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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Environmental: Wildfires
Published New study discovers how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution



Researchers have discovered a mechanism steering the evolution of multicellular life. They identified how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution.
Published Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life



For the first time, scientists have developed artificial nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, with several additional properties in the laboratory.
Published Researchers open new leads in anti-HIV drug development, using a compound found in nature



A team of researchers has successfully modified a naturally occurring chemical compound in the lab, resulting in advanced lead compounds with anti-HIV activity.
Published How does a virus hijack insect sperm to control disease vectors and pests?



A widespread bacteria called Wolbachia and a virus that it carries can cause sterility in male insects by hijacking their sperm, preventing them from fertilizing eggs of females that do not have the same combination of bacteria and virus. A new study has uncovered how this microbial combination manipulates sperm, which could lead to refined techniques to control populations of agricultural pests and insects that carry diseases like Zika and dengue to humans.
Published The Malaria parasite generates genetic diversity using an evolutionary 'copy-paste' tactic



All modern Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite in humans, are descendants of one initial infection and so are very closely related, with relatively limited genetic differences. A long-standing mystery in the field has revolved around a very few locations in the P. falciparum genome where there are 'spikes' of mutations -- far more than anywhere else. Researchers have identified two genes in which these unusual mutation spikes result from DNA being copied and pasted from one gene to another.
Published First atom-level structure of packaged viral genome reveals new properties, dynamics



A computational model of the more than 26 million atoms in a DNA-packed viral capsid expands our understanding of virus structure and DNA dynamics, insights that could provide new research avenues and drug targets researchers report.
Published Children surpass a year of HIV remission after treatment pause



Four children have remained free of detectable HIV for more than one year after their antiretroviral therapy (ART) was paused to see if they could achieve HIV remission, according to new research. The children, who acquired HIV before birth, were enrolled in a clinical trial in which an ART regimen was started within 48 hours of birth and then closely monitored for drug safety and HIV viral suppression. The outcomes reported today follow planned ART interruptions once the children met predefined virological and immunological criteria.
Published Cracking epigenetic inheritance: Biologists discovered the secrets of how gene traits are passed on



A research team has recently made a significant breakthrough in understanding how the DNA copying machine helps pass on epigenetic information to maintain gene traits at each cell division. Understanding how this coupled mechanism could lead to new treatments for cancer and other epigenetic diseases by targeting specific changes in gene activity.
Published What makes a pathogen antibiotic-resistant?



In a comparative study, researchers describe how two notable pathogens -- Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii -- employ distinctly different tools to fend off antibiotic attack by two different drugs.
Published Revealing a hidden threat: Researchers show viral infections pose early heart risks



In a potentially game-changing development, scientists have revealed a new understanding of sometimes fatal viral infections that affect the heart. Traditionally, the focus has been on heart inflammation known as myocarditis, which is often triggered by the body's immune response to a viral infection. However, a new study sheds new light on this notion, revealing that the virus itself creates potentially dangerous conditions in the heart before inflammation sets in.
Published Microbes impact coral bleaching susceptibility



A new study provides insights into the role of microbes and their interaction as drivers of interspecific differences in coral thermal bleaching.
Published Early life adversity leaves long-term signatures in baboon DNA



Early experiences in an animal's life can have a significant impact on its capacity to thrive, even years or decades later, and DNA methylation may help record their effects. In a study of 256 wild baboons, researchers found that resource limitation during early life was associated with many differences in DNA methylation, a small chemical mark on the DNA sequence that can affect gene activity.
Published Marine algae implants could boost crop yields



Scientists have discovered the gene that enables marine algae to make a unique type of chlorophyll. They successfully implanted this gene in a land plant, paving the way for better crop yields on less land.
Published Revealing the evolutionary origin of genomic imprinting



Some of our genes can be expressed or silenced depending on whether we inherited them from our mother or our father. The mechanism behind this phenomenon, known as genomic imprinting, is determined by DNA modifications during egg and sperm production.
Published Universal tool for tracking cell-to-cell interactions



An updated method for directly observing physical interactions between cells, could allow scientists to one day map every possible cell interaction.
Published Synthetic gene helps explain the mysteries of transcription across species



'Random DNA' is naturally active in the one-celled fungi yeast, while such DNA is turned off as its natural state in mammalian cells, despite their having a common ancestor a billion years ago and the same basic molecular machinery, a new study finds.
Published Decoding the language of epigenetic modifications



Epigenetic changes play important roles in cancer, metabolic and aging-related diseases, but also during loss of resilience as they cause the genetic material to be incorrectly interpreted in affected cells. A major study now provides important new insights into how complex epigenetic modification signatures regulate the genome. This study will pave the way for new treatments of diseases caused by faulty epigenetic machineries.
Published Deconstructing the structural elements of a lesser-known microbe



Researchers shed light on archaea, intriguing microbes found in extreme environments but also in the human gut microbiome.
Published Lab-grown liver organoid to speed up turtle research, making useful traits easier to harness



Researchers developed protocols for growing organoids that mimic a turtle liver, the first organoids developed for a turtle and only the second for any reptile. The discovery will aid deeper study of turtle genetics, including the cause of traits with potential medical applications for humans such as the ability to survive weeks without oxygen.
Published Possible 'Trojan Horse' found for treating stubborn bacterial infections



Bacteria can be tricked into sending death signals to stop the growth of their slimy, protective homes that lead to deadly infections, a new study demonstrates. The discovery could someday be harnessed as an alternative to antibiotics for treating difficult infections. The researchers used the messengers, which they named death extracellular vesicles (D-EVs), to reduce growth of the bacterial communities by up to 99.99% in laboratory experiments.