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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Ecology: Animals
Published A quick new way to screen virus proteins for antibiotic properties
(via sciencedaily.com) A whole new world of antibiotics is waiting inside the viruses that infect bacteria. Scientists are making it easier to study them.
Published Minke whales are as small as a lunge-feeding baleen whale can be
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study of Antarctic minke whales reveals a minimum size limit for whales employing the highly efficient 'lunge-feeding' strategy that enabled the blue whale to become the largest animal on Earth.
Published Triggering bitter taste receptors could someday treat asthma, COPD
(via sciencedaily.com) Surprisingly, bitter taste receptors are not only located in the mouth, but also elsewhere in the body, including the airways. Activating those receptors opens up lung passageways, so they're a potential target for treating asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, researchers report that they have designed a potent and selective compound that could lead the way to such therapies.
Published Brown widow spiders' aggression likely driver of black widow decline
(via sciencedaily.com) Black widow spiders have earned a fearsome reputation for their venomous bite. But in parts of the southern United States these spiders have much to fear themselves -- from spider relatives who really don't like their company. In the past couple decades, researchers have noticed black widow spiders being displaced by the brown widow, a fellow species in the same genus. But new research suggests this isn't a simple case of one species winning the competition for food or habitat. Instead, a study shows brown widow spiders have a striking propensity to seek out and kill nearby black widows.
Published Looking for risky viruses now to get ahead of future pandemics
(via sciencedaily.com) Rather than let the next outbreak take the world by surprise, two virologists say that the scientific community should invest in a four-part research framework to proactively identify animal viruses that might infect humans.
Published How to assemble a complete jaw
(via sciencedaily.com) The skeleton, tendons, and glands of a functional jaw all derive from the same population of stem cells, which arise from a cell population known as neural crest. To discover how these neural crest-derived cells know to make the right type of cell in the right location, researchers focused on a particular gene, Nr5a2, that was active in a region of the face that makes tendons and glands, but not skeleton. To understand the role of Nr5a2, the scientists created zebrafish lacking this gene. These mutant zebrafish generated excess cartilage and were missing tendons in their jaws.
Published Remarkable squirting mussels captured on film
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have observed a highly unusual behavior in the endangered freshwater mussel, Unio crassus. The jets disturb the river surface and attract fish. Mussel larvae in the jets can then attach to the gills of the fish and complete their metamorphosis into adults.
Published Migratory birds take breaks to boost their immune system
(via sciencedaily.com) Exercising too much and not getting enough rest is likely bad for your health. A new study shows that the same is true for migratory birds. They need to rest not only to renew their energy levels but also in order to boost their immune system.
Published Standard model of electroporation refuted
(via sciencedaily.com) Strong electric fields can be used to create pores in biomembranes. The method is known as electroporation. Inducing such defects in membranes in a targeted manner is an important technique in medicine and biotechnology, but also in the treatment of foodstuffs.
Published Island-inhabiting giants, dwarfs more vulnerable to extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Island-dwelling mammal species often expand or contract in size, becoming giant or dwarf versions of their mainland counterparts. A new Science study from a global team shows that those giants and dwarfs have faced extreme risk of extinction -- an existential threat exacerbated by the arrival of humans.
Published New insights into cellular 'bridges' shed light on development, disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Most cells in the bodies of living things duplicate their contents and physically separate into new cells through the process of cell division. But across many species, germ cells, those that become eggs or sperm, don't fully separate. They remain interconnected through small bridges called ring canals and cluster together. In a new study, researchers uncover how it is that germ cells in fruit flies form these ring canals, a finding that they say will provide new insights into a widely shared feature of development and into diseases in which cell division is disrupted.
Published eDNA holds the key to safeguarding pollinators amid global declines
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have uncovered new evidence of western pygmy possums interacting with native flowers, providing an eDNA study to simultaneously detect mammal, insect and bird DNA on flowers.
Published Does current shellfish anti-predator gear curb 'crunching' rays?
(via sciencedaily.com) It's not just humans who enjoy eating shellfish, so do marine rays. They like to 'crunch' on clams, which can sometimes take a big bite out of clammers' profits. Using aerial and underwater videos, researchers assessed the ability of the whitespotted eagle ray to interact with clams housed within a variety anti-predator materials. Whitespotted eagle rays have strong jaws, plate-like teeth and nimble pectoral fins, which make them formidable and highly maneuverable predators of clams.
Published Wheat's ancient roots of viral resistance uncovered
(via sciencedaily.com) The DNA sequence of a gene in wheat responsible for resisting a devastating virus has been discovered, providing vital clues for managing more resistant crops and maintaining a healthy food supply.
Published Phage attacks shown in new light
(via sciencedaily.com) New methodology and tools provide an opportunity to watch in unprecedented detail as a phage attacks a bacterium.
Published Rhythmic eating pattern preserves fruit fly muscle function under obese conditions
(via sciencedaily.com) Obese fruit flies are the experimental subjects in a study of the causes of muscle function decline due to obesity. In humans, skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in metabolism, and muscle dysfunction due to human obesity can lead to insulin resistance and reduced energy levels.
Published Toothed whales catch food in the deep using vocal fry
(via sciencedaily.com) Toothed whales, such as dolphins, killer whales and sperm whales communicate and catch food exclusively with sound. Now researchers have for the first time found they evolved a new sound source in their nose that is functionally the same as the human larynx.
Published Animals best to suppress personalities for group efficiency
(via sciencedaily.com) Social animals should limit individuality to conform with the behavior of the group, a study suggests.
Published Biologists, chemical engineers collaborate to reveal complex cellular process inside petunias
(via sciencedaily.com) Once upon a time, prevailing scientific opinion might have pronounced recently published research as unneeded. Now, climate change implications have heightened the need for this line of research. Flowers emit scent chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Earlier this year, a study identified a protein that plays a key role in helping petunias emit volatiles.
Published Case study of rare, endangered tortoise highlights conservation priorities for present, future World Wildlife Days
(via sciencedaily.com) Though wildlife trafficking has been effectively disrupted since the first World Wildlife Day -- established 50 years ago today via the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora -- a newly published case study on one of the world's rarest tortoise species, the ploughshare tortoise, highlights how much room for improvement still exists.