How the selfish genes of yeast succeed
New findings from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research uncover critical insights about how a dangerous selfish gene—considered to be a parasitic portion of DNA—functions and survives. Understanding this dynamic is a valuable resource for th.....»»
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.....»»
"Tamed" molecules for more sustainable catalysts: Chemists succeed in synthesizing a spectacular gallium compound
Catalysts play an important role in the manufacture of many products that we encounter in everyday life—for example in cars for exhaust gas purification or in the chemical industry in the production of fertilizers. Catalysts ensure that these react.....»»
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.....»»
Yeast chit-chat: How microorganisms communicate food shortages
To grow and survive, tiny organisms such as yeast must sometimes adapt their nutrient sources in response to changes in the environment. FMI researchers have now found that yeast cells communicate with each other to use less favorable nutrients if th.....»»
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......»»
Analyst believes Nintendo can succeed in Palworld lawsuit
An analyst believes that Nintendo is trying to "financially damage" Palworld developer Pocketpair as much as it can in the announced lawsuit......»»
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.....»»
Conversations with AI can successfully reduce belief in conspiracy theories
Have you ever tried to convince a conspiracy theorist that the moon landing wasn't staged? You likely didn't succeed, but ChatGPT might have better luck, according to research by MIT Sloan School of Management professor David Rand and American Univer.....»»
Elucidating the mechanism underlying de novo membrane formation during gametogenesis
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have meticulously examined the gametogenesis of budding yeast, a process involving meiosis and spore formation, using live imaging techniques. Their findings reveal that during sporulation, the endoplasmic reticul.....»»
Century-old experiment secures beer and whiskey"s future
Thanks to an experiment started before the Great Depression, researchers have pinpointed the genes behind the remarkable adaptability of barley, a key ingredient in beer and whiskey. These insights could ensure the crop's continued survival amidst ra.....»»
How context-specific factors control gene activity
Every cell in our body contains the same DNA, yet liver cells are different from brain cells, and skin cells differ from muscle cells. What determines these differences? It all comes down to gene regulation; essentially how and when genes are turned.....»»
Solving the side effect problem of siRNA drugs for genetic disease treatment
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) drugs are a class of therapeutic agents that silence specific genes associated with inherited diseases. However, siRNA drugs have challenges because siRNAs often silence genes other than the target ones, causing side eff.....»»
Angiosperms study provides insights into genome evolution after whole-genome duplications
Whole-genome duplication (WGD, or polyploidy) is a common and frequent occurrence in plants, providing raw genetic material for evolution. Homoeologs (duplicate genes from a WGD) often diverge in expression levels, while some still maintain similar (.....»»
Regulatory gene influences shape recognition in medaka fish, scientists discover
Medaka fish that lack functional Hmgn2 genes are unable to distinguish between simple shapes, revealing a new function for the regulatory gene......»»
Kara Sprague joins HackerOne as CEO
HackerOne announced that it has appointed Kara Sprague to succeed Marten Mickos as CEO. Sprague joins HackerOne at a powerful moment in its evolution, having seen 200% product growth in its pentesting and AI red teaming business and 120% growth in vu.....»»
Cells use alternative splicing to regulate gene expression, research suggests
Alternative splicing is a genetic process where different segments of genes are removed, and the remaining pieces are joined together during transcription to messenger RNA (mRNA). This mechanism increases the diversity of proteins that can be generat.....»»
JP Clausen brings auto, tech experience to GM manufacturing
JP Clausen, who previously worked for Tesla, Google and Lego, joined GM in April to succeed the retiring Gerald Johnson executive vice president of global manufacturing and sustainability......»»