of humans. While these organisms are still vastly understudied, a new review paper suggests that their unique genomes could be used to make progress in the biotech industry.
Published Biologists discover bees to be brew masters of the insect world



Scientists have made a remarkable discovery about cellophane bees -- their microbiomes are some of the most fermentative known from the insect world. These bees, which are named for their use of cellophane-like materials to line their subterranean nests, are known for their fascinating behaviors and their important ecological roles as pollinators. Now, researchers have uncovered another aspect of their biology that makes them even more intriguing.
Published Cannabinoids give worms the munchies, too



Marijuana (cannabis) is well known for giving people the 'munchies.' Not only does it make people want to eat more, but it also makes them crave the tastiest, most high-calorie foods. Now a new study shows that well-studied nematode worms (C. elegans) react to those chemicals known as cannabinoids in precisely the same way.
Published AI system can generate novel proteins that meet structural design targets



A new machine-learning system can generate protein designs with certain structural features, and which do not exist in nature. These proteins could be utilized to make materials that have similar mechanical properties to existing materials, like polymers, but which would have a much smaller carbon footprint.