Historical outbreaks of coffee wilt disease linked to gene transfer from another fungus
The fungus that causes coffee wilt disease repeatedly took up segments of DNA from a related fungal pathogen, which contributed to successive outbreaks of the disease. Lily Peck of Imperial College London, U.K., reports these new findings in a study.....»»
New technique points to unexpected uses for snoRNA across many cell types
Dynamic, reversible modifications of DNA and RNA regulate how genes are expressed and transcribed, which can influence cellular processes, disease development, and overall organismal health. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a common but overlooked.....»»
Using light to create bioelectronics inside living organisms
Bioelectronics research and development of implants made of electrically conductive materials for disease treatment is advancing rapidly. However, bioelectronic treatment is not without complications. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have tak.....»»
Ryugu asteroid sample rapidly colonized by terrestrial life despite strict contamination control
Panspermia is the hypothesis that life can survive the transfer between planetary bodies as a secondary path for life to get started on planets throughout a solar system. The discovery of extraterrestrial life on asteroids or within meteorites would.....»»
Low levels of common contaminants but high levels of other elements in waters linked to abandoned lithium mine
Lithium ore and mining waste from a historic lithium mine located west of Charlotte, North Carolina, are unlikely to contaminate surrounding waters with common pollutants such as arsenic and lead, according to a new study......»»
Florida panthers deemed unaffected by emerging fatal genetic condition in new research
University of Central Florida researchers have helmed a study that found Florida panthers are not particularly susceptible to a potentially transmissible disease that causes cognitive decline leading to death in their prey. The findings abate concern.....»»
Infrastructure and communication challenges can be barriers to food safety in the low-moisture food industry
Low-moisture foods such as dried fruits, seeds, tree nuts and wheat flour were once considered to carry minimal microbial risks. However, the increased number of outbreaks linked to bacteria-contaminated low-moisture foods has resulted in product rec.....»»
Gene expression shifts help explain how a shrew changes brain size to match the seasons
New research shows how the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus) changes its brain and bodily size throughout the year. The study, published online in eLife, reveals how changes in gene expression enable these small mammals to shrink their brain in.....»»
How anti-obesity drugs are linked to food waste: 1 in 4 users report an increase in discarding food
Taking anti-obesity drugs has led some U.S. adults to throw away more food than they tossed before starting the medications, a new study has found......»»
Engineering nature"s blueprint: Dendron-based assemblies for chlorophyll"s materials
Researchers often look to photosynthesis—a process that turns sunlight into chemical energy in plants and bacteria—as a model for innovation. Photosynthesis is in turn linked to chlorophyll pigments, tiny green molecules that play a key role in h.....»»
Low-cost phenotyping system unveils key insights into quantitative disease resistance in wild tomatoes
Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) is a complex but durable form of plant disease resistance that provides partial protection against a broad range of pathogens. Unlike qualitative resistance, driven by major resistance (R) genes, QDR is polygenic.....»»
Iron-clad defense: How microbes shield tomato crops from bacterial wilt
Ralstonia solanacearum is a soil-borne pathogen that devastates tomato and other Solanaceae crops globally. Traditional chemical controls have proven inadequate and environmentally damaging......»»
School social workers an underutilized resource as mental health challenges in children sees increase
Youth in America are experiencing a mental health crisis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reports that an increasing number of students are experiencing symptoms of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety, alo.....»»
Madagascar"s huge ocean algae bloom was caused by dust from drought-stricken southern Africa
Scientists have found new evidence that desertification, potentially linked to global warming, leads to large amounts of nutrient-rich dust landing in the sea, causing ocean algae to grow rapidly. Biological oceanographer John A. Gittings and an inte.....»»
Cas9-PE system achieves precise editing and site-specific random mutation in rice
Achieving the aggregation of different mutation types at multiple genomic loci and generating transgene-free plants in the T0 generation is an important goal in crop breeding. Although prime editing (PE), as the latest precise gene editing technology.....»»
Human Cell Atlas achieves leap in the understanding of the human body
Researchers with the global Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium report significant progress in their quest for a better understanding of the cells of the human body in health and disease, with the publication on 20 November of a collection of more than.....»»
Mathematical modeling study demonstrates gene drives could boost malaria control when added to intervention package
The Target Malaria UK modeling team at Imperial College London has published their latest study in Nature Communications, titled "The potential of gene drives in malaria vector species to control malaria in African environments.".....»»
Internet use in adults over age 50 linked to better mental health
A multi-country study has linked internet use to a reduction in depressive symptoms. City University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong researchers found a positive association among adults 50 years and older across 23 countries......»»
Algorithm predicts DNA methylation in ancient specimens, providing insight into human evolution
Research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution introduces a novel method for inferring DNA methylation patterns in non-skeletal tissues from ancient specimens, providing new insights into human evolution. As DNA methylation is a key marker of gene.....»»
Collaboration key to ultimate genotypes in plants and livestock, say researchers
University of Queensland researchers are setting the agenda for breeding high yield, heat tolerant and disease-resistant crops and low emission cattle with excellent feed conversion efficiency as they search for the ultimate genotype......»»
How brain evolution is linked to the use of tools
Researchers led by Dr. Alexandros Karakostis from the Institute for Archaeological Science and the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of Tübingen suggest that changes in the brain could have enabled early.....»»