How nitrate regulates gene expression in legumes
Plants in the bean family (legumes) form nodules on their roots to take up nitrogen. Legumes will stop nodule production when nitrogen is plentiful (Figure 1), but precisely how nitrate presence controls nodule formation in these plants has been a my.....»»
Using CRISPR to decipher whether gene variants lead to cancer
In recent years, scientists have created a range of new methods based on CRISPR-Cas technology for precisely editing the genetic material of living organisms. One application is in cell therapy: A patient's immune cells can be specifically reprogramm.....»»
New CRISPR system for gene silencing doesn"t rely on cutting DNA
Scientists from Vilnius University's (VU) Life Sciences Center (LSC) have discovered a unique way for cells to silence specific genes without cutting DNA. This research, led by Prof. Patrick Pausch and published in the journal Nature Communications,.....»»
A causal theory for studying the cause-and-effect relationships of genes paves the way for targeted treatments
By studying changes in gene expression, researchers learn how cells function at a molecular level, which could help them understand the development of certain diseases......»»
Lab-cultured plant yogurt rivals dairy creaminess
Food engineers have harnessed the power of lupins (legumes) to create a yogurt that rivals dairy in taste and texture while delivering more nutrition than typical plant-based yogurts......»»
New textbook illuminates gene regulation and epigenomics
Professor Carsten Carlberg has published a comprehensive new textbook, "Gene Regulation and Epigenetics: How Science Works," which presents the current understanding of gene regulation and epigenomics. Published by Springer and designed for graduate.....»»
Honeybee gene specifies collective behavior, research shows
Researchers at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) are collaborating with colleagues from Frankfurt/Main, Oxford and Würzburg to investigate how the complex, cooperative behavior of honeybees (Apis mellifera) is genetically programmed so tha.....»»
Advances in taro research: New gene silencing system enables rapid gene function verification
A research team has established a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system in taro, enabling researchers to rapidly verify gene functions in this underutilized crop. Utilizing a tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based vector, the study paves the way for s.....»»
New insights into mango evolution: Study reveals extensive hybridization within the Mangifera genus
A research team investigated whole chloroplast genomes and nuclear gene sequences from 14 species, uncovering new insights into the genetic diversity and hybrid origins of mango species. They used the evolutionary relationships within the Mangifera g.....»»
Scientists identify gene that regulates pod width in snap beans
iSnap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a significant vegetable crop globally, with its immature pods harvested as the edible part. Pod dimensions–length, width, and thickness–affect the size and ease of harvest. This is particularly for manual plu.....»»
Pivotal gene found to confer heat tolerance in perennial ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), widely cultivated in the cool-season for forage supply and turfgrass, is extremely susceptible to high temperatures. A recent study has discovered a pivotal stress-responsive gene, combating heat stress in pere.....»»
"True hybrid" mice might reveal how new species emerge
Forty years ago, a postdoctoral researcher named James McGrath who would go on to spend more than three decades as a clinical geneticist and research scientist at Yale, made a discovery that advanced scientists' understanding of gene control and the.....»»
Understanding the influence of specific gene mutations on starch properties in barley
Cereals such as rice, wheat, maize, and barley are essential in the human diet and have various uses in the food industry. Their suitability for different industrial applications depends on the properties of their grains. The major component of these.....»»
Drug delivery system overcomes circulatory roadblock that prevents gene therapies from reaching their targets
Exploiting the remarkable capability of viruses to transport gene therapies past what until now has been a circulatory roadblock is at the heart of a University of Alberta-led discovery that promises to re-energize the field of genetic medicine......»»
An elegant switch regulates production of protein variants during cell division
Our cells contain thousands of proteins that have gone largely undetected and unstudied until recent years: these are variants of known proteins, which cells can make when their protein-building machinery interacts differently with the same stretch o.....»»
New chemical treatment reduces number of plant pores that regulate water loss
Researchers from Nagoya University Institute of Transformative Biomolecules (WPI-ITbM) in Japan and their colleagues have identified and derivatized a chemical compound that effectively regulates the density of stomata in model plants. Stomata are cr.....»»
Enhancing recombinant protein expression in lettuce
Recombinant proteins are crucial in pharmaceutical and other industries. A production method uses plants as hosts in transient protein expression systems. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba developed a technique to increase recombinant protein.....»»
Scientists uncover how transcription drives motion within the genome
A team of scientists has discovered surprising connections among gene activity, genome packing, and genome-wide motions, revealing aspects of the genome's organization that directly affect gene regulation and expression......»»
Discovery of key protein for biosynthesis of plant defense steroids could enhance pest control strategies
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have identified GAME15 as a key protein that regulates the biosynthesis of both steroidal glycoalkaloids and steroidal saponins in plants of the genus Solanum......»»
DNA-binding C2H2 zinc finger proteins also regulate RNA processing, researchers discover
Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that an important class of DNA-binding factors can also bind to RNA, regulating gene expression through various mechanisms. The study significantly expands our understanding of these proteins' funct.....»»
Pathogenic system found on Providencia rustigianii has virulence gene akin to Salmonella"s
Salmonella and E. coli are well-known bacteria that cause food poisoning, but less understood are species of Providencia, another causative agent of serious symptoms......»»