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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Computer Science: General
Published Engineered Bacteria make thermally stable plastics similar to polystyrene and PET
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bioengineers around the world have been working to create plastic-producing microbes that could replace the petroleum-based plastics industry. Now, researchers have overcome a major hurdle: getting bacteria to produce polymers that contain ring-like structures, which make the plastics more rigid and thermally stable. Because these molecules are usually toxic to microorganisms, the researchers had to construct a novel metabolic pathway that would enable the E. coli bacteria to both produce and tolerate the accumulation of the polymer and the building blocks it is composed of. The resulting polymer is biodegradable and has physical properties that could lend it to biomedical applications such as drug delivery, though more research is needed.
Published Benefits and downside of fasting
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers identified a signaling pathway in mice that boosts intestinal stem cells' regeneration abilities after fasting. When cancerous mutations occurred during this regenerative period, mice were more likely to develop early-stage intestinal tumors.
Published Gut bioelectricity provides a path for 'bad' bacteria to cause diseases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a novel bioelectrical mechanism that pathogens like Salmonella use to find entry points in the gut lining that would allow pathogens to pass and cause infection.
Published Hospital bacteria tracked better than ever before with new technique
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New method provides high-resolution surveillance data about multiple common antibiotic-resistant bacteria at once and could help prevent the spread of infections.
Published Mother's gut microbiome during pregnancy shapes baby's brain development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother's gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus.
Published How early-life antibiotics turn immunity into allergy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown how and why the depletion of microbes in a newborn's gut by antibiotics can lead to lifelong respiratory allergies. The research team identified a specific cascade of events that lead to allergies and asthma, opening many new avenues for exploring potential preventions and treatments.
Published New worm study paves way for better RNA-based drugs to treat human disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered RNA mechanisms that may lead to more effective, durable and targeted treatments for conditions like high cholesterol, liver diseases and cancers.
Published Adaptive 3D printing system to pick and place bugs and other organisms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new adaptive 3D printing system can identify the positions of randomly distributed organisms and safely move them to specific locations for assembly.
Published Scientists discover new code governing gene activity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly discovered code within DNA -- coined 'spatial grammar' -- holds a key to understanding how gene activity is encoded in the human genome. This breakthrough finding revealed a long-postulated hidden spatial grammar embedded in DNA. The research could reshape scientists' understanding of gene regulation and how genetic variations may influence gene expression in development or disease.
Published Scientists harness quantum microprocessor chips for revolutionary molecular spectroscopy simulation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineering researchers have successfully developed a quantum microprocessor chip for molecular spectroscopy simulation of actual large-structured and complex molecules.
Published Peering into the mind of artificial intelligence to make better antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity as of late. But just like a human, it's hard to read an AI model's mind. Explainable AI (XAI) could help us do just that by providing justification for a model's decisions. And now, researchers are using XAI to scrutinize predictive AI models more closely, which could help make better antibiotics.
Published Key biofuel-producing microalga believed to be a single species is actually three
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When a global pandemic forced previous a graduate student out of the lab and onto the computer, he found a world of difference hidden in the long-studied species of Botryoccocus braunii -- and discovered that it isn't one species at all, but three.
Published New insights on how bird flu crosses the species barrier
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The avian influenza virus needs to mutate to cross the species barrier and to infect and replicate within mammalian cells. Scientists have now deciphered the structure of the avian influenza virus's polymerase when it interacts with a human protein essential for the virus to replicate within the cell. The structure of this replication complex provides important information about the mutations that avian influenza polymerase must undergo to adapt to mammals, including humans. These results can help scientists monitor the evolution and adaptability of bird flu strains, such as H5N1 or H7N9, towards infecting other species.
Published Searching old stem cells that stay young forever
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is potentially immortal. Using molecular genetic methods, developmental biologists have now identified possible candidates for multipotent stem cells in the sea anemone for the first time. These stem cells are regulated by evolutionary highly conserved genes.
Published Low cortisol, hair-trigger stress response in the brain may underlie Long COVID
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new animal study shows that exposure to immune-stimulating proteins left behind by COVID-19 leads to lower cortisol, brain inflammation and a heightened reaction to subsequent stressors.
Published What time the malaria-bearing mosquito bites you might make a difference
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Circadian rhythms appear to influence vulnerability to malaria parasites.
Published Mining the microbiome: Uncovering new antibiotics inside the human gut
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers surveyed the gut microbiomes of nearly 2,000 people, discovering dozens of potential new antibiotics. The lead candidate, prevotellin-2, demonstrated anti-infective capabilities on par with polymyxin B, an FDA-approved antibiotic used today to treat multidrug-resistant infections, suggesting that the human gut microbiome may contain antibiotics that will someday find clinical application.
Published Detecting machine-generated text: An arms race with the advancements of large language models
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Today, many commercial tools claim to be highly successful at detecting machine-generated text, with up to 99% accuracy, but are these claims too good to be true? RAID, the Robust AI Detection benchmark, which shows that most detectors are easily fooled, setting a new bar for AI detection to clear.
Published The banana apocalypse is near, but biologists might have found a key to their survival
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The bananas in your supermarket and that you eat for breakfast are facing functional extinction due to the disease Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) caused by a fungal pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 (TR4). However, thanks to recent research from an international team of scientists we now know that Foc TR4 did not evolve from the strain that wiped out commercial banana crops in the 1950s and that the virulence of this new strain seems to be caused by some accessory genes that are associated the production of nitric oxide. The research opens the door to treatments and strategies that can slow, if not control, the as-of-yet unchecked spread of Foc TR4.
Published Probiotics during pregnancy shown to help moms and babies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Giving probiotics to pregnant mice can enhance both the immune system and behavior of the mothers and their offspring.