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

Novel lipopeptide proves lethal against Staphylococcus areus      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers provide the first insight into the mode of action of the lipopeptide serrawettin W2-FL10, derived from Serratia marcescens. This lipopeptide targets the cell membrane of S. aureus, causing lesions which result in the leakage of intracellular components and ultimately cell death.

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

Marsupials key to discovering the origin of heater organs in mammals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Around 100 million years ago, a remarkable evolutionary shift allowed placental mammals to diversify and conquer many cold regions of our planet. New research shows that the typical mammalian heater organ, brown fat, evolved exclusively in modern placental mammals. The research team demonstrated that marsupials, our distant relatives, possess a not fully evolved form of brown fat. They discovered that the pivotal heat-producing protein called UCP1 became active after the divergence of placental and marsupial mammals. This finding is crucial for understanding the role of brown fat in mammalian evolution, endothermy, and metabolism.

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

New technique reveals how gene transcription is coordinated in cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers invented a technique that allows them to observe which genes and enhancers are active in a cell at the same time. This could help them determine which enhancers control which genes and may reveal potential new drug targets for genetic disorders.

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

Father's diet before conception influences children's health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study provides new insights into how fathers' diets and overweight can affect their children's health even before conception. The findings of the study can help develop preventive health measures for men wishing to become fathers: The healthier the father's diet, the lower the risk for their children to develop obesity or diseases such as diabetes later in life.

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

Exercising during pregnancy normalizes eating behaviors in offspring from obese mice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Maternal obesity impacts the eating behaviors of offspring via long-term overexpression of the microRNA miR-505-5p, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Key nutrients help plants beat the heat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered some of the molecular mechanisms controlling how plants -- including important crops like soybean and rice -- will respond to rising global temperatures, finding higher temperatures make root systems grow faster, but sustaining this increased growth speed depends on high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. The discoveries point to the necessity of nitrogen and phosphorus-rich soil to promote crop growth and create nutritious crops, in addition to aiding a mission to create more resilient crops in the face of climate change.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Groundbreaking progress in quantum physics: How quantum field theories decay and fission      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has sparked interest in the scientific community with results in quantum physics. In their current study, the researchers reinterpret the Higgs mechanism, which gives elementary particles mass and triggers phase transitions, using the concept of 'magnetic quivers.'

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

The coldest lab in New York has new quantum offering      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists describe the successful creation of a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). Made up of dipolar sodium-cesium molecules that were cooled with the help of microwave shielding to just 5 nanoKelvin and lasted for up to two seconds, the new molecular BEC will help scientists explore a number of different quantum phenomena, including new types of superfluidity, and enable the creation of quantum simulators to ecreate the enigmatic properties of complex materials, like solid crystals.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General
Published

Paving the way for hydrogen from algae enzymes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Under certain conditions, some algae are able to produce hydrogen -- a much sought-after green energy source. Its production takes place in the unique catalytic center of the unicellular algae and is only possible if certain cofactors of the relevant proteins are present. Researchers have identified how such a cofactor, the so-called hydrogen cluster, is assembled. Specifically, they describe the previously unexplained role of the enzyme HydF, which is involved in the final steps of assembly.

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

Researchers discover 'trojan horse' virus hiding in human parasite      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team has found a new RNA virus that they believe is hitching a ride with a common human parasite. The virus is associated with severe inflammation in humans infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, leading the team to hypothesize that it exacerbates toxoplasmosis disease.

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

The world's most powerful anti-fungal chemistries cause fungal pathogens to self-destruct      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered that the most widely-used class of antifungals in the world cause pathogens to self-destruct. The research could help improve ways to protect food security and human lives.

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

New, modified CRISPR protein can fit inside virus used for gene therapy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a novel version of a key CRISPR gene-editing protein that shows efficient editing activity and is small enough to be packaged within a non-pathogenic virus that can deliver it to target cells.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

The thinnest lens on Earth, enabled by excitons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lenses are used to bend and focus light. Normal lenses rely on their curved shape to achieve this effect, but physicists have made a flat lens of only three atoms thick which relies on quantum effects. This type of lens could be used in future augmented reality glasses.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers expose new symbiosis origin theories, identify experimental systems for plant life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research work on symbiosis -- a mutually beneficial relationship between living organisms -- is pushing back against the newer theory of a 'single-origin' of root nodule symbiosis (RNS) -- that all symbiosis between plant root nodules and nitrogen-fixing bacteria stems from one point--instead suggesting a 'multiple-origin' theory of sybiosis which opens a better understanding for genetically engineering crops.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Theoretical quantum speedup with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers demonstrated a quantum algorithmic speedup with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm, laying the groundwork for advancements in telecommunications, financial modeling, materials science and more.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published

Modular, scalable hardware architecture for a quantum computer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers demonstrated a scalable, modular hardware platform that integrates thousands of interconnected qubits onto a customized integrated circuit. This 'quantum-system-on-chip' (QSoC) architecture enables them to precisely tune and control a dense array of qubits.

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

hnRNPM, a guardian of the integrity of cellular protein production      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that the protein hnRNPM prevents the cell from making mistakes while it is producing new proteins, which helps maintain the integrity of this vital process.

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

Editing without 'cutting': Molecular mechanisms of new gene-editing tool revealed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has determined the spatial structure of various processes of a novel gene-editing tool called 'prime editor.' Functional analysis based on these structures also revealed how a 'prime editor' could achieve reverse transcription, synthesizing DNA from RNA, without 'cutting' both strands of the double helix. Clarifying these molecular mechanisms contributes greatly to designing gene-editing tools accurate enough for gene therapy treatments.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Chicken feathers to deliver chemotherapy drugs and repair enzymes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new method of drug delivery using proline, an amino acid found in chicken feathers and skin tissue, could be used to limit the side effects of chemotherapy and repair important enzymes, new research suggests.