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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Ecology: Sea Life
Published Cattle on low-protein rations may need amino acid supplement to boost milk yield
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When dairy cows are fed diets with reduced protein concentrations -- aimed at decreased environmental nitrogen pollution from their manure such as nitrate leaching, nutrient-laden run-off and ammonia volatilization -- their milk production can suffer. Supplementing the amino acid histidine may help in maintaining, and even increasing, milk and milk-protein yields.
Published First U.S. study of nest temperature impacts on leatherback hatchlings
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study shows nest temperatures affect leatherback hatchling shape, performance and nest success. Lower temperatures produced longer hatchlings; highest temperatures produced hatchlings with thicker body depths. Hatchlings from the highest nest temperatures had shorter flippers. Righting response (ability to flip over) scores were significantly lower in hatchlings from hotter nests. Hatchlings that were smaller and/or had a larger body depth struggled to right themselves. The leatherback turtle nests in this study also had an overall lower hatching success (45 percent) than loggerhead (73 percent) and green sea turtles (70 percent).
Published New compound unleashes the immune system on metastases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new nanocomplex renders a tumor harmless -- and, on top of that, it trains the immune system to detect and eliminate metastases.
Published Keeping herpes in check
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Herpes is not only unpleasant but it can, in some cases, also have dangerous complications and life-threatening consequences. A research team has now introduced a completely new approach for treating herpes. Their method is based on the inhibition of an enzyme that is needed for the release of newly formed virus particles from infected cells.
Published Study illuminates mechanism that annotates genetic information passed from fathers to offspring
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have identified a key part of a mechanism that annotates genetic information before it is passed from fathers to their offspring. The findings shed new light on genomic imprinting, a fundamental, biological process in which a gene from one parent is switched off while the copy from the other parent remains active. Errors in imprinting are linked to a host of diseases, such as the rare disease Silver-Russell syndrome along with certain cancers and diabetes.
Published Immune cells move more independently than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human immune cells are capable of coordinating their own movement more independently than previously thought. Researchers discovered that immune cells do not just passively follow the chemical cues in their environment. Quite the contrary, they can also shape these cues and navigate in complex environments in a self-organized manner.
Published Unveiling the mechanism of 3D folding of cell sheets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has revealed that the Dumpy protein, a component of extracellular matrices -- or ECM -- is the key factor in regulating the stereotypic origami-like folding of wing-cell sheets. Their findings that wing cells never divide during folding nor do they exhibit spatially distinct behaviors suggest how external cues can create consistent 3D tissue structures.
Published Fossil spines reveal deep sea's past
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought.
Published New ribozyme can make RNA molecules accessible for click chemistry in living cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Important progress for RNA research: A team has discovered a new ribozyme that can label RNA molecules in living cells.
Published Bird flu is undergoing changes that could increase the risk of widespread human transmission
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has shown that a subtype of avian flu virus, endemic in poultry farms in China, is undergoing mutational changes, which could increase the risk of the disease being passed on to humans.
Published Deciphering the 'highway code' of our cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cancers, degenerative diseases: deregulation of our cells' internal communication pathways is at the root of many conditions. Microtubules -- microscopic protein filaments -- play a crucial role in controlling these exchanges. However, their mechanisms remain poorly understood. A team has identified a new mechanism, involving two proteins, that governs their growth. The discovery opens up unprecedented prospects for the development of new treatments that can act at the very heart of cells.
Published Immune cells shape their own path
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When fighting disease, our immune cells need to reach their target quickly. Researchers have now discovered that immune cells actively generate their own guidance system to navigate through complex environments. This challenges earlier notions about these movements. The researchers' findings enhance our knowledge of the immune system and offer potential new approaches to improve human immune response.
Published Scientists unpick how lung cells induce immune response to influenza
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered some new and surprising ways that viral RNA and influenza virus are detected by human lung cells, which has potential implications for treating people affected by such viruses.
Published Mutation rates in whales are much higher than previously reported
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of marine scientists has studied the DNA of family groups from four different whale species to estimate their mutation rates. Using the newly determined rates, the group found that the number of humpback whales in the North Atlantic before whaling was 86 percent lower than earlier studies suggested.
Published Coastal fisheries show surprising resilience to marine heat waves
(via sciencedaily.com) New research found that marine heat waves -- prolonged periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures -- haven't had a lasting effect on the fish communities that feed most of the world. The finding is in stark contrast to the devastating effects seen on other marine ecosystems cataloged by scientists after similar periods of warming, including widespread coral bleaching and harmful algal blooms.
Published How some ion channels form structures permitting drug delivery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A member of an important class of ion channel proteins can transiently rearrange itself into a larger structure with dramatically altered properties, according to a new study. The discovery is a significant advance in cell biology, likely solves a long-standing mystery about an unusual feature of some ion channels and has implications for the development of drugs targeting these proteins and for drug delivery.
Published Rare 14-ft smalltooth sand tiger shark washes up on Irish coast
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists believe a huge 14ft smalltooth sand tiger shark, which washed up at Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, earlier this year, represents the first of its species to have been found in Ireland's waters. Two other individuals of the same species also washed up on the UK coastline, suggesting this species' geographic range has shifted. The scientists believe these rare finds may offer a window into the future, with more and more species traditionally confined to more tropical waters expected to visit Irish and British waters.
Published Bacteria treatment reduces insulin resistance, protects against diabetes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a type of gut bacteria that might help improve insulin resistance, and thus protect against the development of obesity and type-2 diabetes. The study involved genetic and metabolic analysis of human fecal microbiomes and then corroborating experiments in obese mice.
Published Newly engineered versions of bacterial enzyme reveal how antibiotics could be more potent
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers applied a new technology to generate the full inventory of mutations in the bacterial species Escherichia coli where the antibiotic rifampicin attaches to and disables an essential bacterial enzyme known as RNA polymerase (RNAP).
Published Enhancing cancer therapy using functionalized photosynthetic bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Selective targeting of cancerous cells poses major clinical challenges during cancer therapy. However, this limitation can be overcome by using bioengineered bacteria with highly optimized chemical modifications. A recent study demonstrates the use of chemically modified purple photosynthetic bacteria for the successful detection and elimination of colon cancer cells in a mouse model. The study also sheds light on the underlying mechanism of action.