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Categories: Biology: Genetics
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.
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.
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.
Published Complete X and Y chromosome sequences of living great ape species determined
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Newly generated, complete genomes for the sex chromosomes of six primate species may inform conservation of these endangered species and shed light on sex-related genetic diseases in both humans and our closest living relatives.
Published Scientists identify gene that could lead to resilient 'pixie' corn
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as a key transporter of a hormone that influences the size of corn. The discovery offers plant breeders a new tool to develop desirable dwarf varieties that could enhance the crop's resilience and profitability.
Published Bringing back an ancient bird
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using ancient DNA extracted from the toe bone of a museum specimen, biologists have sequenced the genome of an extinct, flightless bird called the little bush moa, shedding light into an unknown corner of avian genetic history. The work is the first complete genetic map of the turkey-sized bird whose distant living cousins include the ostrich, emu, and kiwi.
Published Mechanisms for selective multiple sclerosis treatment strategy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated how B cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can contribute to a pathogenic, inflammatory phenotype that contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS); the group has also shown how these problematic B cells can be selectively targeted in a way that reduces the damaging autoimmune response of multiple sclerosis.
Published 'Cloaked' proteins deliver cancer-killing therapeutics into cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have designed a way to 'cloak' proteins in a generalized technique that could lead to repurposing things like antibodies for biological research and therapeutic applications.
Published Genetic mosaicism more common than thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers found that approximately one in 40 human bone marrow cells carry massive chromosomal alterations without causing any apparent disease or abnormality. Even so-called normal cells carry all sorts of genetic mutations, meaning there are more genetic differences between individual cells in our bodies than between different human beings. The discovery was enabled by a single-cell sequencing technology called Strand-seq, a unique DNA sequencing technique that can reveal subtle details of genomes in single cells that are too difficult to detect with other methods.
Published How killifish embryos use suspended animation to survive over 8 months of drought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The African turquoise killifish lives in ephemeral ponds in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To survive the annual dry season, the fish's embryos enter a state of extreme suspended animation or 'diapause' for approximately 8 months. Now, researchers have uncovered the mechanisms that enabled the killifish to evolve this extreme survival state.
Published Investigating the origin of circatidal rhythms in freshwater snails
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails adapt to tidal environments. These findings highlight the flexibility of biological clocks, enabling organisms to adjust their rhythms according to the environment.
Published Key role of plant-bacteria communication for the assembly of a healthy plant microbiome supporting sustainable plant nutrition
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In an interdisciplinary study, researchers discovered that symbiotic bacteria communicate with legume plants through specific molecules and that this communication influences which bacteria grow near the plant roots. The findings provide insights into how plants and soil bacteria form beneficial partnerships for nutrient uptake and resilience. These results are a step towards understanding how communication between plants and soil bacteria can lead to specific beneficial associations providing plants with nutrients.
Published New 'atlas' provides unprecedented insights on how genes function in early embryo development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have provided new insights on a longstanding puzzle in biology: How complex organisms arise from a single fertilized cell. Producing a new 'gene atlas' with 4-D imaging, the researchers captured unprecedented insights on how embryonic development unfolds.
Published Novel approach to interrogate tissue-specific protein-protein interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Multicellular organisms, like animals and plants, have complex cells with diverse functions. This complexity arises from the need for cells to produce distinct proteins that interact with each other. This interaction is crucial for cells to carry out their specific tasks and to form complex molecular machinery. However, our current understanding of such protein-protein interactions often lacks cellular contexts because they were usually studied in an in vitro system or in cells isolated from their tissue environment. Effective methods to investigate protein-protein interactions in a tissue-specific manner are largely missing.
Published Tracking down the genetic causes of lupus to personalize treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Treatment of autoimmune diseases like lupus has long relied on steroids to knock down the immune system, but more targeted therapies are currently undergoing clinical trials. To make sure these therapies get to the patients who will benefit, work is needed to identify the specific mutations behind each patient's disease. Researchers now report several dozen mutations associated with oversensitive toll-like receptors -- a major cause of autoimmune disease -- and linked two mutations to patients.
Published Sexual parasitism helped anglerfish invade the deep sea during a time of global warming
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Members of the vertebrate group including anglerfishes are unique in possessing a characteristic known as sexual parasitism, in which males temporarily attach or permanently fuse with females to mate. Now, researchers show that sexual parasitism arose during a time of major global warming and rapid transition for anglerfishes from the ocean floor to the deep, open sea.
Published Gene could unlock big wheat yields for a growing population
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study has discovered molecular pathways regulated by a gene traditionally used to control wheat-flowering behavior could be altered to achieve greater yields.
Published Exploring diversity in cell division
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animals and fungi predominantly use two different modes of cell division -- called open and closed mitosis, respectively. A new study has shown that different species of Ichthyosporea -- marine protists that are close relatives of both animals and fungi -- use either open and closed mitosis, closely correlated to whether the species has multinucleate life cycle stages. The study demonstrates the way animals do cell division might have evolved long before animals themselves did and how this is linked to an organism's life cycle.
Published Sweet move: a modified sugar enhances antisense oligonucleotide safety and efficacy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers found that adding a newly developed modified sugar, BNAP-AEO, to gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) increased their affinity for target RNAs, thus significantly enhancing their gene-silencing effects in vitro and in vivo. The BNAP-AEO modification also decreased gapmer ASO toxicity to the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that it could improve the clinical application of ASO treatment of CNS disease.
Published Roots are a key to drought-tolerant maize
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Maize can grow successfully in very different local conditions. An international study has now demonstrated the important role of the plant root system. The researchers analyzed more than 9,000 varieties in the study and were able to show that their roots varied considerably -- depending on how dry the location is where each variety was cultivated. They were also able to identify an important gene that plays a role in the plant's ability to adapt. This gene could be the key to developing varieties of maize that cope better with climate change.