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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Biology: Evolutionary
Published Scientists may have cracked the 'aging process' in species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research shows the relationship between a species' age and its risk of going extinct could be accurately predicted by an ecological model called the 'neutral theory of biodiversity.'
Published Bat 'nightclubs' may be the key to solving the next pandemic
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are studying how bats can carry deadly viruses, but not develop symptoms. They found that what happens during swarming behavior -- like social gatherings for bats -- may hold the key to understanding their viral tolerance and translate to human health in fighting off diseases like Ebola and COVID-19.
Published Toxoplasmosis: Evolution of infection machinery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a protein that evolved concurrently with the emergence of cellular compartments crucial for the multiplication of the toxoplasmosis pathogen.
Published Big new idea introduced with the help of tiny plankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new model bridges the rules of life at the individual scale and the ecosystem level, which could open new avenues of exploration in ecology, global change biology, and ultimately ecosystem management.
Published Asexual propagation of crop plants gets closer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When the female gametes in plants become fertilized, a signal from the sperm activates cell division, leading to the formation of new plant seeds. This activation can also be deliberately triggered without fertilization, as researchers have shown. Their findings open up new avenues for the asexual propagation of crop plants.
Published Ancient retroviruses played a key role in the evolution of vertebrate brains
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that ancient viruses may be to thank for myelin -- and, by extension, our large, complex brains. The team found that a retrovirus-derived genetic element or 'retrotransposon' is essential for myelin production in mammals, amphibians, and fish. The gene sequence, which they dubbed 'RetroMyelin,' is likely a result of ancient viral infection, and comparisons of RetroMyelin in mammals, amphibians, and fish suggest that retroviral infection and genome-invasion events occurred separately in each of these groups.
Published A lighthouse in the Gobi desert
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.
Published Team creates novel rabies viral vectors for neural circuit mapping
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has created 20 new recombinant rabies viral vectors for neural circuit mapping that offer a range of significant advantages over existing tools, including the ability to detect microstructural changes in models of aging and Alzheimer's disease brain neurons.
Published Key genes linked to DNA damage and human disease uncovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists unveil 145 genes vital for genome health, and possible strategies to curb progression of human genomic disorders.
Published Tawny owl's pale grey color linked to vital functions ensuring survival in extreme conditions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent genetic discovery has revealed that the pale grey plumage of the tawny owl is linked to crucial functions that aid the bird's survival in cold environments. As global temperatures rise, dark brown plumage is likely to become more common in tawny owls living in colder areas.
Published Pesticides to help protect seeds can adversely affect earthworms' health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While pesticides protect crops from hungry animals, pesky insects, or even microbial infections, they also impact other vital organisms, including bees and earthworms. And today, research reveals that worms are affected by the relatively small amounts of chemicals that can leach out of pesticide-treated seeds. Exposure to nonlethal amounts of these insecticides and fungicides resulted in poor weight gain and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in the worms.
Published Interactions between flu subtypes predict epidemic severity more than virus evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shed new light on how viral evolution, population immunity, and the co-circulation of other flu viruses shape seasonal flu epidemics.
Published Why do flies fall in love? Researchers tease out the signals behind fruit fly courtship songs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have pinpointed the group of neurons in the nerve cord -- a structure analogous to our spinal cord -- that produce and pattern the fly's two major courtship songs. They've also measured neuronal activity in these cells while flies were singing to understand how these neurons control each type of song.
Published Nutrients direct intestinal stem cell function and affect aging
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The capacity of intestinal stem cells to maintain cellular balance in the gut decreases upon aging. Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and aging. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the aging gut.
Published The hidden rule for flight feathers -- and how it could reveal which dinosaurs could fly
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists examined hundreds of birds in museum collections and discovered a suite of feather characteristics that all flying birds have in common. These 'rules' provide clues as to how the dinosaur ancestors of modern birds first evolved the ability to fly, and which dinosaurs were capable of flight.
Published New research uncovers biological drivers of heart disease risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over the past 15 years, researchers have identified hundreds of regions in the human genome associated with heart attack risk. However, researchers lack efficient ways to explore how these genetic variants are molecularly connected to cardiovascular disease, limiting efforts to develop therapeutics. To streamline analysis of hundreds of genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), a team of researchers combined multiple sequencing and experimental techniques to map the relationship between known CAD variants and the biological pathways they impact.
Published Dinosaurs' success helped by specialized stance and gait, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dinosaurs' range of locomotion made them incredibly adaptable, researchers have found.
Published Researchers discover key to molecular mystery of how plants respond to changing conditions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers recently published a pioneering study that answers a central question in biology: how do organisms rally a wide range of cellular processes when they encounter a change -- either internally or in the external environment -- to thrive in good times or survive the bad times? The research, focused on plants, identifies the interactions between four compounds: pectin, receptor proteins FERONIA and LLG1 and the signal RALF peptide.
Published Microfluidic environments alter microbe behaviors, opening potential for engineering social evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research group explored how the social evolution of microbes can be manipulated by tuning the physical parameters of the environment in which they live.
Published Scientists develop new biocontainment method for industrial organisms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new biocontainment method for limiting the escape of genetically engineered organisms used in industrial processes.