Genome of Steller"s sea cow decoded
During the Ice Age, giant mammals such as mammoths, saber-toothed cats and wooly rhinoceroses once roamed Northern Europe and America. The cold oceans of the northern hemisphere were also home to giants like Steller's sea cow, which grew up to eight.....»»
New rice lines for Africa offer virus protection
Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) is responsible for high crop losses in Africa, particularly among small-scale farmers. A research team has now produced rice lines that are resistant to the disease by means of genome editing......»»
Genome database for desiccation-tolerant plants released
Desiccation is typically fatal for plant vegetative tissues, but a small number of land plants have evolved vegetative desiccation tolerance (VDT), allowing them to dry without dying through a process called anhydrobiosis......»»
Genetic variants underlying male bisexual behavior, risk-taking linked to more children, study suggests
Because same-sex sexual behavior does not result in offspring, evolutionary biologists have long wondered how the genes associated with this behavior have persisted in the human genome, and whether they will remain in the future......»»
Scientists sequence full genome of sea cucumber inhabiting hydrothermal vent
Hydrothermal vents are an unlikely environment for animals to flourish, characterized by rapid changes in temperature and a challenging chemistry: acidic pH, rich in sulfur and methane. Not to mention the high hydrostatic pressure and the darkness of.....»»
BarbNet: Awn phenotyping with advanced deep learning, potential applications in the automation of barley awns sorting
Awns, bristle-like extensions on grass crops like wheat and barley, are vital for protection and seed dispersal, with barbs on their surface playing a crucial role. While the genetic basis of barb formation has been explored through genome-wide assoc.....»»
Polyploidy and long-distance dispersal jointly shape global species diversification in yellowcress, finds study
Long-distance dispersal (LDD) is one of the most important biogeographical processes. Polyploidy, or whole-genome duplication, has long been proposed as an intrinsic feature of LDD. However, it is still unclear how and to what extent polyploidy inter.....»»
Researchers map North American wild grape pangenome
Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after an international team of researchers led by the University of California, Davis, decoded and cataloged the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine crop......»»
Researchers fill the final gaps in the Arabidopsis genome sequence
Arabidopsis thaliana is a species grown worldwide for genetic research and was the first plant to have its complete set of chromosomes (its genome) sequenced......»»
Sex chromosomes responsible for much more than determining sex, study shows
Human sex chromosomes originated from a pair of autosomes, the ordinary or non-sex chromosomes that contain the majority of our genome and come in identical pairs. That ancestral pair of autosomes diverged to become two different chromosomes, X and Y.....»»
Scientists sequence genome for threatened whitebark pine
Researchers have sequenced the whitebark pine genome, presenting new opportunities to help the threatened, high-altitude tree endure environmental challenges......»»
New understanding of ancient genetic parasite may spur medical breakthroughs
A multidisciplinary study published in Nature has elucidated the structure of the machinery responsible for writing much of our "dark genome"—the 98% of our DNA that has largely unknown biological function. These results may spur entirely novel tre.....»»
New study eyes nutrition-rich chia seed for potential to improve human health
Oregon State University scientists have sequenced the chia genome and in doing so provided a blueprint for future research that capitalizes on the nutritional and human health benefits of the plant......»»
New comprehensive genome data on soil invertebrates provide insights into their biodiversity
With the "MetaInvert" project, scientists are providing extensive genomic data on 232 species of previously little-studied organisms. They are tiny, enormously diverse, and widespread in the soil: soil invertebrates such as springtails, horn mites, m.....»»
New enzyme allows CRISPR technologies to accurately target almost all human genes
A team of engineers at Duke University have developed a method to broaden the reach of CRISPR technologies. While the original CRISPR system could only target 12.5% of the human genome, the new method expands access to nearly every gene to potentiall.....»»
Clonal fish: Same genes, same environment, different fitness levels
According to current knowledge, individuality is determined by either differences in genome or in the apparent environmental conditions. However, studies show, the paradigm of twin research is currently crumbling......»»
Team discovers protein crucial for B cell differentiation and antibodies
A cell nucleus is a busy place. Cellular proteins twist and pull DNA, folding the genome into intricate 3D structures that support functioning of its coding parts......»»
Comprehensive analysis of the telomere-to-telomere genome of soybean cultivar ZH13
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most crucial oil and protein crops, and contributes to more than a quarter of the protein utilized in both human food and animal feed. It is widely acknowledged that the cultivated soybean emerged through the domes.....»»
Physicists model chromosome folding, reveal how loops affect spatial organization of the genome
Human chromosomes are long polymer chains that store genetic information. The nucleus of each cell contains the entire human genome (DNA) encoded on 46 chromosomes with a total length of about 2 meters. To fit into the microscopic cell nucleus and at.....»»
Unlocking citrus tolerance secrets: The Valencia sweet orange genome and the fight against HLB disease
Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.), a hybrid fruit crop originating from mandarins (Citrus reticulata Blanco) and pummelos [Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.], exhibits complex genomic diversity due to ancient interspecific hybridization. At present, the be.....»»
Researchers develop comprehensive genetic map for bison, discover gene responsible for albinism
A research team led by scientists from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has developed the most comprehensive genome yet for the North American bison, bringing the animal's genetic roadmap up to date with the la.....»»