Researchers uncover 'parallel universe' in tomato genetics
In a paper appearing in Science Advances, Michigan State University researchers have unraveled a surprising genetic mystery centered on sugars found in what gardeners know as "tomato tar."
In a paper appearing in Science Advances, Michigan State University researchers have unraveled a surprising genetic mystery centered on sugars found in what gardeners know as "tomato tar."
Molecular & Computational biology
6 hours ago
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7
Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have developed a bioelectronic chip that simultaneously detects vitamins C and D in body fluids. It is flexible and easy to see and can be adapted for use in a wearable ...
Bio & Medicine
7 hours ago
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1
The genus Musa, encompassing approximately 70 herbaceous species, is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Oceania. This genus is renowned for being one of the most important food crops globally ...
Molecular & Computational biology
3 hours ago
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1
Coral reef fish, like the fish in other marine and freshwater ecosystems, are likely to reach smaller maximum sizes and start reproducing earlier with smaller and fewer eggs as climate change continues to warm up the ocean.
Plants & Animals
Apr 18, 2024
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6
A research team has made strides in uncovering the genetic foundations of flower color variation within the Rhododendron genus. The team's review summarizes recent advancements in phylogenetic reconstruction, genome sequencing ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 16, 2024
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7
Cyanobacteria—also called blue-green algae—are known as the "plants of the ocean" because they carry out photosynthesis on a gigantic scale, produce oxygen and extract the greenhouse gas CO2 from the environment. However, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 15, 2024
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111
A deep dive into macroalgae genetics has uncovered the genetic underpinnings that enabled macroalgae, or "seaweed," to evolve multicellularity. Three lineages of macroalgae developed multicellularity independently and during ...
Evolution
Apr 12, 2024
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111
A study led by a researcher at the University of Stirling has identified microscopic organisms that may be crucial to the survival of coral reefs.
Ecology
Apr 5, 2024
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Hydrogels are popular for use in skin ailments and tissue engineering. These polymer-based biocompatible materials are useful for their abilities to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are ...
Biochemistry
Apr 2, 2024
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55
The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), in collaboration with the Ecological Forestry Applications Research Centre in Spain and North Dakota State University, have conducted a comparison of the physiological and molecular ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 2, 2024
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1
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories. Catabolism breaks down organic matter, for example to harvest energy in cellular respiration. Anabolism, on the other hand, uses energy to construct components of cells such as proteins and nucleic acids.
The chemical reactions of metabolism are organized into metabolic pathways, in which one chemical is transformed into another by a sequence of enzymes. Enzymes are crucial to metabolism because they allow organisms to drive desirable but thermodynamically unfavorable reactions by coupling them to favorable ones, and because they act as catalysts to allow these reactions to proceed quickly and efficiently. Enzymes also allow the regulation of metabolic pathways in response to changes in the cell's environment or signals from other cells.
The metabolism of an organism determines which substances it will find nutritious and which it will find poisonous. For example, some prokaryotes use hydrogen sulfide as a nutrient, yet this gas is poisonous to animals. The speed of metabolism, the metabolic rate, also influences how much food an organism will require.
A striking feature of metabolism is the similarity of the basic metabolic pathways between even vastly different species. For example, the set of carboxylic acids that are best known as the intermediates in the citric acid cycle are present in all organisms, being found in species as diverse as the unicellular bacteria Escherichia coli and huge multicellular organisms like elephants. These striking similarities in metabolism are most likely the result of the high efficiency of these pathways, and of their early appearance in evolutionary history.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA