Olfactory neurons use unexpected 'solid' clusters to achieve genetic precision
A new study published in Nature reveals how olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) achieve extraordinary precision in selecting which genes to express.
Molecular & Computational biology news
Clustered neurons in bat midbrain encode categories of vocalizations, study finds
The ability to quickly recognize sounds, particularly the vocalizations made by other animals, is known to contribute to the survival of a wide range of species. This ability is supported by a process known as categorical ...
Exploring the dark side of Staph aureus, a bacterium resistant to multiple drugs—even those yet to be tested in humans
British physician and microbiologist Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin nearly 100 years ago, was the first to warn of the dangers of antibiotic resistance.
NanoCas, a smaller version of CRISPR tested with a single AAV, delivers on-target results
Mammoth Biosciences researchers have developed NanoCas, an ultracompact CRISPR nuclease, demonstrating its ability to perform gene editing in non-liver tissues, including skeletal muscle, using a single adeno-associated virus ...
Something to sniff at: Lab-engineered receptors illuminate odor detection
A team of researchers led by Duke University, the University of California San Francisco, and the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope have engineered odorant receptors to reveal the molecular basis of odor discrimination.
Constraining the body of a hydra can cause it to grow two heads
Hydra are small, invertebrate, predatory animals that live in water. They're tubular, radially symmetric and up to 10 mm long, with a head (mostly a mouth), a single, adhesive foot, and tentacles.
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 ...
Micro- and nanoplastics ingested by Drosophila cause changes in heart size and function
Plastics are ubiquitous in products we use every day, and recent studies have begun to reveal the effects of micro- and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs) on the health of humans and animals.
The modeling and simulation of self-organized intracellular twisters in the Drosophila oocyte
Cytoplasmic streaming is the large-scale motion of cytoplasm (i.e., gelatinous liquid inside cells) inside a living cell. This flow, known to regulate various intracellular processes, can vary greatly between different cell ...
The surprising behavior of male fruit flies under intense light conditions
A recent study published in Open Biology reports that exposure to intense light almost instantly provokes courtship behavior in male fruit flies (Drosophila). Surprisingly, the researchers observed both male-male and male-female ...
