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.....»»
Genetic study of 3rd- to 16th-century people living on Canary Islands provide North African history clues
A team of paleo-geneticists at Universidad de La Laguna on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, working with colleagues from other Canary Islands and European institutes, has found that studying the genes of people living in the Canary Islands from the 3rd to the.....»»
Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together
Bioengineers can tailor the genomes of cells to create "cellular therapies" that fight disease, but they have found it difficult to design specialized activating proteins called transcription factors that can throw the switch on bioengineered genes w.....»»
Researchers identify 135 new melanin genes responsible for pigmentation
Melanin is produced within special structures called melanosomes. Melanosomes are found inside melanin-producing pigment cells called melanocytes. Although all humans have the same number of melanocytes, the amount of melanin they produce differs and.....»»
Research team makes surprising discovery of low-noise genes
While engaging in cell division research, Silke Hauf and members of her lab made a surprisingly quiet discovery. When cells express RNA, there is always some fluctuation, or noise, in how much RNA is produced. Hauf's group found several genes whose n.....»»
The Mystery Genes That Are Keeping You Alive
Nobody knows what around a fifth of your genes actually do. It’s hoped they could hold the secret to fixing developmental disorders, cancer, neurodegeneration, and more......»»
The "unknome": A database of human genes we know almost nothing about
Researchers from the United Kingdom hope that a new, publicly available database they have created will shrink, not grow, over time. That's because it is a compendium of the thousands of understudied proteins encoded by genes in the human genome, who.....»»
Scientists discover how trilobites survived environmental change
Scientists have worked out how one unusual species of trilobite—an ancient, sea-dwelling relative of spiders and lobsters—was able to defend itself against predators and survive a bumpy ride as Earth's oxygen levels fluctuated......»»
Scientists discover how parasites of viruses drive superbug evolution
In a study published in Cell, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Imperial College London have discovered a new way by which bacteria transmit their genes, enabling them to evolve much faster than previously understood......»»
These Salamanders Steal Genes and Can Have up to Five Extra Sets of Chromosomes
Unisexual salamanders in the genus Ambystoma appear to be the only creatures in the world that reproduce the way they do. Researchers know how, but the why is still being figured out......»»
Your Genes May Influence What You Like to Eat
New research identifies genome areas linked to dietary patterns and our taste for things such as tea, tobacco and grapes.....»»
From Down Under to underground: Surprising daddy long-legs spiders discovered in Australia and Réunion
Australia's rich and diverse fauna never fails to surprise us, as a new spider species has been documented from the continent......»»
Your genetic code has lots of "words" for the same thing—information theory may help explain the redundancies
Nearly all life, from bacteria to humans, uses the same genetic code. This code acts as a dictionary, translating genes into the amino acids used to build proteins. The universality of the genetic code indicates a common ancestry among all living org.....»»
Brown widow spider study shows how invasive species prosper in favorable habitats
Lower parasitism and predation in urban habitats may contribute to the invasion success of brown widow spiders. Dr. Monica Mowery and colleagues at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev compared egg sac parasitism in the urban invasive brown widow spide.....»»
Bizarre ‘mind-controlling’ parasitic worm lacks genes found in every known animal
Bizarre ‘mind-controlling’ parasitic worm lacks genes found in every known animal.....»»
Supporting increased crop growth by regulating the expression of genes that support nitrogen fixation
An article describing research conducted by John Peters, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, and fellow researchers, has been published in the journal.....»»
Fueled by new chemistry, algorithm mines fungi for useful molecules
A newly described type of chemistry in fungi is both surprisingly common and likely to involve highly reactive enzymes, two traits that make the genes involved useful signposts pointing to a potential treasure trove of biological compounds with medic.....»»
Researchers develop new method to study RNA-drug interactions
How active compounds affect RNA and thus the expression of genes is of great interest for the development of potential therapeutics. Innsbruck chemists have now used a method they recently developed to study the binding of the aminoglycoside Neomycin.....»»
"Mind controlling" parasitic worms are missing genes found in every other animal, researchers find
In a world full of bizarre animals, hairworms are some of the strangest. Hairworms are parasitic worms that manipulate the behavior of their hosts in what's sometimes called "mind control.".....»»
Amber reveals evolution of parasitism of nematodes
Nematodes (roundworms) are distributed worldwide in almost all habitats. The Mermithidae, a family of nematodes larger than others, are obligate invertebrate parasites which occur in insects, millipedes, crustaceans, spiders, mollusks and earthworms......»»
Researchers engineer nanostructures to enhance the immune system"s ability to combat cancer
Over the past decade, researchers have sought more effective and enduring cancer treatments. Among the wide variety of immunotherapies, Stimulator of Interfron Genes activation (STING agonism) has emerged as a particularly promising approach that har.....»»