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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Energy: Nuclear
Published Nuclear spectroscopy breakthrough could rewrite the fundamental constants of nature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Raising the energy state of an atom's nucleus using a laser, or exciting it, would enable development of the most accurate atomic clocks ever to exist. This has been hard to do because electrons, which surround the nucleus, react easily with light, increasing the amount of light needed to reach the nucleus. By causing the electrons to bond with fluorine in a transparent crystal, UCLA physicists have finally succeeded in exciting the neutrons in a thorium atom's nucleus using a moderate amount of laser light. This accomplishment means that measurements of time, gravity and other fields that are currently performed using atomic electrons can be made with orders of magnitude higher accuracy.
Published Bacteria detected in tattoo and permanent makeup inks, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study detected both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in tattoo and permanent makeup inks.
Published Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The study provides a detailed map of the 3'UTR regions of RNA in C. elegans. 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) are segments of RNA involved in gene regulation.
Published An ant that selectively amputates the infected limbs of wounded sisters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Saving lives through surgery is no longer exclusive to humans. Scientists now detail how Florida carpenter ants, a common, brown species native to its namesake, selectively treat the wounded limbs of fellow nestmates -- either by wound cleaning or amputation. When experimentally testing the effectiveness of these 'treatments,' not only did they aid in recovery, but the research team found the ants' choice of care catered to the type of injury presented to them.
Published Study illuminates cues algae use to 'listen' to their environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows how a small group of single-celled algae are able to use chemical cues to communicate stress information. Understanding this ability, once thought unique to plants, helps illuminate the complex evolutionary history of plants and algae.
Published Shrinking glaciers: Microscopic fungi enhance soil carbon storage in new landscapes created by shrinking Arctic glaciers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Shrinking glaciers expose new land in the Arctic, creating unique ecosystems. Researchers studied how microbes colonize these barren landscapes. The study reveals a crucial role for specific fungal species in capturing and storing carbon in the newly formed soil. These findings suggest fungi are essential for future carbon storage in the Arctic as glaciers continue to recede.
Published Degradation of cell wall key in the spread of antibiotic resistance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study provides new clues in the understanding of how antibiotic resistance spreads. The study shows how an enzyme breaks down the bacteria's protective outer layer, the cell wall, and thus facilitates the transfer of genes for resistance to antibiotics.
Published Researchers thwart resistant bacteria's strategy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria are experts at evolving resistance to antibiotics. One resistance strategy is to cover their cell walls in sticky and gooey biofilm that antibiotics cannot penetrate. A new discovery could put a stop to this strategy.
Published This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for its ability to tolerate drought conditions, but researchers now report that it can also survive freezing temperatures as low as 196 C, high levels of gamma radiation, and simulated Martian conditions involving these three stressors combined. In all cases, prior dehydration seemed to help the plants cope.
Published New mathematical model sheds light on the absence of breastfeeding in male mammals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mathematicians ave put forward a hypothesis which suggests that the reason male mammals don't breastfeed might be driven by the rich community of microbes that lives in breast milk and which plays an important part in establishing the gut microbiome of the infant.
Published Long-standing marine mystery solved: How algae get nitrogen to grow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists shed light on an unexpected partnership: A marine diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean. This symbiosis likely plays a key role for global marine nitrogen fixation and productivity, and thus uptake of carbon dioxide. The newly-discovered bacterial symbiont is closely related to the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia which live in partnership with many crop plants and may also open up new avenues for engineering nitrogen-fixing plants.
Published To protect corals from summer heatwaves, we should help their microbial symbionts evolve heat tolerance in the lab
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most coral reef restoration efforts involve restocking reefs with nursery-grown corals. However, if these corals are of the same stock as their wild counterparts, they will be equally vulnerable to the heat stress that caused the bleaching event in the first place. Researchers discuss the potential of improving corals' chances by inducing the evolution of heat tolerance in their symbionts -- the mutualistic microbes that provide corals with nutrients in exchange for shelter and that are expelled during coral bleaching.
Published Bird flu stays stable on milking equipment for at least one hour
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source H5N1 virus in unpasteurized milk is stable on metal and rubber components of commercial milking equipment for at least one hour, increasing its potential to infect people and other animals.
Published A promising weapon against measles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What happens when measles virus meets a human cell? The viral machinery unfolds in just the right way to reveal key pieces that let it fuse itself into the host cell membrane.
Published Under pressure: How comb jellies have adapted to life at the bottom of the ocean
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have studied the cell membranes of ctenophores ('comb jellies') and found they had unique lipid structures that allow them to live under intense pressure.
Published Why the harsh Snowball Earth kick-started our earliest multicellular ancestors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Why did multicellularity arise? Solving that mystery may help pinpoint life on other planets and explain the vast diversity and complexity seen on Earth today, from sea sponges to redwoods to human society. A new article shows how specific physical conditions -- especially ocean viscosity and resource deprivation -- during the global glaciation period known as Snowball Earth could have driven eukaryotes to turn multicellular.
Published Cell division: Before commitment, a very long engagement
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Before a cell commits fully to the process of dividing itself into two new cells, it may ensure the appropriateness of its commitment by staying for many hours -- sometimes more than a day -- in a reversible intermediate state, according to a new discovery. Their revelation of this fundamental feature of biology includes details of its mechanisms and dynamics, which may inform the development of future therapies targeting cancers and other diseases.
Published New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve agriculture sustainability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research had the goal of reducing the time and cost it takes to bring an improved crop to the marketplace to improve agriculture sustainability.
Published Unlocking the world of bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria possess unique traits with great potential for benefiting society. However, current genetic engineering methods to harness these advantages are limited to a small fraction of bacterial species. A team has now introduced a novel approach that can make many more bacteria amenable to genetic engineering. Their method, called IMPRINT, uses cell-free systems to enhance DNA transformation across various bacterial strains.
Published The on-and-off affair in DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that in thale cresses histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9) methylation, conventionally thought to be a mark of turning off gene transcription, can also turn on gene expression via the interactions of two other proteins and histone marks. The molecular mechanisms demonstrate that rather than functioning as a simple 'off switch,' H3K9 methylation is more like a 'dimmer switch' that fine-tunes DNA transcription. The discovery suggests there might be similar mechanisms in other organisms, too.