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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Biology: Genetics
Published Reduce, reuse, 're-fly-cle'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Black soldier flies are now commercially used to consume organic waste -- but genetic modifications proposed by bioscientists could see the insects digesting a wider variety of refuse, while also creating raw ingredients for industry.
Published Starvation and adhesion drive formation of keratinocyte patterns in skin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cell-cell adhesion-induced patterning in keratinocytes can be explained by just starvation and strong adhesion researchers find.
Published Study reveals oleoyl-ACP-hydrolase underpins lethal respiratory viral disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Respiratory infections can be severe, even deadly, in some individuals, but not in others. Scientists have gained new understanding of why this is the case by uncovering an early molecular driver that underpins fatal disease. Oleoyl-ACP-hydrolase (OLAH) is an enzyme involved in fatty acid metabolism. A study shows that OLAH drives severe disease outcomes.
Published Researchers ID body's 'quality control' regulator for protein folding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Anyone who's tried to neatly gather a fitted sheet can tell you: folding is hard. Get it wrong with your laundry and the result can be a crumpled, wrinkled mess of fabric, but when folding fails among the approximately 7,000 proteins with an origami-like complexity that regulate essential cellular functions, the result can lead to one of a multitude of serious diseases ranging from emphysema and cystic fibrosis to Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, our bodies have a quality-control system that identifies misfolded proteins and marks them either for additional folding work or destruction, but how, exactly, this quality-control process functions is not entirely known. Researchers have now made a major leap forward in our understanding of how this quality-control system works by discovering the 'hot spot' where all the action takes place.
Published Low magnesium levels increase disease risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders.
Published How mortal filaments' self-assemble and maintain order: Align or die
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A previously unknown mechanism of active matter self-organization essential for bacterial cell division follows the motto 'dying to align': Misaligned filaments 'die' spontaneously to form a ring structure at the center of the dividing cell. The work could find applications in developing synthetic self-healing materials.
Published Taking a 'one in a million' shot to tackle dopamine-linked brain disorders
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With the help of a tiny, transparent worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers have identified novel players in dopamine signaling by taking advantage of a powerful platform generated via the Million Mutation Project (MMP) for the rapid identification of mutant genes based on their functional impact. They can seek insights from simpler organisms whose genes bear striking similarity to those found in humans and where opportunities for genetic insights to disease can be pursued more efficiently and inexpensively.
Published An appetizer can stimulate immune cells' appetite, a boon for cancer treatments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The body has a veritable army constantly on guard to keep us safe from microscopic threats from infections to cancer. Chief among this force is the macrophage, a white blood cell that surveils tissues and consumes pathogens, debris, dead cells, and cancer. Macrophages have a delicate task. It's crucial that they ignore healthy cells while on patrol, otherwise they could trigger an autoimmune response while performing their duties.
Published New genetically engineered wood can store carbon and reduce emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers genetically modified poplar trees to produce high-performance, structural wood without the use of chemicals or energy intensive processing.
Published A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A key question that remains in biology and biophysics is how three-dimensional tissue shapes emerge during animal development. Research teams have now found a mechanism by which tissues can be 'programmed' to transition from a flat state to a three-dimensional shape.
Published New two-step flu vaccine strategy shows promise in pig model
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new, two-step flu vaccination strategy that pairs intramuscular injection of a viral vectored flu vaccine with nasal spray administration of a novel attenuated live flu virus appears to be safe and effective in pigs, researchers report.
Published Largest protein yet discovered builds algal toxins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While seeking to unravel how marine algae create their chemically complex toxins, scientists have discovered the largest protein yet identified in biology. Uncovering the biological machinery the algae evolved to make its intricate toxin also revealed previously unknown strategies for assembling chemicals, which could unlock the development of new medicines and materials.
Published Machine learning approach helps researchers design better gene-delivery vehicles for gene therapy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Gene therapy could potentially cure genetic diseases but it remains a challenge to package and deliver new genes to specific cells safely and effectively. Existing methods of engineering one of the most commonly used gene-delivery vehicles, adeno-associated viruses (AAV), are often slow and inefficient. Now, researchers have developed a machine-learning approach that promises to speed up AAV engineering for gene therapy. The tool helps researchers engineer the protein shells of AAVs, called capsids, to have multiple desirable traits, such as the ability to deliver cargo to a specific organ but not others or to work in multiple species. Other methods only look for capsids that have one trait at a time.
Published Bacteria encode hidden genes outside their genome--do we?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A 'loopy' discovery in bacteria is raising fundamental questions about the makeup of our own genome -- and revealing a potential wellspring of material for new genetic therapies.
Published Researchers develop AI model that predicts the accuracy of protein--DNA binding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new artificial intelligence model can predict how different proteins may bind to DNA.
Published Researchers make breakthrough in understanding species abundance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The key finding was that temperature and genome size, not body size, had the greatest influence on the maximum population growth rate of the diatoms. Yet body size still mattered in colder latitudes, conserving Bermann's Rule.
Published Researchers crack a key celiac mystery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An interdisciplinary team of medical and engineering researchers has spent the last six years working to unlock a significant piece of the puzzle in the search for a cure: how and where the gluten response begins.
Published 3D bioprinting advances research on respiratory viruses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers develop a microstructured 'artificial lung' model using bioprinting technology.
Published Microscopy technique 'paves way' for improving understanding of cellular functions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a new way of counting labelled proteins in living cells that could become a standard and valuable tool in the field of biomedical research.
Published Unlocking the secrets of salt stress tolerance in wild tomatoes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As our climate changes and soil salinity increases in many agricultural areas, finding crops that can thrive in these challenging conditions is crucial. Cultivated tomatoes, while delicious, often struggle in salty soils. Their wild cousins, however, have evolved to survive in diverse and often harsh environments. A recent study delved into the genetic treasure trove of wild tomatoes to uncover secrets of salt tolerance that could be used to develop resilient crop varieties.