Salt stress alters legume responses to symbiotic rhizobacteria by modulating gene expression
Crop legumes are an integral part of sustainable agriculture, as several of these species represent an important protein source for both human and animal populations. Legumes engage in a unique and beneficial interaction with a group of soil bacteria.....»»
Surging heat stress for workers in Europe, Central Asia: UN
A growing number of workers face exposure to heat stress, even in regions with traditional mild climates, the UN said on Thursday, warning that humanity was suffering an "extreme heat epidemic"......»»
Cheesemaking is a complex science—a food chemist explains the process from milk to mozzarella
Cheese is a relatively simple food. It's made with milk, enzymes—these are proteins that can chop up other proteins—bacterial cultures and salt. Lots of complex chemistry goes into the cheesemaking process, which can determine whether the cheese.....»»
Boosting plant health: The role of gene exchange with bacteria
A recent study has unveiled how plants and bacteria exchange genes to boost plant health and development. The team discovered 75 genes that were transferred between small, fast-growing plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) and its bacterial companions, influ.....»»
Stress granules found to play an unsuspected role in blood vessel formation
The behavior of the cells that make up our blood vessels is crucial to our well-being. Conditions such as inflammation, oxygen deprivation and viral infection can stress these cells and disrupt the formation of new, often pathological, blood vessels......»»
Study links nanoparticles to oxidative stress and neuron death
Researchers at the University of Kentucky have a better understanding of the regulation of extracellular vesicles by oxidative stress and how these vesicles spread oxidative stress and may damage neurons. Extracellular vesicles are nanoparticles rele.....»»
Next generation biosensor reveals gibberellin"s critical role in legume nitrogen-fixation
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have demonstrated that the plant hormone gibberellin (GA) is essential for the formation and maturation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules in legumes and can also increase nodule size. They identified the speci.....»»
Study shows egg-laying mammals are unique, inside and out
The identification of a key gene in monotremes has increased our understanding of why the stomachs of platypuses and echidnas are atypically small, non-acidic, and, in the instance of platypuses, lack a pyloric sphincter......»»
Smell of human stress can affect dogs" emotions, leading them to make more pessimistic choices
Dogs experience emotional contagion from the smell of human stress, leading them to make more 'pessimistic' choices, new research finds. The University of Bristol-led study, published in Scientific Reports on 22 July, is the first to test how human s.....»»
New nanoparticle delivery method targets sickle cell mutations in bone marrow
Current gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease are complex, time-consuming, and are sometimes linked to serious side effects like infertility or blood cancer. To address these challenges, Johns Hopkins researchers have developed special nanopart.....»»
Rhythmic gene expression in plants is crucial for symbiosis with nutrient-providing bacteria, study finds
Legumes thrive in low-nitrogen environments by partnering with rhizobia, soil bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium, a usable form for the plants. These beneficial bacteria are housed in root nodules formed on legume roots......»»
Study reveals key gene protecting plants from harmful metals in soil
The negative impact of human activity on Earth doesn't just affect our planet's atmosphere—it goes much deeper, into its soils. For instance, excessive application of manure or sewage sludge can increase heavy metal concentrations in agricultural l.....»»
Nature"s gender reveal: Key gene controls female flowers in Cucurbita pepo
Sex determination in cucurbits such as squash is influenced by a complex interplay of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors, with ethylene being the primary hormone promoting female flower development......»»
Bubbling with benefits: Hydrogen nanobubbles boost tomato antioxidants
Tomatoes are a key source of antioxidants, crucial for human health as they help combat oxidative stress. Traditional irrigation methods often fail to significantly enhance these beneficial compounds in crops. Hydrogen, known for its unique antioxida.....»»
Gene silencing tool has a need for speed: Research provides deeper insight into RNAi tool design
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process that many organisms, including humans, use to decrease the activity of target RNAs in cells by triggering their degradation or slicing them in half. If the target is a messenger RNA, the intermediary between gene.....»»
Almond genome study paves way for improved breeding strategies
A recent study has unlocked the genetic complexities of almonds, highlighting a significant degree of heterozygosity and the influence of structural variants on gene expression. The research rigorously delineates allele-specific expression patterns,.....»»
New Jersey salt marsh sediments offer evidence of hurricanes back to the 1500s
A Rutgers University-New Brunswick-led research team employing an emerging technique to detect signs of past hurricanes in coastal sediments has found evidence of storms dating back more than 400 years. In doing so, they have confirmed an approach th.....»»
Study highlights the benefits of mixing cover crops
A University of Kentucky study titled "Productivity benefits of cereal-legume cover crop mixtures under variable soil nitrogen and termination times" suggests that mixing cover crops is a beneficial strategy for modern agriculture......»»
Study identifies rhizobacteria to combat Striga and boost sorghum yields in Ethiopia
A research team has identified potential Striga-suppressing rhizobacteria associated with sorghum, which have been shown to significantly reduce Striga seed germination rates. This study highlights the value of soil-borne bacteria as bioherbicides to.....»»
Pancreatic Cancer Turns Off a Key Gene in Order to Grow
New research finds out how one of the world’s most aggressive cancers is able to spread so quickly......»»
Tracing millions of years of geologic stress in the Andean Plateau
The Andean Plateau in South America rises, on average, more than 4,000 meters above sea level, formed by orogenic uplift that began more than 20 million years ago. Orogeny occurs at convergent plate margins as compressed plates crumple upward, result.....»»