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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Engineering: Biometric
Published First illustration of the molecular machinery that makes cilia beat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first image of the structures that power human cilia -- the tiny, hairlike projections that line our airways -- has now been produced and it could lead to much-needed treatments for people with rare cilial diseases.
Published Scientists investigate the evolution of animal developmental mechanisms, show how some of Earth's earliest animals evolved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Lacking bones, brains, and even a complete gut, the body plans of simple animals like sea anemones appear to have little in common with humans and their vertebrate kin. Nevertheless, new research shows that appearances can be deceiving, and that a common genetic toolkit can be deployed in different ways to drive embryological development to produce very different adult body plans. It is well established that sea anemones, corals, and their jellyfish relatives shared a common ancestor with humans that plied the Earth's ancient oceans over 600 million years ago. A new study from the Gibson Lab, published in Current Biology on June 13, 2023, illuminates the genetic basis for body plan development in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. This new knowledge paints a vivid picture of how some of the earliest animals on earth progressed from egg to embryo to adult.
Published CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive could suppress agricultural pests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have now used a gene-drive system to suppress an important agricultural pest.
Published Breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment with the help of a virus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are describing the results of a recent clinical trial -- a breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment with the help of a modified cold virus injected directly into the tumor. When combined with an immunotherapy drug, the authors observed a subset of patients that appeared to be living longer as a result of this therapy.
Published Vaccine against deadly chytrid fungus primes frog microbiome for future exposure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study found that a new vaccine against the deadly chytrid fungus in frogs can shift the composition of the microbiome, making frogs more resilient to future exposure to the fungus.
Published Climate change: Rising rainfall, not temperatures, threaten giraffe survival
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Giraffes in the East African savannahs are adapting surprisingly well to the rising temperatures caused by climate change. However, they are threatened by increasingly heavy rainfall, as researchers have shown.
Published When water temperatures change, the molecular motors of cephalopods do too
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Working with live squid hatchlings, scientists find the animals can tune their proteome on the fly in response to changes in ocean temperature via the unique process of RNA recoding. The findings inspire new questions about basic protein function.
Published Dentists identify new bacterial species involved in tooth decay
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large study in children reveals Selenomonas sputigena as a key partner of Streptococcus in cavity formation.
Published Octopuses rewire their brains to adapt to seasonal temperature shifts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Octopuses don't thermoregulate, so their powerful brains are exposed to -- and potentially threatened by -- changes in temperature. Researchers report that two-spot octopuses adapt to seasonal temperature shifts by producing different neural proteins under warm versus cool conditions. The octopuses achieve this by editing their RNA, the messenger molecule between DNA and proteins. This rewiring likely protects their brains, and the researchers suspect that this unusual strategy is used widely amongst octopuses and squid.
Published Water molecules define the materials around us
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new paper argues that materials like wood, bacteria, and fungi belong to a newly identified class of matter, 'hydration solids.' The new findings emerged from ongoing research into the strange behavior of spores, dormant bacterial cells.
Published Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today.
Published To groom or not to groom: 'Triage' in the ant kingdom
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Social ants are masters of cooperative disease defense. They collectively take care of each other to prevent the spread of infections within a colony. But how does an individual ant know whom it should groom? A multidisciplinary team of researchers combined experimental and theoretical approaches to get a detailed look into ants' sanitary decision-making.
Published Coral disease tripled in the last 25 years. Three-quarters will likely be diseased by next century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research suggests warming temperatures will see nearly 80 per cent of coral in reefs diseased in the next 80 years.
Published Biological clocks of people and malaria parasites tick in tune
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Could the next weapon against malaria come from a better understanding of biological clocks? A new study shows that malaria parasites sync their gene activity with the circadian rhythms of their host, like two pendulum clocks with synchronized swings. If scientists can identify the molecular signals behind this mysterious synchronicity, they might be able to develop new anti-malarial drugs that throw malaria's internal clock out of step with its host, essentially 'jet-lagging' the parasites.
Published A compound from fruit flies could lead to new antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research shows that the natural peptide, called drosocin, protects fruit flies from bacterial infections by binding to ribosomes in bacteria. Once bound, drosocin prevents the ribosome from making new proteins.
Published Viruses hidden in coral symbiont's genetic material are a potential threat to reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Microscopic algae that corals need for survival harbor a common and possibly disease-causing virus in their genetic material.
Published Robot 'chef' learns to recreate recipes from watching food videos
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have trained a robotic 'chef' to watch and learn from cooking videos, and recreate the dish itself.
Published Muscle fibers: An unexpected organization revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have just made the unexpected discovery of a novel organization of muscle fibers in Parophidion vassali, a fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and, like many fish, uses specialized muscles to produce sounds. This is an important discovery that could well change our understanding of muscle contraction.
Published Previously unknown antibiotic resistance widespread among bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics are much more widespread in our environment than was previously realized. A new study shows that bacteria in almost all environments carry resistance genes, with a risk of them spreading and aggravating the problem of bacterial infections that are untreatable with antibiotics.
Published How studying feces may help us boost white rhino populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not reproduced successfully in captivity. The work raises questions about the role that a particular genus of gut microbes may be playing in limiting captive breeding of this rhinoceros species.