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Molecular & Computational biology news
Scientists develop AI tool for personalized phage therapy as a targeted alternative to antibiotics
With the rapid development of antibiotics in the 1930s, phage therapy—using viruses known as bacteriophages or phages to tackle bacterial infections—fell into oblivion. But as the current rise in antibiotic resistance ...
Cell & Microbiology
12 minutes ago
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Cyanobacterial circadian clock uses an AM radio-like mechanism to control cellular processes
Cyanobacteria, an ancient lineage of bacteria that perform photosynthesis, have been found to regulate their genes using the same physics principle used in AM radio transmission.
Cell & Microbiology
44 minutes ago
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Fuji apple study finds genetic mechanisms behind high-yield trees
Apples rank among the world's most valuable fruit crops, with production spanning more than 100 countries. Some apple trees naturally develop into what farmers call "spur-type" varieties—compact trees that are more productive ...
Molecular & Computational biology
1 hour ago
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Hidden pocket in human bitter taste receptor discovered
A new study describes an exciting discovery that changes the way we understand human bitter taste receptors. The research has revealed a hidden "pocket" inside one of the body's bitter taste receptors, called TAS2R14.
Cell & Microbiology
1 hour ago
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Research on key host pathways has implications for Ebola and beyond
Mortality rates from Ebola outbreaks can be as high as 90%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 55 people died in the most recent outbreak in Uganda in 2022.
Cell & Microbiology
2 hours ago
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Decoding the cellular basis of floral fragrance
Floral fragrances are nature's allure, enticing pollinators and helping plants adapt to environmental challenges. These scents, primarily generated in petals, consist of complex compounds such as terpenoids and benzenoids/phenylpropanoids, ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Molecular morphers: DNA-powered gels shape-shift on command
Johns Hopkins engineers have developed gel strips that change shape when given chemical instructions written in DNA code. These "gel automata," measuring just centimeters, can grow or shrink, transforming from one letter ...
Biotechnology
4 hours ago
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New tools filter noise from evolution data
While rates of evolution have appeared to accelerate over short time periods, new analysis suggests that statistical noise is affecting the data patterns. A professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and his colleague ...
Evolution
Nov 24, 2024
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'e-Drive': New gene drive reverses insecticide resistance in pests... then disappears
Insecticides have been used for centuries to counteract widespread pest damage to valuable food crops. Eventually, over time, beetles, moths, flies and other insects develop genetic mutations that render the insecticide chemicals ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 22, 2024
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Gene regulation study reports surprising results: Extensive regions of DNA belong to multiple gene switches
Some sequences in the genome cause genes to be switched on or off. Until now, each of these gene switches, or so-called enhancers, was thought to have its own place on the DNA. Different enhancers are therefore separated ...
Evolution
Nov 22, 2024
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206
tRNAs help some mRNAs get lost in translation
Scientists have discovered that tRNAs can determine how long mRNAs exist in a cell, causing some messages to be stabilized and translated into more protein, while directing others to be degraded and limiting how much protein ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 22, 2024
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New technique points to unexpected uses for snoRNA across many cell types
Dynamic, reversible modifications of DNA and RNA regulate how genes are expressed and transcribed, which can influence cellular processes, disease development, and overall organismal health. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 22, 2024
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AI and genus-conditioned algorithms create precise simulation-ready models of 600,000 existing urban trees
The Irish philosopher George Berkely, best known for his theory of immaterialism, once famously mused, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" What about AI-generated trees? They ...
Ecology
Nov 22, 2024
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Study reveals RNA's unknown role in DNA damage repair
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by Georgia Tech's Francesca Storici, has discovered a previously unknown role for RNA. Their insights could lead to improved treatments for diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 21, 2024
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AI tool can engineer 'better, faster, stronger' proteins
Nature is adept at designing proteins. Scientists are even better. But artificial intelligence holds the promise of improving proteins many times over. Medical applications for such "designer proteins" range from creating ...
Biotechnology
Nov 21, 2024
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Genetic research explores purple tea's health benefits
Purple tea, the product of long-term natural evolution, stands out for its high anthocyanin content, known for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects. Unlike traditional green tea, purple tea is increasingly ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 21, 2024
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Gene expression shifts help explain how a shrew changes brain size to match the seasons
New research shows how the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus) changes its brain and bodily size throughout the year. The study, published online in eLife, reveals how changes in gene expression enable these small mammals ...
Evolution
Nov 21, 2024
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Transparent worms with glowing proteins may help fertility treatments
The development of maternal egg cells is pivotal for survival—but also precarious. During meiosis, the DNA-containing chromosomes can easily be broken or lost, causing infertility, miscarriage or genetic disorders like ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 21, 2024
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Spatial interactomics tool maps protein interactions to fight lung cancer
As Ahmet F. Coskun and his team of researchers continue their mission to create a 3D atlas of the human body, mapping cells and tissues, they're making discoveries that could lead to better treatments for the most common ...
Biotechnology
Nov 21, 2024
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New structure gives insight into mRNA export and cancers, and how viruses hijack the process to infect their host
The central dogma of biology defines the flow of genetic information: It describes how proteins are made from mRNA templates, which are in turn made from DNA. Exporting the mRNA from inside the nucleus to the site of protein ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 21, 2024
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