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Categories: Biology: General, Biology: Genetics
Published New reasons eating less fat should be one of your resolutions



A new study to motivate your New Year's resolutions: it demonstrates that high-fat diets negatively impact genes linked not only to obesity, colon cancer and irritable bowels, but also to the immune system and brain function.
Published Midbrain awakens gift of gab in chatty midshipman fish



For talkative midshipman fish -- sometimes called the 'California singing fish' -- the midbrain plays a robust role in initiating and patterning of sounds used in vocal communication.
Published 'Juvenile T. rex' fossils are a distinct species of small tyrannosaur



A new analysis of fossils believed to be juveniles of T. rex now shows they were adults of a small tyrannosaur, with narrower jaws, longer legs, and bigger arms than T. rex. The species, Nanotyrannus lancensis, was first named decades ago but later reinterpreted as a young T. rex. The new study shows Nanotyrannus was a smaller, longer-armed relative of T. rex, with a narrower snout.
Published Elusive cytonemes guide neural development, provide signaling 'express route'



Discover the first images of cytonemes during mammalian neural development, serving as express routes to establish morphogen gradients and tissue patterning.
Published Ants recognize infected wounds and treat them with antibiotics



The African Matabele ants are often injured in fights with termites. Their conspecifics recognize when the wounds become infected and initiate antibiotic treatment.
Published First step towards synthetic CO2 fixation in living cells



Three modules forming a new-to-nature CO2 fixation cycle have been successfully implemented in E.coli.
Published New reptile on the block: A new iguana species discovered in China



Researchers have identified a new iguana species, Wang's garden lizard (Calotes wangi), in southern China and northern Vietnam. This species, part of the Calotes versicolor complex, was discovered through extensive surveys conducted from 2009 to 2022. Measuring less than 9 cm with an orange tongue, it inhabits subtropical and tropical forests, thriving in various landscapes including urban areas.
Published Reindeer sleep while chewing their cud



Researchers report that the more time reindeer spend ruminating, the less time they spend in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. EEG recordings revealed that reindeer's brainwaves during rumination resemble the brain waves present during non-REM sleep, and these brainwave patterns suggest that the reindeer are more 'rested' after ruminating. The researchers speculate that this multitasking might help reindeer get enough sleep during the summer months, when food is abundant and reindeer feed almost 24/7 in preparation for the long and food-sparse arctic winter.
Published Stinky, bitter, and painful: A novel insect repellent attacks multiple sensory pathways



Researchers found that a Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) A1 stimulant, 2-methylthiazoline (2MT), act as a potent insect repellent in Drosophila. 2MT induces aversive behaviors via olfactory, gustatory, and nociceptive sensory pathways. 2MT acts on TRPA1 through specific cysteine residues that are conserved across many insect pest species.
Published Big impacts from small changes in cell



Tiny things matter -- for instance, one amino acid can completely alter the architecture of the cell. Researchers have now investigated the structure and mechanics of the main component of the cytoskeleton of the cell: a protein known as actin. Actin is found in all living cells where it has a range of important functions -- from muscle contraction to cell signalling and cell shape. This protein comes in two different varieties termed 'isoforms', which are known as gamma actin and beta actin.
Published Polymers that can kill bacteria



Scientists have created a new family of polymers capable of killing bacteria without inducing antibiotic resistance -- a major step in the fight against superbugs like E. coli and MRSA.
Published How jellyfish regenerate functional tentacles in days



At about the size of a pinkie nail, the jellyfish species Cladonema can regenerate an amputated tentacle in two to three days -- but how? Regenerating functional tissue across species, including salamanders and insects, relies on the ability to form a blastema, a clump of undifferentiated cells that can repair damage and grow into the missing appendage. Jellyfish, along with other cnidarians such as corals and sea anemones, exhibit high regeneration abilities, but how they form the critical blastema has remained a mystery until now.
Published How technology and economics can help save endangered species



A lot has changed in the world since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted 50 years ago in December 1973. Experts are now discuss how the ESA has evolved and what its future might hold.
Published Researchers map how measles virus spreads in human brain



Researchers mapped how the measles virus mutated and spread in the brain of a person who succumbed to a rare, lethal brain disease. New cases of this disease, which is a complication of the measles virus, may occur as measles reemerges among the unvaccinated, say researchers.
Published GPCR structure: Research reveals molecular origins of function for a key drug target



Scientists reveal how G protein-coupled receptors, major therapeutic drug targets, decode critical properties of their ligands.
Published Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs from Southeast Asia



A new study identifies five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs from Southeast Asia. The study used DNA analysis and physical characteristics to describe two entirely new species of soft-furred hedgehogs and elevate three subspecies to the level of species.
Published New tool unifies single-cell data



A new methodology that allows for the categorization and organization of single-cell data has been launched. It can be used to create a harmonized dataset for the study of human health and disease.
Published Location, location, location: The hidden power of intracellular neighborhoods



New findings provide details about the hidden organization of the cytoplasm, showing it makes a big difference where in that cellular broth that messenger RNA (mRNA) get translated into proteins. The findings hold promise for increasing or altering the production of proteins in mRNA vaccines and therapies.
Published Inside the matrix: Nanoscale patterns revealed within model research organism



Following years of research and the power of a technologically advanced instrument, scientists have detailed the complex nanoscale exoskeleton patterns of the roundworm, a model laboratory organism, revealing clues about how skin layers are bound together.
Published The future of canine stem cell therapy: unprecedented, painless, and feeder-free



Scientists have developed an efficient, non-invasive, and pain-free method to generate canine-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). They identified six reprogramming genes that can boost canine iPSC generation by 120 times compared to conventional methods using fibroblasts. The iPSCs were created from urine-derived cells without the need for feeder cells, an impossible feat until now. Their findings are expected to advance regenerative medicine and genetic disease research in veterinary medicine.