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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Environmental: Water

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Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Fungal-rich soil may improve green roofs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Green roofs have become increasingly popular thanks to their benefits related to climate adaptation, mitigation, and urban biodiversity management. But, in the U.S., green roofs are typically planted with non-native plants in sterile soils, and their effectiveness declines over time. A new study finds that managing green roof soil microbes boosts healthy urban soil development, which is a methodology that could be applied to support climate resilience in cities.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How seahorse-like toxins kill insects      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Insect-killing bacteria typically release toxins to slay their hosts. The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, for example, pumps insect larvae full of the lethal 'Makes caterpillars floppy 1' (Mcf1) toxin, leading them to first become droopy and then dead. However, it has so far been a mystery how Mcf1 unfolds its devastating effect. Researchers successfully used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and biochemical assays to characterize the first-ever Mcf1 structure, allowing them to propose a molecular mechanism of the toxin's action. Understanding how bacterial toxins perform their deadly task in such detail is very useful for engineering novel biopesticides, thereby reducing the use of barely specific chemical agents with harmful side effects for the ecosystem.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

As sea otters recolonize California estuary, they restore its degraded geology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As sea otters recolonize a California estuary, they are restoring its degraded geology by keeping populations of overgrazing marsh crabs in check, a new study shows. The crabs' appetite for plant roots, and their tunneling behavior had caused many of the estuary's marshes and creekbanks to erode and collapse in the otters' absence. Today, erosion has slowed by up to 90% in areas with large otter populations and marshes and streambeds are restabilizing.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Using computers to design proteins allows researchers to make tunable hydrogels that can form both inside and outside of cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research demonstrates a new class of hydrogels that can form not just outside cells, but also inside of them. These hydrogels exhibited similar mechanical properties both inside and outside of cells, providing researchers with a new tool to group proteins together inside of cells.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: General
Published

Asparagus and orchids are more similar than you think      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

How is a beech leaf constructed? What determines the appearance of an asparagus? A new 'encyclopaedia' helps us learn more about the building blocks of plants. The encyclopaedia, probably the largest of its kind, could be used to improve targeted plant breeding efforts, to make them both more climate-resilient and more easily digestible.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Using CRISPR technology, researchers succeed in growing tomatoes that consume less water without compromising yield      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have succeeded in cultivating and characterizing tomato varieties with higher water use efficiency without compromising yield. The researchers, employing CRISPR genetic editing technology, were able to grow tomatoes that consume less water while preserving yield, quality, and taste.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

'Genomic time machine' reveals secrets of our DNA      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers reveal a novel method to uncover bits of our genetic blueprint that come from ancient genetic parasites, offering fresh insights into human evolution and health.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

A non-allergenic wheat protein for growing better cultivated meat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the world's population increases, cultivated or lab-grown meat -- animal muscle and fat cells grown in laboratory conditions -- has emerged as a potential way to satisfy future protein needs. And edible, inexpensive plant proteins could be used to grow these cell cultures. Now, researchers report that the non-allergenic wheat protein glutenin successfully grew striated muscle layers and flat fat layers, which could be combined to produce meat-like textures.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Compounding risks of atmospheric river storms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When storms hit back-to-back, the flooding -- and economic damages -- are even worse than expected.

Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Rising sea levels could lead to more methane emitted from wetlands      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A Bay Area wetlands ecosystem that was expected to serve as a carbon sink is emitting surprisingly high levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The study suggests factors governing carbon cycles in these habitats are even more complex than we thought.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

How obesity dismantles our mitochondria      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that when mice were fed a high-fat diet, mitochondria within their fat cells broke apart and were less able to burn fat, leading to weight gain. They also found they could reverse the effect by targeting a single gene, suggesting a new treatment strategy for obesity.

Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

How waves and mixing drive coastal upwelling systems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Large coastal upwelling systems along the eastern margins of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are among the most biologically productive and biodiverse regions of the world's oceans. Typically, the strength and timing of upwelling in such systems are linked to the prevailing winds. Interestingly, in some tropical regions, high levels of productivity occur even when the upwelling favorable winds are weak.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Trees
Published

Soap bark discovery offers a sustainability booster for the global vaccine market      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A valuable molecule sourced from the soapbark tree and used as a key ingredient in vaccines, has been replicated in an alternative plant host for the first time, opening unprecedented opportunities for the vaccine industry.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Graphene Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Coal-based product could replace sand in concrete      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study found that graphene derived from metallurgical coke, a coal-based product, through flash Joule heating could serve not only as a reinforcing additive in cement but also as a replacement for sand in concrete.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

How HIV smuggles its genetic material into the cell nucleus      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Around one million individuals worldwide become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, each year. To replicate and spread the infection, the virus must smuggle its genetic material into the cell nucleus and integrate it into a chromosome. Research teams have now discovered that its capsid has evolved into a molecular transporter. As such, it can directly breach a crucial barrier, which normally protects the cell nucleus against viral invaders. This way of smuggling keeps the viral genome invisible to anti-viral sensors in the cytoplasm.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Permeable pavements could reduce coho-killing tire pollutants      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The pore-like structure of permeable pavements may help protect coho salmon by preventing tire wear particles and related contaminants from entering stormwater runoff, according to a recent study. Researchers demonstrated that four types of permeable pavements can act as giant filters, retaining more than 96% of applied tire particle mass. They also captured several tire-associated chemicals, resulting in a 68% average reduction of 6PPD-quinone, a contaminant shown to kill coho salmon in urban streams.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

How macrophages regulate regenerative healing in spiny mice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers is delving deeper into the science behind how spiny mice can regenerate lost tissue and using what they learn to trigger regeneration in other types of mice -- advances which one day may be translated into humans. Whereas adult laboratory mice heal injuries with scar tissue, spiny mice have the unique ability to regrow lost skin and regenerate musculoskeletal tissues in their body.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Women exposed to toxic metals may experience earlier aging of their ovaries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Middle-aged women who are exposed to toxic metals may have fewer eggs in their ovaries as they approach menopause, according to new research.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Cellular scaffolding rewired to make microscopic railways      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers were able to control the growth of thin, branching networks that support cellular structure and help cells function. The networks, called microtubules, can exert force and precisely transport chemicals at a subcellular level.