Whole genomes map pathways of chimpanzee and bonobo divergence
Chimpanzees and bonobos are sister species that diverged around 1.8 million years ago as the Congo River formed a geographic boundary and they evolved in separate environments. Now, a whole-genome comparison of bonobos and chimpanzees reveals the gen.....»»
Structural and biochemical basis of methylmalonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase ALDH6A1
ALDH6A1, a member of the ALDH family, plays a crucial role in the catabolic pathways of valine and thymine. Dysregulation of ALDH6A1 expression has been linked to a variety of diseases. Methylmalonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (MMSDH defi.....»»
Using nature to help the climate: Four ways that work
A new study finds that four nature-based climate solutions—the ones that companies and other entities use most often to claim carbon credits—have robust scientific foundations. The four pathways are conservation or reforestation of tropical fores.....»»
Genome study shows humans pass more viruses to animals than we catch from them
Humans pass on more viruses to domestic and wild animals than we catch from them, according to a major new analysis of viral genomes by UCL researchers......»»
Decoding the Easter Bunny: Eastern Finnish brown hare represents standard for species" genome
The Hare Research Group at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, has published a chromosomally assembled reference genome for the European brown hare. Reference genomes represent a type of a standard.....»»
Sequencing the blue whale and Etruscan shrew genomes
The blue whale genome was published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, and the Etruscan shrew genome was published in the journal Scientific Data......»»
How does a bacterium know it"s time to split apart?
Bacterial cells do not wake up one morning and decide to become parents. But there is a point in their cell cycle—after growing sufficiently and replicating their genomes—when they split in two, creating new cells that then repeat the process. Wh.....»»
Integrating non-additive GWAS with historical dissemination to illuminate nut traits and blooming time in almonds
Modern breeding focuses on genetic analyses and germplasm management and dominates in altering crop genomes, but often neglects non-additive genetic effects that are essential for understanding traits. Almond [Prunus dulcis Miller (D.A. Webb)] has si.....»»
Aluminum nanoparticles make tunable green catalysts
Catalysts unlock pathways for chemical reactions to unfold at faster and more efficient rates, and the development of new catalytic technologies is a critical part of the green energy transition......»»
Eco-friendly catalyst and materials research explores pathways to renewable energy
The search for sustainable and affordable energy conversion technologies has highlighted the importance of the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions (ORR and OER). These processes are crucial for the efficiency of devices such as fuel cells.....»»
Extreme environments are coded into the genomes of the organisms that live there, research suggests
An organism's genome is a set of DNA instructions needed for its development, function and reproduction. The genome of a present-day organism contains information from its journey on an evolutionary path that starts with the "first universal common a.....»»
Chromatin accessibility: A new avenue for gene editing
In a study recently published in Nature Genetics, researchers from Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University explore chromatin accessibility, i.e., endogenous access pathways to the genomic DNA, and its use as a tool for gene edi.....»»
Old joke: Apes also like to tease, meaning trait could be ancient
A boisterous young chimpanzee slaps an adult in his family on the back, then scampers away and looks back to see the response to his cheekiness......»»
New toolbox allows engineering of genomes without CRISPR
Belgian researchers from VIB-KULeuven Center for Microbiology and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology have developed a new toolbox of 16 different short DNA sequences that allow triggering controlled and specific recombination events in any ge.....»»
Light duty: Distinct molecular pathways control growth, flowering in plants
It's well known that plants have a fine-tuned ability to sense changes in the season by how much daylight they're exposed to, yet scientists observed more than a century ago that plants sometimes grow during one season and flower in another. Most res.....»»
Unveiling a gap-free genome in rapeseed for enhanced agricultural insight and breeding
Allopolyploid oilseed rape (Brassica napus) plays a critical role in global agriculture, serving not only as a major oil crop but also as a nutritious vegetable and ornamental plant. Despite its importance, the current reference genomes, including th.....»»
Researchers analyze career pathways for gifted girls
Compared to boys, girls often excel in their secondary education results—but even the most gifted students may struggle to find their "dream job" and follow the best career path, pay grades and workplace progression to become leaders in their field.....»»
Transcription factor"s key role in grafted cucumbers reveals salt tolerance in crops
Soil salinity, impacting about 1 billion square hectometers worldwide, significantly hinders crop growth. Plants counteract this through signaling pathways involving molecules such as H2O2 and ABA. NAC transcription factors, which are unique to plant.....»»
How simple changes can open up Britain"s green spaces so everyone can benefit from them
A typical British countryside walk may conjure up images of vast green fields, heather-topped moorlands, and of course, countless stiles providing access throughout the right-of-way network. However, while stiles connect trails and public pathways, t.....»»
Ancient brown bear genomes shed light on Ice Age losses and survival
The brown bear is one of the largest living terrestrial carnivores, and is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike many other large carnivores that went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age (cave bear, sabretoothed cats, cave hyen.....»»
"Water bear" genomes reveal the secrets of extreme survival
Tardigrades may be nature's ultimate survivors. While these tiny, nearly translucent animals are easily overlooked, they represent a diverse group that has successfully colonized freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments on every continent, in.....»»