New inherited retroviruses identified in the koala genome
Historic virus infections can be traced in vertebrate genomes. For millions of years, these genomes have been repositories for retroviruses that incorporated their code into germline cells and were inherited as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Researc.....»»
As human activities expand in Antarctica, scientists identify crucial conservation sites
A team of scientists led by the University of Colorado Boulder has identified 30 new areas critical for conserving biodiversity in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. In a study published Aug. 15 in the journal Conservation Biology, the resear.....»»
The fish with the genome 30 times larger than ours gets sequenced
Every 10 million years, lungfish have added a human genome's worth of junk DNA. Enlarge / The African Lungfish, showing it's thin, wispy fins. (credit: feathercollector) When it was first discovered, the coelacanth cause.....»»
International team sequence the world"s largest animal genome: Data help explain tetrapod evolution
Join us as we travel back in time. We have arrived in the Devonian period, some 420 to 360 million years ago. In a shallow area near the water's edge, something happened that would forever change life on our planet: a fish from the class of lobe-finn.....»»
Newly discovered ability of comammox bacteria could help reduce nitrous oxide emissions in agriculture
An international research team led by the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna has discovered that comammox bacteria, first identified by them in 2015, can grow using guanidine, a nitrogen-ric.....»»
Harnessing compact RNA-guided endonucleases for enhanced genome editing
The review paper "CRISPR Beyond: Harnessing Compact RNA-Guided Endonucleases for Enhanced Genome Editing," authored by Feizuo Wang from National University of Singapore, presents a comprehensive examination of the advancements in CRISPR-Cas technolog.....»»
Large language models pose a risk to society and need tighter regulation, say researchers
Leading experts in regulation and ethics at the Oxford Internet Institute, have identified a new type of harm created by LLMs which they believe poses long-term risks to democratic societies and needs to be addressed by creating a new legal duty for.....»»
Jamestown DNA helps solve a 400-year-old mystery and unexpectedly reveals a family secret
An ancient DNA (aDNA) study at the 17th-century English colony of Jamestown, Virginia, has identified two of the town's earliest settlers, and revealed an unexpected family secret......»»
Mars has ‘oceans’ worth’ of water – but it’s deep underground
Researchers have identified what they believe could be oceans' worth of water on Mars. There's just one snag: it's deep underground......»»
Bacteria encode hidden genes outside their genome; do we?
Since the genetic code was first deciphered in the 1960s, our genes have seemed like an open book. By reading and decoding our chromosomes as linear strings of letters, like sentences in a novel, we can identify the genes in our genome and learn why.....»»
Smooth sailing for eggplant: Breakthrough in understanding prickle formation
Scientists have discovered the gene responsible for prickles in eggplants, a trait that complicates farming. Using advanced genetic techniques, they identified the Prickly Eggplant (PE) gene on chromosome 6 and pinpointed SmLOG1 as the key factor......»»
Editing for resilience: CRISPR/Cas9 boosts potato stress resistance
Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in agricultural biotechnology by using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the potato genome, resulting in plants with increased resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. This innovation could lead to a new era o.....»»
Largest protein yet discovered builds algal toxins
While seeking to unravel how marine algae create their chemically complex toxins, scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography have discovered the largest protein yet identified in biology......»»
Great Koala Count: Aussies urged to track sightings of iconic marsupials
CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, is calling on Australians to record koala sightings in the Koala Spotter app, to help build the most accurate national population count to date......»»
Flow of sweetness: Key sugar transporters identified for enhanced camellia seed growth
Seed development is crucial for plant reproduction and crop yield, largely dependent on efficient sugar transport and metabolism. In many plants, the detailed mechanisms of sugar import remain unclear, despite extensive research on model species......»»
M4 Mac mini rumored to redesign making it smaller than ever before
Recent reports have suggested that one of the M4 Macs will get a redesign soon, and a new rumor has identified which model will get it — the Mac mini.Renders of a rumored redesign for the M2 Mac mini that didn't materializeThe fact that a M4 Mac mi.....»»
Heat stress survival: Unraveling the HsfA2-ACTIN dynamics in lily varieties
A research team has identified that the heat stress transcription factor HsfA2 and actin-interacting protein (AIP) LACTIN interact at the protein level in Lilium longiflorum "White Heaven," mediating gene expression and protecting cells from heat str.....»»
A review of the Epichloë festucae antifungal protein Efe-AfpA
A research team has reviewed the mechanisms behind endophyte-mediated disease resistance in strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra) and identified the antifungal protein Efe-AfpA produced by Epichloë festucae as a key factor against.....»»
Predicting metabolic potential in bacteria from limited genome data
How bacteria eat food, and what kinds of products they can make from that food, is dictated by the metabolic network of enzyme patterns encoded in their genomes. Using computational methods to learn these patterns across a large number of known bacte.....»»
These Pathogens Could Spark the Next Pandemic, Scientists Warn
Scientists have identified more than 30 different pathogens that they fear could cause the next big pandemic in humans.....»»
Ancient viral elements in RNA kickstart bone repair
Around half of the human genome is composed of DNA fragments originating from ancient viruses. These "transposable elements" (TEs) are now known to play various roles in modulating gene expression and disease development. Now, an international team l.....»»