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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Biology: Molecular
Published 'Shocking' discovery: Electricity from electric eels may transfer genetic material to nearby animals



Researchers have discovered that electric eels can alter the genes of tiny fish larvae with their electric shock. Their findings help to better understand electroporation, a method by which genes can be transported using electricity.
Published Sugar permeation discovered in plant aquaporins



Aquaporins, which move water through membranes of plant cells, were not thought to be able to permeate sugar molecules, but researchers have observed sucrose transport in plant aquaporins for the first time, challenging this theory.
Published Macrophages 'eat' insulin-producing cells to regulate insulin after mice have given birth



Pregnancy brings a rise in pancreatic beta cells -- the cells that produce insulin. Shortly after birth, these cells return to their normal levels. The mechanisms behind this process had remained a mystery. But now a research group has revealed that white blood cells called macrophages 'eat' these cells.
Published More than 100 'magic mushroom' genomes point the way to new cultivars



Scientists have amassed genome data for dozens of 'magic mushroom' isolates and cultivars, with the goal to learn more about how their domestication and cultivation has changed them. The findings may point the way to the production of intriguing new cultivars, say the researchers.
Published Researchers have cracked the cellular code on protein folding, offering hope for new therapeutic avenues for many diseases



While we often think of diseases as caused by foreign bodies -- bacteria or viruses -- there are hundreds of diseases affecting humans that result from errors in cellular production of its proteins. A team of researchers recently leveraged the power of cutting-edge technology, including an innovative technique called glycoproteomics, to unlock the carbohydrate-based code that governs how certain classes of proteins form themselves into the complex shapes necessary to keep us healthy.
Published New technique efficiently offers insight into gene regulation



Researchers have developed a new technique called MAbID. This allows them to simultaneously study different mechanisms of gene regulation, which plays a major role in development and disease. MAbID offers new insights into how these mechanisms work together or against each other.
Published Unlocking the secret strength of marine mussels



How do you create strong, yet quick-release connections between living and non-living tissues? This is a question that continues to puzzle bioengineers who aim to create materials that bond together for advanced biomedical applications. Looking to nature for inspiration, this research zeroed in on the marine mussel byssus, a fibrous holdfast, which these bivalve mollusks use to anchor themselves in seashore habitats.
Published Shedding light on the synthesis of sugars before the origin of life



Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability on early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable. Now, researchers reveal a chemical pathway compatible with early Earth conditions, by which C6 aldonates could have acted as a source of pentoses without the need for enzymes. Their findings provide clues about primitive biochemistry and bring us closer to understanding life's origin.
Published Armed to the hilt: Study solves mystery behind bacteria's extensive weaponry



A new study tackles the mystery of why bacteria often carry diverse ranges of weapons. The findings show that different weapons are best suited to different competition scenarios. Short-range weapons help bacteria to invade established communities; long-range weapons are useful once established.
Published Clever dosage control mechanism of biallelic genes



Researchers have uncovered a mechanism that safeguards the biallelic expression of haploinsufficient genes, shedding light on the importance of having two copies of each chromosome. A study identified the epigenetic regulator MSL2 an 'anti-monoallelic' factor that maintains biallelic gene dosage. This discovery not only reveals a communication system between parental alleles but also points to potential therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with haploinsufficient genes.
Published Key protein in blood vessel's growth identified



New research identifies the class II PI3K-C2b protein, a member of the PI3 family of kinases, as one of the key regulators of blood vessels growth in humans and other mammals. Mutations in these family of proteins may lead to vascular malformations and the precise understanding of the whole process is instrumental in opening the door to new therapeutic approaches in the future.
Published Researchers decipher enzyme scissors of intestinal microbes



Fruit and vegetables contain a variety of plant natural products such as flavonoids, which give fruits their colour and are said to have health-promoting properties. Most plant natural products occur in nature as glycosides, i.e. chemical compounds with sugars. In order for humans to absorb the healthy plant natural products, the sugar must be split off in the intestine. Microorganisms in the intestinal flora help to speed up the process. So-called C-glycosides, i.e. plant natural products with a carbon-based bond to a sugar, would even be practically indigestible without the intestinal microbes (e.g. nothofagin in rooibos tea).
Published Releasing brakes on biocatalysis



Enzymes from microorganisms can produce hydrogen (H2) under certain conditions, which makes them potential biocatalysts for biobased H2 technologies. In order to make this hydrogen production efficient, researchers are trying to identify and eliminate possible limiting factors. These include formaldehyde, which occurs naturally as a metabolic product in cells and inhibits the particularly efficient [FeFe] hydrogenase.
Published Tracing the evolution of the 'little brain'



The evolution of higher cognitive functions in humans has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex. Researchers are increasingly realizing, however, that the 'little brain' or cerebellum also expanded during evolution and probably contributes to the capacities unique to humans. A research team has now generated comprehensive genetic maps of the development of cells in the cerebella of human, mouse and opossum. Comparisons of these maps reveal both ancestral and species-specific cellular and molecular characteristics of cerebellum development.
Published Nano-sized cell particles are promising intervention tool in treating infectious diseases



Extracellular vesicles were found to inhibit the viral infection of COVID-19 and potentially other infectious diseases.
Published Scientists harness flower 'super power' to pave the way for new drug treatments



Researchers have developed a way of joining up the head and tail of a protein, making it more stable and easier to get into cells.
Published Scientist discovers potential brain link between stress, emotional eating



Scientists describe how they identified a molecule that may trigger over-consumption of comfort foods after a threatening event.
Published Scientists find both potential threats and promising resources in the thriving colonies of bacteria and fungi on ocean plastic trash



Scientists have found both potential threats and promising resources in the thriving colonies of bacteria and fungi on plastic trash washed up on shores.
Published New clues into the head-scratching mystery of itch



Scientists show for the first time that bacteria can cause itch by activating nerve cells in the skin. The findings can inform new therapies to treat itch that occurs in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.
Published Nutrient found in beef and dairy improves immune response to cancer



Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), a long-chain fatty acid found in meat and dairy products from grazing animals such as cows and sheep, improves the ability of CD8+ T cells to infiltrate tumors and kill cancer cells, according to a new study.