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Categories: Biology: Genetics, Geoscience: Earthquakes
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 Greenland mega-tsunami led to week-long oscillating fjord wave
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In September 2023, a megatsunami in remote eastern Greenland sent seismic waves around the world, piquing the interest of the global research community. The event created a week-long oscillating wave in Dickson Fjord, according to a new report in The Seismic Record.
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 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.
Published Mix of factors prompts owl monkeys to leave their parents
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There comes a point in the lives of young owl monkeys when they leave their parents and strike out on their own to find a mate. In a new study of a wild population of Azara's owl monkeys in northern Argentina, researchers reveal that a combination of social and ecological factors influences when these tree-dwelling monkeys peel away from their parents and siblings. According to their findings -- which were based on 25 years of genetic and demographic data for several generations of owl monkeys, covering more than 330 individuals -- none of the individuals, regardless of their sex, reproduced in the same group where they were born. In all cases, the researchers found, the animals either departed from their natal group or died before reproducing.
Published How ribosomes in our cells enable protein folding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists discovered a role played by ribosomes during the folding of new proteins in cells.
Published Sichuan Province earthquake offers lessons for landslide prediction from GNSS observations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using data collected from a 2022 magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Luding County in China's Sichuan Province, researchers tested whether Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations could be used for rapid prediction of earthquake-triggered landslides.
Published Viral defense protein speeds up female stem cell production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A viral defense mechanism can be used to accelerate the creation of female stem cell lines in mice. The findings can boost efforts in medical research, drug testing, and regenerative therapies, particularly for women and individuals with two X chromosomes.
Published Discovering how plants make life-and-death decisions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered two proteins that work in tandem to control an important response to cell stress.
Published Pesticide contamination is more than apple skin deep
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pesticides and herbicides are critical to ensuring food security worldwide, but these substances can present a safety risk to people who unwittingly ingest them. Protecting human health, therefore, demands sensitive analytical methods to identify even trace levels of potentially harmful substances. Now, researchers have developed a high-tech imaging method to detect pesticide contamination at low levels, and its application on fruits reveals that current food safety practices may be insufficient.
Published Researchers find gene which determines marsupial fur color
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fur is a defining characteristic of mammals, coming in a wide variety of colors and patterns -- thanks to a world-first study, we now know which genes make a marsupial's coat black or grey.
Published Study revisits Texas seismic activity occurring before 2017, confirming connection to wastewater injection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study by seismologists reexamines earthquakes in the Permian Basin that occurred before 2017 against the real-time data collected from earthquakes taking place after 2020. Results confirm that the seismicity occurring from 2009-2017 was causally linked to the underground injection of wastewater that is a byproduct of oil and gas extraction.
Published Horse miscarriages offer clues to causes of early human pregnancy loss
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study of horses -- which share many important similarities with humans in their chromosomes and pregnancies -- revealed that 42% of miscarriages and spontaneous abortions in the first two months of pregnancy were due to complications from an extra set of chromosomes, a condition called triploidy.
Published Study analyzes potato-pathogen 'arms race' after Irish famine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers reveal more about the tit-for-tat evolutionary changes occurring in both potato plants and the pathogen that caused the 1840s Irish potato famine.
Published Seismic detectors measure soil moisture using traffic noise
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using state of the art techniques, researchers use vibrations from traffic to measure underground soil moisture.
Published Cracking the code of life: new AI model learns DNA's hidden language
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With GROVER, a new large language model trained on human DNA, researchers could now attempt to decode the complex information hidden in our genome. GROVER treats human DNA as a text, learning its rules and context to draw functional information about the DNA sequences.
Published Why virus causing cold sores does not spread to devastating brain infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A previously unknown defence mechanism in the brain prevents herpesvirus from infecting the brain's nerve cells.