Genetics: Biosynthesis pathway of a new DNA nucleobase elucidated
DNA is composed of nucleobases represented by the letters A, T, G and C. They form the basis of the genetic code and are present in all living beings. But in a bacteriophage, another base, represented by the letter Z, exists. This exception, the only.....»»
Black Death etched a mark on our genetics, warping immune responses, study finds
The plague may have put selective pressure on mutations in four genes. Enlarge / Researchers extracted DNA from the remains of people buried in the East Smithfield plague pits, which were used for mass burials in 1348 and 1349. (credit.....»»
Catnip and pea aphids came up with different ways to make the same molecule
In a new study in PNAS, a research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, shows that both catnip and pea aphids produce the substance nepetalactone, even though the plant and the insect evolved the biosynthesis of thi.....»»
Missing pathway in lysosome underlies newly discovered human disease
In a rare disease called mucolipidosis type II, people's hearts and abdomens swell, and their bones grow malformed......»»
Heart infection could be cause of death of Polish, US hero
Medical and genetics experts in Poland say that a heart infection caused by a common skin bacteria could have caused the 1817 death of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Polish and U.S. military leader and national hero......»»
Desperate Families Are Crowdsourcing Rescues on Social Media In the Path of Hurricane Ian
“That social media post 100% saved his life." Many people whose loved ones stayed behind in the pathway of Hurricane Ian are crowdsourcing rescue efforts as they grapple with the helplessness of waiting and not knowing. In TikTok videos.....»»
Scientists discover dual-function messenger RNA
For the very first time, a study led by Julian Chen and his group in Arizona State University's School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Institute's Center for the Mechanism of Evolution, has discovered an unprecedented pathway producing telome.....»»
In Ian"s wake, worried families crowdsource rescue efforts
Many people whose loved ones stayed behind in the pathway of Hurricane Ian are crowdsourcing rescue efforts as they grapple with the helplessness of waiting and not knowing......»»
The pathway to 90% clean electricity is mostly clear. The last 10%, not so much
Six different approaches—with pros and cons—for getting to a 100% carbon-free grid. Enlarge (credit: picture alliance via Getty) The United States gets about 40 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources, includin.....»»
The Anglo-Saxon migration: New insights from genetics
Almost 300 years after the Romans left, scholars like Bede wrote about the Angles and the Saxons and their migrations to the British Isles. Scholars of many disciplines, including archaeology, history, linguists and genetics, have debated what his wo.....»»
Researchers identify virus resistance gene from wild grass for cereal crop improvement
Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) identified the first monocot plant viral resistance gene encoding a nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat immune receptor (NLR) pro.....»»
Contact between wild birds and backyard chickens is risky
Wild birds come into contact with backyard chicken flocks more frequently than people realize, creating a pathway for pathogens to transmit back and forth, according to new research from the University of Georgia. Such pathways increase the risk for.....»»
Dual temperature control system to regulate isoprene biosynthesis in baker"s yeast
Baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been extensively engineered to produce a vast variety of chemicals that are not naturally produced by yeast, including the important monomer for synthetic rubber, isoprene. However, all organisms are natur.....»»
How does the autophagic pathway regulate low-nitrogen tolerance in tomato?
Nitrogen (N) deficiency first affects the N uptake and assimilation systems of plants. Nitrate, the main source of plant N, is absorbed and transported by nitrate transporters. Nitrate can be metabolized directly in the roots after absorption and sto.....»»
Study unveils alkaloids and chlorophyll biosynthesis in lotus plumule
Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (bis-BIAs) and chlorophyll (Chl) are predominantly accumulated in lotus plumule, which is a green tissue in the middle of seeds. Although bis-BIAs and Chl endow lotus plumule with important medicinal value and environm.....»»
New analysis shows how sulfur clouds can form in Venus" atmosphere
Scientists using sophisticated computational chemistry techniques have identified a new pathway for how sulfur particles can form in the atmosphere of Venus. These results may help to understand the long sought-after identity of the mysterious ultrav.....»»
Apple trees" natural response to virus mirrors genetic modification mechanism, study shows
Apple trees respond to a common viral infection by targeting a gene in the same pathway that genetic scientists are aiming at, find scientists from The University of Manchester. The discovery published in Current Biology shows that the fruit trees, w.....»»
Individual genetics help determine composition of the gut microbiome
Microorganisms are involved in nearly all biological processes on earth. As an important component of a metaorganism, i.e., the community of a complex living organism with colonizing microorganisms, they are a central building block of life on our pl.....»»
New study says dogs can ‘see’ with their noses
Dogs have always been well known for their ability to identify and track scents. A new study suggests that extensive connections within the dog’s olfactory pathway are responsible for this. Further, the study posits that dogs can see with their nos.....»»
Breeding with "wild relatives" to produce disease and climate resistant wheat
New research has shown how introducing genetics from wild varieties of wheat can improve their resistance to disease and climate change, a discovery that could help protect the future of this vital food source......»»
The role of unobservable subjective factors in the experience of happiness
The notion of happiness is highly subjective, and whether we consider ourselves to be happy might be determined by the conditions in which we find ourselves, but may well be controlled to some degree by past experiences, genetics, cognitive traits an.....»»