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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Ecology: Endangered Species
Published Scientists discover small RNA that regulates bacterial infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified the major mechanism behind the transition between chronic and acute P. aeruginosa infections. Their research findings can inform the development of future treatments for life-threatening acute infections.
Published First illustration of the molecular machinery that makes cilia beat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first image of the structures that power human cilia -- the tiny, hairlike projections that line our airways -- has now been produced and it could lead to much-needed treatments for people with rare cilial diseases.
Published Hotter sand from microplastics could affect sea turtle development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has found that extreme concentrations of microplastics could increase the temperature of beach sand enough to threaten the development of incubating sea turtles.
Published Plant remediation effects on petroleum contamination
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Initial choices about fertilization and grass seeding could have a long-lasting effect on how plants and their associated microbes break down pollution in petroleum-contaminated soils.
Published Lost giants: New study reveals the abundance decline of African megafauna
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A groundbreaking new paper focuses on the size and abundance of living and fossil African large mammals, shedding light on the ecological dynamics behind the decline of these iconic creatures. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the causes of megafaunal extinctions in Africa and provide new insights into the restructuring of ecosystems over millions of years.
Published When water temperatures change, the molecular motors of cephalopods do too
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Working with live squid hatchlings, scientists find the animals can tune their proteome on the fly in response to changes in ocean temperature via the unique process of RNA recoding. The findings inspire new questions about basic protein function.
Published Study unravels the mysteries of actin filament polarity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An electron microscopy study revealed key details of actin filaments, which are essential structural elements of cells and muscles.
Published Team finds reliable predictor of plant species persistence, coexistence
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ecological scientists have long sought ways to measure and predict how specific plant communities will fare over time. Which species in a diverse population will persist and coexist? Which will decline? What factors might contribute to continuing biodiversity? Researchers report on a new method for determining whether pairs or groups of plant species are likely to coexist over time.
Published Octopuses rewire their brains to adapt to seasonal temperature shifts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Octopuses don't thermoregulate, so their powerful brains are exposed to -- and potentially threatened by -- changes in temperature. Researchers report that two-spot octopuses adapt to seasonal temperature shifts by producing different neural proteins under warm versus cool conditions. The octopuses achieve this by editing their RNA, the messenger molecule between DNA and proteins. This rewiring likely protects their brains, and the researchers suspect that this unusual strategy is used widely amongst octopuses and squid.
Published A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research shows that the natural peptide, called drosocin, protects fruit flies from bacterial infections by binding to ribosomes in bacteria. Once bound, drosocin prevents the ribosome from making new proteins.
Published Saving moths may be just as important as saving the bees
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees, and should also be the focus of conservation and protection efforts, a new study suggests.
Published Muscle fibers: An unexpected organization revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have just made the unexpected discovery of a novel organization of muscle fibers in Parophidion vassali, a fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and, like many fish, uses specialized muscles to produce sounds. This is an important discovery that could well change our understanding of muscle contraction.
Published How studying feces may help us boost white rhino populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not reproduced successfully in captivity. The work raises questions about the role that a particular genus of gut microbes may be playing in limiting captive breeding of this rhinoceros species.
Published Fungi stores a third of carbon from fossil fuel emissions and could be essential to reaching net zero, new study reveals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mycorrhizal fungi are responsible for holding up to 36 per cent of yearly global fossil fuel emissions below ground -- more than China emits each year.
Published Genomes of 233 primate species sequenced
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers from 24 countries have analyzed the genomes of 809 individuals from 233 primate species, generating the most complete catalog of genomic information about our closest relatives to date. The project provides new insights into the evolution of primates, including humans, and their diversity. In baboons, for example, hybridization and gene flow between different species occurred in the past and is still ongoing in several regions of their range. This makes baboons a good model for the evolution of early human lineages within and outside Africa. In addition, using a specially designed AI algorithm, the genomic data enable new insights into the genetic causes of human diseases.
Published New class of antibiotics to fight resistant bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Health professionals are in urgent need of new antibiotics to tackle resistant bacteria. Researchers have now modified the chemical structure of naturally occurring peptides to develop antimicrobial molecules that bind to novel targets in the bacteria's metabolism.
Published Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi may use similar molecular tools to manipulate plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and don't share many genetic similarities. Comparing plant pathogenic fungi and plant symbiotic fungi, scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) have discovered that these remote relatives are using a similar group of proteins to manipulate and live within plants.
Published DNA damage repaired by antioxidant enzymes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In crisis, the nucleus calls antioxidant enzymes to the rescue. The nucleus being metabolically active is a profound paradigm shift with implications for cancer research.
Published Engineers report low-cost human biomarker sensor designs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a low-cost, RNA-based technology to detect and measure biomarkers, which can help decode the body's physiology. The presence of protein biomarkers can indicate chronic or acute conditions, from arthritis to cancer to bacterial infections, for which conventional tests can cost anywhere from $100 to upwards of $1,000. The new technology can perform the same measurement for about a dollar.
Published Forest birds with short, round wings more sensitive to habitat fragmentation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tropical forest birds, which tend to have wings that are short and round relative to their body length and shape, are more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than the long-, slender-winged species common in temperate forests.