Turning plants into biological factories
Genetic manipulation has come a long way......»»
Valve’s Deadlock is turning cheaters into frogs
There are a couple ways to deal with cheaters, and Valve has identified an all new way: turn them into frogs......»»
Exploring the role of hydrogen sulfide in the expression of iron uptake genes in E. coli
Antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress response are important biological mechanisms that help bacteria thrive, especially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a chemical messenger molecule, regulates several intracel.....»»
The biological marvels of the seabed are being mined to create commercial products—here are the risks
Thousands of genes from deep-sea marine life are being used to create new commercial products ranging from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Genes are segments of DNA that provide instructions for making other molecules that are essential for the structu.....»»
Elucidating the mechanism of cell division during plant self-healing
When the stem of a plant is injured, the surrounding cells proliferate to repair and fuse the damaged tissue, eventually restoring function. This self-healing property is utilized in grafting techniques to propagate fruit and vegetable plants......»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
Bulrush once kept NZ"s wetlands and lakes thriving—now it could help restore them
With about 90% of New Zealand's natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats......»»
Scientists develop method to control timing of synthetic DNA droplet division
Many cellular functions in the human body are controlled by biological droplets called liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) droplets. These droplets, made of soft biological materials, exist inside living cells but are not enclosed by membranes like.....»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
Small accounts, big decisions: How multiple savings impact retirement payout choices
New study shows that retirees are more likely to cash out smaller retirement accounts instead of turning them into steady income streams, even though they might do the opposite with larger accounts. This choice can hurt their long-term financial secu.....»»
New fossil species reshapes understanding of grape family history
Until now, it was believed that plants of the grape family arrived at the European continent less than 23 million years ago. A study on fossil plants draws a new scenario on the dispersal of the ancestors of grape plants and reveals that these specie.....»»
Improving industrial scale lactoferrin production with synthetic biological systems
Lactoferrin (LF), a multifunctional glycoprotein of the transferrin family, is naturally expressed in human and cow milk. The name "LF" is derived from its ability to bind to iron (ferrin, a suffix indicating iron-binding protein)......»»
Advancing synthetic Ephedra-type alkaloids with a two-step enzymatic approach
Ephedra-type alkaloids, a class of naturally occurring compounds derived from plants in the genus Ephedra, have long held interest in the pharmaceutical industry due to their stimulant and airway widening effects. These alkaloids are used for the tre.....»»
Strategies for maximizing recombinant protein production in tobacco plants
Plant molecular farming (PMF) is a modern, sophisticated technology that utilizes plants' biosynthetic machinery to synthesize a plethora of recombinant proteins, including industrial and therapeutic enzymes. It has several advantages over traditiona.....»»
Ultra-high speed camera for molecules: Attosecond spectroscopy captures electron transfer dynamics
In nature, photosynthesis powers plants and bacteria; within solar panels, photovoltaics transform light into electric energy. These processes are driven by electronic motion and imply charge transfer at the molecular level. The redistribution of ele.....»»
Thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado are leaking toxic water, but Congress finally has a solution in sight
Polluted water leaking from thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado's mountains is turning wetlands orange and dumping toxic dissolved metals in the headwaters of many of the state's rivers......»»
Dragons on the Outer Banks? Venomous blue sea slugs wash up on the beach
They look like tiny dragons, they dine on Portuguese man o' wars, they're venomous and they're turning up on Outer Banks beaches......»»
Extreme botany: Paramotorists soar across remote Peru desert to collect threatened plants
In an innovative paper published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Huarango Nature and paramotorists from Forest Air, highlight the exciting potential of paramotoring as a means of aiding res.....»»
Tree frog tadpoles have a unique way of not contaminating their water supply: Not pooping
The Eiffinger's tree frog (Kurixalus eiffingeri), found on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands in Japan, has a unique biological adaptation: its tadpoles do not defecate during their early developmental stages. This finding by researchers at Nagoya Univers.....»»
Scientists explore how indoor vertical farming could help future-proof food demand
To make sure everyone eats well in our crowded world, we need to innovate. Vertical farming systems, which grow plants intensively in an indoor setting, could be part of the answer—but to use them on a large scale we need to overcome key problems,.....»»
Unifor ratifies 2-year deal with 15% pay raise at GM"s CAMI plant
Hourly workers represented by Unifor at GM Canada’s CAMI Assembly Plant have ratified a two-year labor pact that puts all union members at the automaker’s plants in Canada on the same contract starting in 2026. .....»»