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Categories: Anthropology: General, Biology: Molecular
Published Where did the first sugars come from?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Origin-of-life chemists propose that glyoxylate could have been the original source of sugars on the 'prebiotic' Earth
Published Apes may have evolved upright stature for leaves, not fruit, in open woodland habitats
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Anthropologists have long thought that our ape ancestors evolved an upright torso in order to pick fruit in forests, but new research from the University of Michigan suggests a life in open woodlands and a diet that included leaves drove apes' upright stature.
Published Biologists determine the evolutionary age of individual cell types providing critical insights for animal development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has recently made a significant discovery about the evolutionary age of different type of cells in a small animal called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). By using single-cell transcriptomic data and refined phylostratigraphy, the team determines the transcriptomic age of individual cells, which means they are able to estimate the evolutionary origin of different cells based on the age of the genes expressed in the cells.
Published Oldest bat skeletons ever found described from Wyoming fossils
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have described a new species of bat based on the oldest bat skeletons ever recovered. The study on the extinct bat, which lived in Wyoming about 52 million years ago, supports the idea that bats diversified rapidly on multiple continents during this time.
Published Dairy foods helped ancient Tibetans thrive in one of Earth's most inhospitable environments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The question of how prehistoric populations obtained sustainable food in the barren heights of the Tibetan Plateau has long attracted academic and popular interest. A new study highlights the critical role of dairy pastoralism in opening the plateau up to widespread, long-term human habitation.
Published Study compares de novo proteins with randomly produced proteins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a series of experiments, a team of researchers have compared de novo proteins with random-sequence proteins, looking at their stability and solubility. The results are set to advance basic research in this new field.
Published Oral barrier is similar in ceramide composition to skin barrier
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Acylceramides and protein-bound ceramides are vital for the formation of the oral barrier in mice, similar to their role in skin, protecting from infection.
Published Genes are read faster and more sloppily in old age
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have demonstrated the following findings which apply across the animal kingdom: with increasing age, the transcriptional elongation speed of genes increases, whereby the quality of the gene products suffers. With dietary restrictions, these processes could be reversed.
Published Male yellow crazy ants are real-life chimeras
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discovered that males of the yellow crazy ant have maternal and paternal genomes in different cells of their body and are thus chimeras.
Published Here's how a worm's embryonic cells changed its development potential
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have spotted how specific proteins within the chromosomes of roundworms enable their offspring to produce specialized cells generations later, a startling finding that upends classical thinking that hereditary information for cell differentiation is mostly ingrained within DNA and other genetic factors.
Published Woolly mammoths evolved smaller ears and woolier coats over the 700,000 years that they roamed the Siberian steppes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers compared the genomes of woolly mammoths with modern day elephants to find out what made woolly mammoths unique, both as individuals and as a species. The investigators report that many of the woolly mammoth's trademark features -- including their woolly coats and large fat deposits -- were already genetically encoded in the earliest woolly mammoths, but these and other traits became more defined over the species' 700,000+ year existence. They also identified a gene with several mutations that may have been responsible for the woolly mammoth's miniscule ears.
Published Researchers clear the way for well-rounded view of cellular defects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research investigates how cells divide, particularly in the fibrous environment of living tissue. Cells are typically studied in a flat environment, and the difference between flat and fibrous landscapes opens new windows into the behavior of cells and the diseases that impact them.
Published Broccoli consumption protects gut lining, reduces disease, in mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Broccoli is known to be beneficial to our health. For example, research has shown that increased consumption of the cruciferous vegetable decreases incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes. In a recent study, researchers found that broccoli contains certain molecules that bind to a receptor within mice and help to protect the lining of the small intestine, thereby inhibiting the development of disease. The findings lend support to the idea that broccoli truly is a 'superfood.'
Published Blind dating in bacteria evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers reconstructed long-extinct proteins of a UV protection system of cyanobacteria. The surprising result: the proteins were already compatible with each other when they first met. This discovery expands the knowledge horizon on the rules of evolution.
Published Researchers create embryo-like structures from monkey embryonic stem cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human embryo development and early organ formation remain largely unexplored due to ethical issues surrounding the use of embryos for research as well as limited availability of materials to study. Investigators now report on the creation of embryo-like structures from monkey embryonic stem cells. The investigators also transferred these embryo-like structures into the uteruses of female monkeys and determined that the structures were able to implant and elicit a hormonal response similar to pregnancy.
Published Activating adult-born neurons through deep brain stimulation alleviates Alzheimer's symptoms in rodent models
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source People with Alzheimer's disease develop defects in cognitive functions like memory as well as problems with noncognitive functions that can lead to anxiety and depression. Investigators used mice to study a process through which new neurons are generated in adulthood, called adult hippocampus neurogenesis (AHN). The research showed that deep brain stimulation of new neurons helped restore both cognitive and noncognitive functions in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
Published Humans vs. Bacteria: Differences in ribosome decoding revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have found that human ribosomes decode mRNA slower than bacteria, with implications for drug development.
Published Complex assembly process involved in DNA virus replication
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a twist on the question, 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?', scientists have long faced a similar question about how human adenovirus replicates: 'Which comes first, assembly of the viral particle, or packaging of the viral genome?' Now, in a new study, scientists have answered that question, showing that viral proteins use a process called phase separation to coordinate production of viral progeny.
Published How were amino acids, one of the key building blocks of life, formed before the origin of life on Earth?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The amino acid abundances of two Ryugu particles were measured and compared with their rocky components. The results demonstrate the important role that water plays in the formation of amino acids on the giant precursors of asteroids like Ryugu. Our solar system formed from a molecular cloud, which was composed of gas and dust that was emitted into the interstellar medium (ISM), a vast space between stars. On collapse of the molecular cloud, the early sun was formed, with a large disk of gas and dust orbiting it. The dusty material collided to produce rocky material that would eventually grow in size to give large bodies called planetesimals.
Published Lab-grown fat could give cultured meat real flavor and texture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have successfully bulk-produced fat tissue in the lab that has a similar texture and make-up to naturally occurring fats from animals.