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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Space: The Solar System
Published Toxic algae blooms: Study assesses potential health hazards to humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Water samples from 20 sites were tested using a panel of immortalized human cell lines corresponding to the liver, kidney and brain to measure cytotoxicity. Results show that each control toxin induced a consistent pattern of cytotoxicity in the panel of human cell lines assayed. Known toxins were seen only during blooms. Because cell toxicity was seen in the absence of blooms, it suggests that there might be either emergent toxins or a combination of toxins present at those times. Findings suggest that other toxins with the potential to be harmful to human health may be present in the lagoon.
Published NASA's Webb discovers dusty 'cat's tail' in Beta Pictoris System
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Beta Pictoris, a young planetary system located just 63 light-years away, continues to intrigue scientists even after decades of in-depth study. It possesses the first dust disk imaged around another star -- a disk of debris produced by collisions between asteroids, comets, and planetesimals. Observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope revealed a second debris disk in this system, inclined with respect to the outer disk, which was seen first. Now, a team of astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to image the Beta Pictoris system (Beta Pic) has discovered a new, previously unseen structure.
Published A new type of plant metalloreductase maintains root growth under low phosphorus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Phosphorus is essential for undisturbed plant growth and development. However, in many soils, phosphorus is only poorly available. One mechanism used by plants to increase phosphorus availability is the release of malate, an organic acid, which can form complexes with iron or aluminium in the soil, thereby liberating sorbed phosphate. However, this response can also result in iron overaccumulation, which can inhibit root growth.
Published NASA's Webb finds signs of possible aurorae on isolated brown dwarf
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have found a brown dwarf (an object more massive than Jupiter but smaller than a star) with infrared emission from methane, likely due to energy in its upper atmosphere. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf, W1935, is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source for the upper atmosphere energy. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae.
Published Smart skin bacteria are able to secrete and produce molecules to treat acne
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experimental study has shown that a type of skin bacterium can efficiently be engineered to produce a protein to regulate sebum production. This application could treat acne without compromising the homeostasis of the entire skin microbiome.
Published Meteorite analysis shows Earth's building blocks contained water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Analysis of iron meteorites from the earliest years of the solar system indicate that the planetary 'seeds' that ultimately formed Earth contained water.
Published Large-scale mapping of pig genes could pave the way for new human medicines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have carried out complex genetic analyses of hundreds of pigs and humans to identify differences and similarities. This new knowledge can be used to ensure healthier pigs for farmers and can help the pharmaceutical industry breed better laboratory pigs for testing new medicines.
Published Life span increases in mice when specific brain cells are activated
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study identifies, in mice, a critical communication pathway connecting the brain and the body's fat tissue in a feedback loop that appears central to energy production throughout the body. The research suggests that the gradual deterioration of this feedback loop contributes to the increasing health problems that are typical of natural aging.
Published Researchers discover molecular 'barcode' used by bacteria to secrete toxins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a molecular 'barcode' system used by disease-causing bacteria to distinguish between beneficial and toxic molecules.
Published Three iron rings in a planet-forming disk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have detected a three-ringed structure in the nursery of planets in the inner planet-forming disk of a young star. This configuration suggests two Jupiter-mass planets are forming in the gaps between the rings. The detailed analysis is consistent with abundant solid iron grains complementing the dust composition. As a result, the disk likely harbors metals and minerals akin to those in the Solar System's terrestrial planets. It offers a glimpse into conditions resembling the early Solar System over four billion years ago during the formation of rocky planets such as Mercury, Venus, and Earth.
Published Important membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside the bacterium transports the substance to the 'elevator' and unloads its cargo there. The freight elevator transports it to the inside of the cell, in other words to another floor.
Published New images reveal what Neptune and Uranus really look like
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Neptune is fondly known for being a rich blue and Uranus green -- but a new study has revealed that the two ice giants are actually far closer in color than typically thought. The correct shades of the planets have now been confirmed.
Published New roles for autophagy genes in cellular waste management and aging
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Autophagy, which declines with age, may hold more mysteries than researchers previously suspected. Scientists have now uncovered possible novel functions for various autophagy genes, which may control different forms of disposal including misfolded proteins -- and ultimately affect aging.
Published The surprisingly resourceful ways bacteria thrive in the human gut
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that some groups of bacteria in the gut are amazingly resourceful, with a large repertoire of genes that help them generate energy for themselves and potentially influence human health as well.
Published Scientists solve mystery of how predatory bacteria recognizes prey
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A decades-old mystery of how natural antimicrobial predatory bacteria are able to recognize and kill other bacteria may have been solved, according to new research.
Published Nematode proteins shed light on infertility
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists developed a method for illuminating the intricate interactions of the synaptonemal complex in the nematode C. elegans. The authors identified a trio of protein segments that guide chromosomal interactions, and pinpointed the location where they interact with each other. Their novel method uses a technique known as genetic suppressor screening, which can serve as a blueprint for research on large cellular assemblies that resist traditional structural analysis.
Published Study reveals clues to how Eastern equine encephalitis virus invades brain cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have determined how Eastern equine encephalitis virus attaches to a receptor it uses to enter and infect cells. The findings laid the groundwork for a receptor decoy molecule that protects mice from encephalitis caused by the virus.
Published Bacteria load their syringes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many bacterial pathogens use small injection apparatuses to manipulate the cells of their hosts, such as humans, so that they can spread throughout the body. To do this, they need to fill their syringes with the relevant injection agent. A technique that tracks the individual movement of proteins revealed how bacteria accomplish this challenging task.
Published New reasons eating less fat should be one of your resolutions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study to motivate your New Year's resolutions: it demonstrates that high-fat diets negatively impact genes linked not only to obesity, colon cancer and irritable bowels, but also to the immune system and brain function.
Published Is oxygen the cosmic key to alien technology?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astrophysicists outline the links between atmospheric oxygen and the potential rise of advanced technology on distant planets.