How a two-faced molecule can silence problematic genes
T and B lymphocytes, which are part of a group of immune cells commonly called white blood cells, work together to eliminate foreign invaders in the body such as viruses. However, certain diseases can arise when T and B cells are activated at inappro.....»»
Developing novel chiral capsule tools for advanced optical technologies
Chirality is an essential property in biology; the molecular building blocks of some of the most important biological structures, including DNA and proteins, are chiral. When a molecule is said to be chiral, it means that it is distinguishable from i.....»»
How would California"s skyscrapers survive a huge earthquake? LA County is about to find out
Faced with the prospect of an extensive, and expensive, seismic safety retrofit for its 1960s-era downtown headquarters, L.A. County decided to vet an alternative: a far newer building, located just blocks away. Not only was it built under stricter s.....»»
Facing backlash, EU moves to delay deforestation rules
The European Commission on Wednesday proposed to delay by a year a ban on imports of products driving deforestation that has faced pushback from countries around the world......»»
Research provides new insights into role of mechanical forces in gene expression
The genome inside each of our cells is modeled by tension and torsion—due in part to the activity of proteins that compact, loop, wrap and untwist DNA—but scientists know little about how those forces affect the transcription of genes......»»
Fluorescent molecules to illuminate life: Simplified synthesis with formaldehyde
A research team has recently made a breakthrough in synthesizing organic fluorophores more cost-effectively and atom-efficiently than ever before by using formaldehyde, the simplest carbon molecule. Their findings were published in Angewandte Chemie.....»»
Fathers with low incomes are emotionally resilient, finds study
New fathers who faced economic hardships remained deeply connected to their children despite negative stereotypes, according to a new study......»»
CDK wins DMS contract extension with Sonic Automotive
The contract extension with Sonic is a win for market leader CDK, which faced challenges over the summer after two cyberattacks......»»
Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more "catastrophic" flooding as cleanup begins
Millions of Americans were still without power and many faced torrential flooding on Saturday, authorities said, as powerful storm Helene rumbled across eastern and midwestern US states, leaving at least 44 people dead......»»
Exploring the role of hydrogen sulfide in the expression of iron uptake genes in E. coli
Antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress response are important biological mechanisms that help bacteria thrive, especially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a chemical messenger molecule, regulates several intracel.....»»
Green and digital transitions are putting environmental problems on the back burner, says study
The European Green Deal is a package of political initiatives to ensure that the EU reaches climate neutrality by 2050. Faced with this challenge, the parallel goals of the green and digital transitions are at the center of the European Commission's.....»»
The biological marvels of the seabed are being mined to create commercial products—here are the risks
Thousands of genes from deep-sea marine life are being used to create new commercial products ranging from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Genes are segments of DNA that provide instructions for making other molecules that are essential for the structu.....»»
Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment
Air travel, meat in the shopping cart, waste sorting, plastic toys—consumers are faced with a barrage of everyday decisions and priorities when navigating environmental concerns. But what drives these choices?.....»»
Current economic system fails examination by sustainability experts
Our current economic system is based on poor science and should not be used to guide government decision-making when faced with threats to existence like climate change. That's the conclusion of a new paper led by UNSW Sydney sustainability scientist.....»»
Bacterial "flipping" allows genes to assume different forms
Imagine being one cartwheel away from changing your appearance. One flip, and your brunette locks are platinum blond. That's not too far from what happens in some prokaryotes, or single-cell organisms, such as bacteria, that undergo something called.....»»
Naked mole-rat found to have lost infection-resistant proteins
Scientists have found that the naked mole-rat—an underground rodent that lives up to 40 years—has lost a number of CD1 functional genes. The CD1 gene family in mammals is responsible for protein synthesis that protects the body against infectious.....»»
Compact "gene scissors" enable effective genome editing, may offer future treatment of high cholesterol gene defect
CRISPR-Cas is used broadly in research and medicine to edit, insert, delete or regulate genes in organisms. TnpB is an ancestor of this well-known "gene scissors" but is much smaller and thus easier to transport into cells......»»
Convergent evolution study sheds light on how new genes arise
Where do new genes come from? That's the question a team of biological sciences researchers from the U of A set out to answer in a new study......»»
New technique zeros in on the genes that snakes use to produce venom
Only about 10% of the world's roughly 4,000 snake species have venom strong enough to seriously hurt a human, but that's enough for snake bites to be an important public health concern. To help better understand how snakes make their venom and how ve.....»»
Scientists find new epigenetic switch, revealing how genes are regulated in early development
The team of Professor Christof Niehrs at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, has discovered that a DNA modification called 5-formylcytosine (5fC) functions as an activating epigenetic switch that kick-starts genes in early emb.....»»
Iran says new research satellite launched into orbit
Iran on Saturday blasted a new research satellite into orbit, state media said, in the latest such development for an aerospace program that has long faced Western criticism......»»