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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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 Humpbacks are among animals who manufacture and wield tools
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers suggest a new designation of the humpback whales they study: tool wielders. Researchers have known that humpback whales create "bubble-nets" to hunt, but they have learned that the animals don't just create the bubble-nets; they manipulate this unique tool in a variety of ways to maximize their food intake in Alaskan feeding grounds.
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 'Masters of shape-shifting': How darkling beetles conquered the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large-scale genomic analysis of darkling beetles, a hyper-diverse insect group of more than 30,000 species worldwide, rolls back the curtain on a 150-million-year evolutionary tale of one of Earth's most ecologically important yet inconspicuous creatures, according to new research.
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 Deadly sea snail toxin could be key to making better medicines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists are finding clues for how to treat diabetes and hormone disorders in an unexpected place: a toxin from one of the most venomous animals on the planet.
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 Researchers uncover the secrets of 'plant puberty'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified the genetic changes linked to why plants go through a developmental change similar to 'puberty' at different rates, a discovery which could lead to better crop nutrition.
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 How 'winner and loser effects' impact social rank in animals -- and humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new article provides a narrative review of the relevant similarities and distinctions between nonhumans and humans to assess the causes and consequences of winner and loser effects in humans.
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.