Even in this "age of the genome," much about genes remains shrouded in mystery. This is especially true for "cryptic mutations"—mutated genes that are hidden, and have unexpected effects on traits that are only revealed ...
Biotechnology
May 6, 2019
1
208
Despite evolution driving a wide variety of differences, many plants function the same way. Now a new study has revealed the different genetic strategies various flowering plant species use to achieve the same status quo.
Biotechnology
Apr 15, 2019
0
344
Maize is a staple crop that came from humble beginnings. If you look at its wild ancestor, teosinte, the plant looks nearly unrecognizable. Human selection has persuaded the maize plant to grow in a way that produces higher ...
Biotechnology
Apr 2, 2019
0
88
It's been estimated that the human brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons, together completing countless tasks through countless connections. So how do we make sense of the roles each of these neurons play? As part of ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 13, 2019
0
139
The ideal drug is one that only affects the exact cells and neurons it is designed to treat, without unwanted side effects. This concept is especially important when treating the delicate and complex human brain. Now, scientists ...
Biochemistry
Jan 19, 2019
0
156
In 2003, the Human Genome Project revealed to the world the three billion chemical units within human DNA. Since that time, scientists have designed many ways to organize and assess this overwhelmingly large amount of information. ...
Evolution
Dec 18, 2018
0
180
Big Data is all the rage today, but Small Data matters too! Drawing reliable conclusions from small datasets, like those from clinical trials for rare diseases or in studies of endangered species, remains one of the trickiest ...
General Physics
Oct 18, 2018
0
201
A team of plant geneticists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has identified a protein receptor on stem cells involved in plant development that can issue different instructions about how to grow depending on what peptide ...
Biotechnology
Mar 22, 2018
0
128
A simple genetic modification can triple the grain number of sorghum, a drought-tolerant plant that is an important source of food, animal feed, and biofuel in many parts of the world. In new research reported today in Nature ...
Biotechnology
Feb 26, 2018
0
11
Billions of people around the world rely on rice as a mainstay of their diet. The grain provides about 20 percent of the calories consumed by humans worldwide. Rice production is critical for global food security, and demand ...
Biotechnology
Feb 1, 2018
0
28
