Sociability genes found in some spiders
A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Texas Tech University, Cornell University and Australian National University has found similar genes between species of spiders that have some degree of sociability. They have published their p.....»»
New origin story for key regulatory gene: PRC2 repressed jumping genes in ancestors of eukaryotes
The key protein complex PRC2 was discovered decades ago to silence genes, but new findings by Frederic Berger and his group at the Gregor Mendel Institute show that PRC2 represses transposons in a range of eukaryotes and only gradually evolved to sil.....»»
Study finds same genes behind heart muscle disorders in humans and Dobermanns
Researchers from the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center, together with their international partners, have identified the genetic background of dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that enlarges the heart muscle, in dogs and human.....»»
How bats evolved to avoid cancer
A new paper titled "Long-read sequencing reveals rapid evolution of immunity and cancer-related genes in bats" in Genome Biology and Evolution shows that rapid evolution in bats may account for the animals' extraordinary ability to both host and surv.....»»
Here Come the Glow-in-the-Dark Houseplants
Startup Light Bio has created a bioluminescent petunia using mushroom genes and plans to start shipping the plants next spring......»»
Dead spider claws and "anal-print" toilets: 2023"s Ig Nobels
Reanimating dead spiders to use them as robot claws, licking rocks, backwards talking and a toilet that scans "anal-prints": this year's Ig Nobel prizes again put a spotlight on the quirky side of science......»»
Repurposing dead spiders, counting cadaver nose hairs win Ig Nobels for comical scientific feats
Counting nose hairs in cadavers, repurposing dead spiders and explaining why scientists lick rocks, are among the winning achievements in this year's Ig Nobels, the prize for humorous scientific feats, organizers announced Thursday......»»
Scientists uncover surprising twist in the ways bacteria spread antibiotic-resistant genes
Scientists have found a counterintuitive wrinkle in the way bacteria spread antibiotic-resistant genes through small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids......»»
Some spiders can transfer mercury contamination to land animals, study shows
Sitting calmly in their webs, many spiders wait for prey to come to them. Arachnids along lakes and rivers eat aquatic insects, such as dragonflies. But, when these insects live in mercury-contaminated waterways, they can pass the metal along to the.....»»
"Sociability" of locusts: Social interactions promote aggregation
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Sept. 5, researchers led by Prof. Kang Le from the Beijing Institutes of Life Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have provided a deep understanding of the "sociabi.....»»
Uncovering camel spiders" hidden evolutionary secrets with a modern genetic tree
In a new study led by the laboratories of Prof. Prashant Sharma of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dr. Efrat Gavish-Regev of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a team of researchers has uncovered the mysteries surrounding camel spiders (Sol.....»»
These worms have rhythm: New imaging technique to observe active gene expression in real time
There's a rhythm to developing life. Growing from a tiny cell cluster into an adult organism takes precise timing and control. The right genes must turn on at the right time, for the right duration, and in the correct order. Losing the rhythm can lea.....»»
Study finds a large proportion of Michigan"s C. jejuni infections are caused by antibiotic resistant strains
Working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan State University researchers have shown that antibiotic resistance genes are prevalent in the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of foodborne illness......»»
How a failed experiment led to researchers showing that assumptions about chromosomal behavior were wrong
The cellular processes involved in gene regulation can be unexpectedly complicated. The expression of genes—the when, where and how much of gene activity—underlies all of biology, but is surprisingly poorly understood......»»
New genetic analysis of Ötzi the Iceman yields some surprising findings
Ötzi’s ancestors were early Anatolian farmers, not Steppe Herders as previously believed. Enlarge / Study reveals that compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome had an unusually high proportion of genes in com.....»»
Surprise! Ötzi the Iceman was bald and had darker skin than presumed
Ötzi’s ancestors were early Anatolian farmers, not Steppe Herders as previously believed. Enlarge / Study reveals that compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome had an unusually high proportion of genes in com.....»»
The "weird" male Y chromosome has finally been fully sequenced. Can we now understand how it works, how it evolved?
The Y chromosome is a never-ending source of fascination (particularly to men) because it bears genes that determine maleness and make sperm. It's also small and seriously weird; it carries few genes and is full of junk DNA that makes it horrendous t.....»»
New species of wishbone spiders uncovered in field work
Setting out with a goal to describe over 100 new species of Australian Wishbone spiders, Dr. Jeremy Wilson, alongside Queensland Museum Network arachnologist, Dr. Michael Rix have traveled thousands of kilometers in eastern Australia to collect 136 s.....»»
Sequencing genes of Iron and Bronze Age peoples to better understand early Mediterranean migration patterns
An international team of anthropologists, archaeologists and geneticists has learned more about the migration patterns of people living around the Mediterranean Sea during the Iron and Bronze ages. In their study, reported in the journal Nature Ecolo.....»»
Research gives new insights into the role food intake plays in fighting antimicrobial resistance
Cooking food thoroughly and avoiding some types of vegetables and salad during a course of antibiotic treatment could potentially reduce antibiotic resistance, by preventing bacteria carrying resistance genes getting into the gut, according to a new.....»»
Want to have your genes tested? It might be genetic
People in a genetic database have segments of DNA in common unexpectedly often. Enlarge (credit: Malte Mueller) People who enroll in genetic studies are genetically predisposed to do so. According to the Catalogue of Bia.....»»