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

Study links 'stuck' stem cells to hair turning gray      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Certain stem cells have a unique ability to move between growth compartments in hair follicles, but get stuck as people age and so lose their ability to mature and maintain hair color, a new study shows.

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

Loops, flags and tension in DNA      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two protein complexes carry the major responsibility for the spatial organization of chromosomes in our cell nuclei. DNA tension plays a surprising role in this. Nanoscientists now publish how they have visualized this.

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

New mechanism for DNA folding      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A hitherto unknown mechanism for DNA folding is described in a new study. The findings provide new insights into chromosomal processes that are vital to both normal development and to prevent disease.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Novel nanocages for delivery of small interfering RNAs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are novel therapeutics that can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. This has led to a growing demand for selective, efficient, and safe ways of delivering siRNA in cells. Now, in a cooperation between the Universities of Amsterdam and Leiden, researchers have developed dedicated molecular nanocages for siRNA delivery. In a paper just out in the Journal Chem they present nanocages that are easy to prepare and display tuneable siRNA delivery characteristics.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

SpyLigation uses light to switch on proteins      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists can now use light to activate protein functions both inside and outside of living cells. The new method, called light-activated SpyLigation, can turn on proteins that are normally off to allow researchers to study and control them in more detail. This technology has potential uses in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and understanding how the body works. The scientists applied their new method to control the glow of a green fluorescent protein derived from Japanese eel muscle.

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

New genetic target for male contraception identified      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Discovery of a gene in multiple mammalian species could pave the way for a highly effective, reversible and non-hormonal male contraceptive for humans and animals. Researchers identified expression of the gene, Arrdc5, in the testicular tissue of mice, pigs, cattle and humans. When they knocked out the gene in mice, it created infertility only in the males, impacting their sperm count, movement and shape.

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

Molecular 'Superpower' of antibiotic-resistant bacteria      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A species of ordinary gut bacteria that we all carry flourishes when the intestinal flora is knocked out by a course of antibiotics. Since the bacteria is naturally resistant to many antibiotics, it causes problems, particularly in healthcare settings. A study now shows how two molecular mechanisms can work together make the bacterium extra resistant.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Researchers help AI express uncertainty to improve health monitoring tech      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of engineering and health researchers has developed a tool that improves the ability of electronic devices to detect when a human patient is coughing, which has applications in health monitoring. The new tool relies on an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that helps the AI better identify uncertainty when faced with unexpected data in real-world situations.

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

How a virus causes chromosomal breakage, leading to cancer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers describe how the Epstein-Barr virus exploits genomic weaknesses to cause cancer while reducing the body's ability to suppress it.

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

Where did the first sugars come from?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Origin-of-life chemists propose that glyoxylate could have been the original source of sugars on the 'prebiotic' Earth

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology
Published

Hairs that help fish feel -- and humans hear      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists are reporting a discovery about unexpected asymmetry on the hair cells of zebrafish that allow them to detect movement with greater sensitivity from the back than the front.

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

Biologists determine the evolutionary age of individual cell types providing critical insights for animal development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has recently made a significant discovery about the evolutionary age of different type of cells in a small animal called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). By using single-cell transcriptomic data and refined phylostratigraphy, the team determines the transcriptomic age of individual cells, which means they are able to estimate the evolutionary origin of different cells based on the age of the genes expressed in the cells.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life
Published

How skates learned to fly through water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Genes are not the only drivers of evolution. The iconic fins of skates are caused by changes in the non-coding genome and its three-dimensional structure, an international research team reports.

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

Oral barrier is similar in ceramide composition to skin barrier      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Acylceramides and protein-bound ceramides are vital for the formation of the oral barrier in mice, similar to their role in skin, protecting from infection.

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

Genes are read faster and more sloppily in old age      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have demonstrated the following findings which apply across the animal kingdom: with increasing age, the transcriptional elongation speed of genes increases, whereby the quality of the gene products suffers. With dietary restrictions, these processes could be reversed.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Earth Science
Published

British flower study reveals surprise about plants' sex life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study of Britain's native flowering plants has led to new insights into the mysterious process that allows wild plants to breed across species -- one of plants' most powerful evolutionary forces.  When wild flowering plants are sizing up others they may often end up in a marriage between close relatives rather than neighbors, a new study has revealed.

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

Stow­aways in the genome      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered over 30,000 viruses by using the high-performance computer cluster 'Leo' and sophisticated detective work. The viruses hide in the DNA of unicellular organisms. In some cases, up to 10% of microbial DNA consists of built-in viruses.

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

Your baby's gut is crawling with unknown viruses      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Babies tumble about with more than 200 previously unknown viral families within their intestines. This large number comes as a surprise to researchers, who closely studied the diapers of 647 Danish babies and made this mapping. These viruses most likely play an important role in protecting children from chronic diseases.