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Molecular & Computational biology news
Ancient viral genomes preserved in glaciers reveal climate history—and how viruses adapt to climate change
As humans alter the planet's climate and ecosystems, scientists are looking to Earth's history to help predict what may unfold from climate change. To this end, massive ice structures like glaciers serve as nature's freezers, ...
Ecology
16 hours ago
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Unlocking exotic new beer flavors using genetics
One of my favorite summer pastimes is enjoying a cold beer in a bar with friends after work. But not just any beer—it has to be a lager. And I am not alone. With its crisp and refreshing profile, lager accounts for more ...
Molecular & Computational biology
19 hours ago
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How fruit flies use internal representations of head direction to support goal-directed navigation
Animal behavior is known to rely on transforming sensory information into motor commands, often influenced by an animal's internal needs. While in mammals and other large animals this process is supported by complex brain ...
Study finds RNA molecule controls butterfly wing coloration
A team of international researchers has uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, ...
Ecology
Aug 31, 2024
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180
Researchers identify genes for low glycemic index and high protein in rice
A team of researchers at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has identified genes and markers responsible for low glycemic index (GI) and high protein content in rice, using genetics and artificial intelligence ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 30, 2024
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72
New discoveries about how mosquitoes mate may help the fight against malaria
A high-pitched buzzing sound in your ear is an unmistakable sign that a female mosquito is out on the hunt—for they, not males, drink blood. Hearing that tone might make you turn to try to swat the pest. But for a male ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 30, 2024
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Scientists discover molecular mechanism that plays key role in gene transcription and macrophage functional activation
As the largest variant of the histone H2A family, macroH2A plays significant regulatory roles in various processes such as X-chromosome inactivation, embryonic development, cellular metabolism, and tumorigenesis due to its ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 30, 2024
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AI tool maps out cell metabolism with precision
Understanding how cells process nutrients and produce energy—collectively known as metabolism—is essential in biology. Modern biology generates large datasets on various cellular activities, but integrating and analyzing ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 30, 2024
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Scientists unlock the secrets of how a key protein converts DNA into RNA
Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have uncovered new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of RNA polymerase II (Pol II), the protein responsible for transcribing DNA into RNA. ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 29, 2024
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75
Study reveals distinct roles of H3K27me3 and H3K36me3 in winter wheat vernalization
Vernalization is the phenomenon whereby plants require prolonged exposure to low temperatures to flower. This ensures that overwintering plants undergo reproductive growth under suitable light and temperature conditions, ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 29, 2024
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Ancient gene gives spiders their narrow waist, research reveals
An ancient gene is crucial for the development of the distinctive waist that divides the spider body plan in two, according to a study published August 29 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Emily Setton from the University ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 29, 2024
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Bacteria able to overcome cost of vancomycin resistance in lab setting
Staphylococcus aureus has the potential to develop durable vancomycin resistance, according to a study published August 28, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Samuel Blechman and Erik Wright from the University ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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Machine-learning models can predict colonization outcomes of complex microbial communities
Microbial communities are constantly exposed to the invasion of exogenous species, which can significantly alter their composition and function. The capacity of a microbial community to resist invasion is regarded as an emergent ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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76
Novel motion simulator reveals key role of air flow in rodent navigation
How are rodents able to navigate pitch-black subway tunnels or other dark environments so adeptly, despite not being able to rely on vision?
Plants & Animals
Aug 29, 2024
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Scientists discover how starfish get 'legless'
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have made a discovery about how starfish manage to survive predatory attacks by shedding their own limbs. The team has identified a neurohormone responsible for triggering this ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 29, 2024
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What's in the foods we eat? Researchers develop a food microbiome database
Microbes are part of the food we eat and can influence our own microbiome, but we know very little about the microbes in our foods. Now, researchers have developed a database of the "food microbiome" by sequencing the metagenomes ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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86
Protein mutant stability can be inferred from AI-predicted structures
Researchers at the Center for Algorithmic and Robotized Synthesis within the Institute for Basic Science have taken a significant step forward in understanding the stability of proteins by leveraging the power of AI.
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 29, 2024
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Shedding light on the mechanism of yeast DNA repair
DNA damage is a cellular phenomenon that introduces structural abnormalities in double-stranded DNA. External factors, such as radiation or chemical agents, as well as internal factors, such as blocked DNA replication, can ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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New knowledge about cell receptors paves the way for future drugs against intestinal tumors
A new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Communications provides valuable insights into the activation of receptors on the cell surface. The knowledge could lead to new targeted therapies and drugs against ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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Compounds from nucleic acids in food show anticancer effects
When people eat, they ingest the nucleic acids that reside in all living things. The compounds in these acids could inhibit the growth of cancer cells, according to findings published in PLOS ONE by Osaka Metropolitan University ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 29, 2024
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