Potent trivalent inhibitors of thrombin from anticoagulation peptides in insect saliva
Thrombosis, the clogging of blood vessels, is a major cause of heart attacks and embolism. Scientists have now engineered the first inhibitors of thrombin, a protease promoting thrombosis, that is three-fold efficient. In a study published in the jou.....»»
Oral peptides: A new era in drug development
For decades, a substantial number of proteins, vital for treating various diseases, have remained elusive to oral drug therapy. Traditional small molecules often struggle to bind to proteins with flat surfaces or require specificity for particular pr.....»»
Greenhouse vegetable production emits high levels of nitrous oxide, study finds
A new study has found that greenhouse vegetable production (GVP) systems are major sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a potent greenhouse gas......»»
Stinky, bitter, and painful: A novel insect repellent attacks multiple sensory pathways
Crop damage in agriculture and the transmission of vector-borne diseases by insect pests have become worldwide threats nowadays. Chemical treatments such as insecticides and repellents have been a significant strategy against insect pests for centuri.....»»
Amber analyses show that insects already had a variety of defense strategies in the Cretaceous
Analyses of amber show that insect larvae were already using a wide variety of tactics to protect themselves from predators 100 million years ago......»»
Wildflowers increasingly doing without insect pollinators
Scientists at the CNRS and the University of Montpellier have discovered that flowering plants growing in farmland are increasingly doing without insect pollinators. As reproduction becomes more difficult for them in an environment depleted of pollin.....»»
Meal sharing for a longer life? Insects may hold the secret
Insect species which are closely related and eat a similar balance of nutrients in their diet live longer than those that don't, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen......»»
New study sheds light on how much methane is produced from Arctic lakes and wetlands
When it comes to greenhouse gases, methane is one the biggest contributors. Not only is it massively abundant—it's about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere......»»
A graphical user interface for analysis and design of protein–peptide interactions
Proteins function through interactions with other proteins or peptides, a complex process that is still not fully understood. Current research focuses on how amino acid residues interact in protein-protein or protein-peptide interactions to establish.....»»
Reassessing what we can expect from peptides in disease detection
Based on blood tests, it is possible to detect rare genetic diseases, recognize cancer, or determine the inflammation level in the body. Moreover, due to the rapid development of medical diagnostics based on biofluid analysis, many efforts are being.....»»
DNA analysis of bat droppings shows astonishingly high number of insect species
Adequate food supply is a fundamental need and requirement for survival. To protect a species, it is often very helpful to know what that species prefers and frequently consumes. Through the analysis of DNA traces in the droppings of a Leisler's bat.....»»
Scientists discover plant hormone that boosts growth by 30%
Scientists from NUS and the Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) have uncovered one of nature's most potent tools in an arsenal to combat today's agricultural challenges: agro-microbials—or agro-chemicals of natural.....»»
Nature inspires a new wave of biotechnology
Biological molecules called peptides play a key role in many biological activities, including the transport of oxygen and electrons. Peptides consist of short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. They are also the inspiration for n.....»»
Roar of cicadas was so loud, it was picked up by fiber-optic cables
Brood X made itself known in a way that could change how we monitor insect populations. Enlarge / BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ (credit: astrida via Getty Images) One of the world’s most peculiar test beds stretches above Prince.....»»
Carbon dioxide becomes more potent as climate changes, study finds
A team of scientists found that carbon dioxide becomes a more potent greenhouse gas as more is released into the atmosphere......»»
Swapping blood for spit to help with convenient at-home health monitoring
Blood tests are a common, yet often painful, step in health care. But what if we could skip the needles altogether? Saliva and blood contain many of the same biomarkers, and collecting spit is as simple as drooling into a container. Researchers repor.....»»
Plants found to recruit distinct chemical activities of coumarins under different soil pHs
Plants have two main uptake mechanisms to obtain iron (Fe) from the soils. The type of strategy employed depends on the botanical classification of the plant. In the so-called strategy-I mechanism, plants must first reduce the trivalent iron (Fe3+) i.....»»
COP28 turns attention to potent methane emissions
Climate talks often revolve around reducing the most dangerous greenhouse gas CO2......»»
Hemp cannabinoids may have evolved to deter insect pests
Cannabinoids, naturally occurring compounds found in hemp plants, may have evolved to deter pests from chewing on them, according to experiments that showed higher cannabinoid concentrations in hemp leaves led to proportionately less damage from inse.....»»
Insect trapped in amber reveals the evolutionary battles of ancient Europe
An extraordinary insect preserved in amber is opening our ears to a world of communication beyond our hearing. New research on an extinct katydid in the Natural History Museum's collection reveals that katydids have been using ultrasounds for million.....»»
Adding oxygen to a lake to explore methane emissions
Lakes around the world emit methane to the atmosphere, accounting for up to 19% of total global emissions of this potent greenhouse gas. Most of the methane in lakes comes from microbes in the lake bed that consume dissolved organic matter for susten.....»»