The GMO tooth microbe that is supposed to prevent cavities
Some experts have concerns over the safety of the genetically modified bacteria. Enlarge (credit: zhangshuang via Getty) About seven years ago, Aaron Silverbook and his then-girlfriend, a biologist, were perusing old sci.....»»
Researchers crack mystery of swirling vortexes in egg cells
Egg cells are the largest single cells on the planet. Their size—often several to hundreds of times the size of a typical cell—allows them to grow into entire organisms, but it also makes it difficult to transport nutrients and other molecules ar.....»»
Ocean environment safety of nanocellulose investigated in study of mussels
Cellulose nanofibers represent a promising resource for multiple industrial sectors, but what is their impact on the marine environment? A study published in Environmental Science: Nano recently addressed this issue in a study on marine organisms con.....»»
How a cyanobacterium manages iron scarcity makes it the most successful photosynthetic organism on Earth
The sea is the world's largest ecosystem, and it harbors two photosynthetic organisms that produce approximately half of the oxygen on Earth. The cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is the most abundant photosynthetic organism in the oceans and fixes appr.....»»
Discovery of bacterial proteins that induce asexual reproduction in insects
From microbes in the human gut to symbiotic algae in coral reefs, research in recent decades has increasingly revealed the pivotal roles that microorganisms (or microbial species) play in shaping the biology of host organisms and of broader ecosystem.....»»
Twisted pollen tubes induce infertility in plants with multiple sets of chromosomes
Most mammals and humans have a double set of chromosomes—and as a rule, plants do, too: One set comes from the father, the other from the mother. Such organisms are called diploids. However, sometimes the number of chromosome sets doubles from one.....»»
Trapped in the middle: Billiards with memory framework leads to mathematical questions
Adding one simple rule to an idealized game of billiards leads to a wealth of intriguing mathematical questions, as well as applications in the physics of living organisms. This week, researchers from the University of Amsterdam, including two master.....»»
No two worms are alike: New study confirms that even the simplest marine organisms tend to be individualistic
Sport junkie or couch potato? Always on time or often late? The animal kingdom, too, is home to a range of personalities, each with its own lifestyle. In a study just released in the journal PLOS Biology, a team led by Sören Häfker and Kristin Tess.....»»
Researchers are developing body armor made from silk—but this apparently cutting-edge idea is centuries old
Separate teams of Chinese and American scientists are reported to be developing body armor using the silk from genetically modified silkworms. The researchers modified the genes of silkworms to make them produce spider silk instead of their own silk......»»
A promising target for new RNA therapeutics now accessible
Only recently, a new era in medicine began with the first RNA vaccines. These active substances are modified RNAs that trigger immune responses of the human immune system. Another approach in RNA medicine targets the body's own RNA and its protein mo.....»»
Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race
One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria an.....»»
An inside look at how plants and mycorrhizal fungi cooperate
For millions of years, underground fungi have lived in symbiosis with plant roots. Plants provide photosynthesized carbon, while fungi deliver water and nutrients. In order to do so, these organisms share space at the cellular scale: fungi stretch a.....»»
Attack and defense in the microverse: How small RNA molecules regulate viral infections of bacteria
Viruses need hosts. Whether it's measles, the flu or coronavirus, viral pathogens cannot multiply or infect other organisms without the assistance of their hosts' cellular infrastructure. However, humans are not the only ones affected by viruses: ani.....»»
Ancient Adélie penguin DNA reveals that small repeats persist for hundreds of millions of years
Microsatellites are valuable tools for studying inheritance, genetic diversity, and population dynamics across a wide range of organisms including bacteria, plants, animals, and fungi. These short, repeating sequence motifs are a common feature of bo.....»»
Scientists discover a key quality-control mechanism in DNA replication
When cells in the human body divide, they must first make accurate copies of their DNA. The DNA replication exercise is one of the most important processes in all living organisms and is fraught with risks of mutation, which can lead to cell death or.....»»
Impact of synbiotic supplements on the gut microbiome and overall health of penguins
The gut microflora plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of all living organisms. Like their multifaceted and beneficial role in humans, the role of the gut microbiome in maintaining health, behavior, and ecology of animals is unequivocal. N.....»»
Severe hurricanes boost influx of juveniles and gene flow in a coral reef sponge
Named for its ropy-looking long branches, Aplysina cauliformis, a coral reef sponge, provides a critical 3D habitat for marine organisms and helps to stabilize the foundation of coral reefs. However, these upright-branching sponges are highly suscept.....»»
A Gene-Edited Pig Kidney Was Just Transplanted Into a Person for the First Time
A 62-year-old Massachusetts man with failing kidneys is the first living patient to receive a genetically altered kidney from a pig......»»
Biologists use machine learning to classify fossils of extinct pollen
In the quest to decipher the evolutionary relationships of extinct organisms from fossils, researchers often face challenges in discerning key features from weathered fossils, or with prioritizing characteristics of organisms for the most accurate pl.....»»
Cape lions were genetically diverse prior to extinction, researchers find
Cape lions used to roam the Cape Flats grassland plains of South Africa, in what is now known as Western Cape Providence. When Europeans arrived in South Africa in the mid-1600s, Cape lions, along with many other African carnivores and herbivores, we.....»»