Biological arms races are commonplace in nature. Cheetahs, for example, have evolved a sleek body form that lends itself to rapid running, enabling them to feast upon similarly speedy gazelles, the fastest of which may evade ...
Evolution
May 27, 2022
0
174
Using a new method to catch elusive "jumping genes" in the act, researchers have found two human proteins that are used by one type of DNA to replicate itself and move from place to place. The discovery, described in the ...
Biotechnology
Nov 21, 2013
47
0
A gene that helped one species split into two species shows evidence of adapting much faster than other genes in the genome, raising questions about what is driving its rapid evolution.
Feb 5, 2009
1
0
An international team of researchers has found evidence of repeated genomic duplications and genetic diversification in protein kinase R (PKR) in mouse-eared bats. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, ...
Rice production is critical to food security worldwide. However, the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) causes destructive disease and huge yield loss worldwide. Exploiting and breeding rice with broad-spectrum ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Dec 17, 2021
0
31
The human genome is littered with selfish genetic elements, which do not seem to benefit their hosts, but instead seek only to propagate themselves.
Evolution
Nov 11, 2021
0
126
Infectious diseases are a leading cause of global mortality. During an infection, bacteria experience many different stresses—some from the host itself, some from co-colonizing microbes and others from therapies employed ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 2, 2021
0
111
Many animals feign death to try to escape their predators, with some individuals in prey species remaining motionless, if in danger, for extended lengths of time.
Plants & Animals
Mar 2, 2021
0
313
Mammals and birds today are warm-blooded, and this is often taken as the reason for their great success.
Archaeology
Oct 16, 2020
13
747
Scientists probing one of the mysteries of the insect world have identified a powerful chemical weapon used in the arms race between fungus-farming leafcutter ants and the parasites that plague them.
Plants & Animals
Jun 7, 2018
0
154
