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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Offbeat: Earth and Climate
Published Hummingbirds' unique sideways flutter gets them through small apertures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hummingbirds are highly maneuverable fliers, flitting forward and backward as they home in on flowers. But in the dense foliage many inhabit, they often encounter gaps that are too narrow for their wingspan. Since they can't bend their wings in flight, how do they get through? Researchers used high-speed cameras to capture their movements, discovering two unique strategies: they sidle through while fluttering, or fold their wings in a tuck and glide.
Published Found at last: Bizarre, egg-laying mammal finally rediscovered after 60 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A long-beaked echidna named after Sir David Attenborough and last seen by scientists in 1961 has been photographed for the first time in an Indonesian tropical forest. An international team of researchers worked with local communities to deploy over 80 camera traps to film the elusive animal. Besides rediscovering the echidna, the team uncovered a wealth of species completely new to science, including beetles, spiders, and a remarkable tree-dwelling shrimp.
Published Team creates synthetic enzymes to unravel molecular mysteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A bioengineer has developed synthetic enzymes that can control the behavior of the signaling protein Vg1, which plays a key role in the development of muscle, bone and blood in vertebrate embryos. The team of researchers is using a new approach, called the Synthetic Processing (SynPro) system, in zebrafish to study how Vg1 is formed. By learning the molecular rules of signal formation in a developing animal, researchers aim to engineer mechanisms -- such as giving cells new instructions -- that could play a role in treating or preventing disease.
Published Scientists use quantum biology, AI to sharpen genome editing tool
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists used their expertise in quantum biology, artificial intelligence and bioengineering to improve how CRISPR Cas9 genome editing tools work on organisms like microbes that can be modified to produce renewable fuels and chemicals.
Published Barnacle bends shape to fend off warm-water sea snails on the move
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some barnacles are 'morphing' to protect themselves from predatory warm-water sea snails, which are expanding into their territory due to climate change.
Published A breath of fresh air keeps drug-producing cells alive longer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a novel device that produces oxygen inside of a 'living pharmacy' implant in order to keep cells alive inside the self-contained device. The device produses oxygen through a smart, energy-efficient version of water splitting. In new experiments, the novel device kept cells (70-80%) alive for close to a month in low oxygen conditions in vitro, or weeks in vivo.
Published First live birth of a chimeric monkey using embryonic stem cell lines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has reported for the first time the live birth of a monkey that contains a high proportion of cells derived from a monkey stem cell line. This 'chimeric' monkey is composed of cells that originate from two genetically distinct embryos of the same species of monkey. This has previously been demonstrated in rats and mice but, until now, has not been possible in other species, including non-human primates.
Published Reducing vitamin B5 slows breast cancer growth in mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that breast cancer cells expressing a cancer-driving gene heavily rely on vitamin B5 to grow and survive.
Published Zen and the art of mitochondrial maintenance: The machinery of death makes a healthier life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While we all aspire for a long lifespan, what is most coveted is a long period of vigor and health, or 'healthspan,' that precedes the inevitable decline of advancing age. Researchers have discovered that instruments of death that cells use to commit suicide when things go wrong contribute to making a longer and healthier life by revitalizing the specialized cellular compartments called mitochondria.
Published Artificial bladders shine light on bugs that cause urinary tract infections
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study reveals that numerous bacterial strains are capable of hiding in the human bladder wall, suggesting why urinary tract infections often persist after treatment.
Published Temperature increase triggers viral infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have mapped on an atomic level what happens in a virus particle when the temperature is raised.
Published How animals get their stripes and spots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research helps explain how sharp patterns form on zebras, leopards, tropical fish and other creatures. Their findings could inform the development of new high-tech materials and drugs.
Published Head lice evolution mirrors human migration and colonization in the Americas
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis of lice genetic diversity suggests that lice came to the Americas twice -- once during the first wave of human migration across the Bering Strait, and again during European colonization.
Published Animals like crickets use the ground to amplify calls
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When animals 'sing' sitting on the ground -- such as when crickets chirp -- their volume and reach increase dramatically, by as much as ten-fold. This result contradicts long-held beliefs in the field of animal communication, which presume the ground is a hindrance to sound transmission.
Published Identifying a silicon transporter to improve the yield of rice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers identify a membrane transporter in rice that regulates the accumulation and localization of silicon in the leaves.
Published The metabolism of bacteria under the microscope: New method reveals host-microbe interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The fascinating world of bacteria that live as symbionts or parasites in animal hosts often remains a mystery to researchers. A research team has made a breakthrough that provides insights into this mysterious micro-world.
Published Yeast with an over half synthetic genome is created in the lab
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have combined over seven synthetic chromosomes that were made in the lab into a single yeast cell, resulting in a strain with more than 50% synthetic DNA that survives and replicates similarly to wild yeast strains. A global consortium is working to develop the first synthetic eukaryote genome from scratch. The team has now synthesized and debugged all sixteen yeast chromosomes.
Published Scientists one step closer to re-writing world's first synthetic yeast genome, unravelling the fundamental building blocks of life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have engineered a chromosome entirely from scratch that will contribute to the production of the world's first synthetic yeast.
Published Scientists take major step towards completing the world's first synthetic yeast
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of Scientists has completed construction of a synthetic chromosome as part of a major international project to build the world's first synthetic yeast genome. The work represents completion of one of the 16 chromosomes of the yeast genome, which is part of the biggest project ever in synthetic biology; the international synthetic yeast genome collaboration. The collaboration, known as 'Sc2.0' has been a 15-year project involving teams from around the world (UK, US, China, Singapore, UK, France and Australia), working together to make synthetic versions of all of yeast's chromosomes. Alongside this paper, another 9 publications are also released today from other teams describing their synthetic chromosomes. The final completion of the genome project -- the largest synthetic genome ever -- is expected next year.
Published Obesity linked to neurodegeneration through insulin resistance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a link between obesity and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Using the common fruit fly, the research shows that a high-sugar diet -- a hallmark of obesity -- causes insulin resistance in the brain, which in turn reduces the ability to remove neuronal debris, thus increasing the risk of neurodegeneration.