https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Salty water flowing through Antarctica's Blood Falls contains a distinct community of marine-specific microorganisms, providing evidence that the brine system beneath the glacier has a marine origin, according to a paper published in Nature Geoscience. The findings offer new insights into how microbial communities can persist through major environmental transitions. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-marine-microbes-ancient-seawater-source.html Earth Sciences Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:00:05 EDT news704986322 The signals that cells use to switch genes on have remained almost unchanged across 2 billion years of evolution, but the ones used to switch genes off vary dramatically from one branch of life to another, according to a new study from the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-life-universal-language-genes-silence.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:00:01 EDT news704706301 Hundreds of feet below Earth's surface, rocks and water teem with fungi and support complex ecosystems of tiny organisms, according to a University of Michigan study that finds fungi are far more abundant deep underground than researchers previously thought. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-entire-world-fungi-mile-underground.html Ecology Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:00:06 EDT news704446801 Spliceosomal introns are noncoding DNA sequences located between exons in many eukaryotic protein-coding genes. Most are removed post-transcriptionally by RNA splicing and do not encode proteins, but they have been implicated in various regulatory processes, including gene transcription, mRNA nuclear export and the generation of protein diversity. Whether spliceosomal introns are essential for fundamental cellular life has long been unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-yeast-survives-spliceosomal-introns.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:20:05 EDT news704031421 How do microorganisms orient themselves to find the optimal habitat? Scientists have thoroughly investigated so-called magnetotactic bacteria, which use the Earth's magnetic field as a biological compass. Some eukaryotic single-celled organisms—that is, more complex organisms like ciliates, which, unlike bacteria, have a cell nucleus—also possess this capability. But how they acquire it has largely remained a puzzle. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-unusual-bestows-magnetic-celled.html Evolution Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:00:01 EDT news703784221 They are the cell's "gatekeepers": specialized proteins, known as transporters, selectively control which substances enter a cell and which do not. Researchers at the University of Münster and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens have investigated these transporters in a specific case: the UapA transporter of the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. The findings are not only relevant to cell biology but could also offer new approaches to treating fungal infections. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-cellular-protein-essential-nutrient-absorption.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:40:04 EDT news703410519 Inside the cell nucleus, genes must be turned on and off with precision to regulate biological processes. The first models of gene regulation were developed in the 1960s, yet modern science continues to uncover new layers of control. A new study involving researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Institut Pasteur and Princeton University, published in PNAS, suggests that genes obey an optimal switching principle—random at any given moment, yet precise on average. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-random-flickering-genes-energy-precision.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:00:10 EDT news703149643 A decade ago this summer, at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Jocelyn Malamy watched jellyfish cells "walk" toward each other to close a wound for the first time. An associate professor of molecular genetics and cell biology at the University of Chicago, Malamy had received transparent, dime-sized medusae of the species Clytia hemisphaerica from Evelyn Houliston's lab at the Marine Observatoire in Villefranche. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-jellyfish-reveal-rapid-scar-free.html Plants & Animals Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:50:01 EDT news702055861 Biomaterials with extraordinary properties, such as spider silk, have so far been known primarily from animals. Researchers at the University of Salzburg in Austria have now deciphered a surprising counterpart from the world of single-celled organisms: The shells of tintinnids, microscopic planktonic organisms, consist of self-assembling structural proteins that form a particularly resilient material and are capable of absorbing UV light. This is the first description of a biomaterial produced by a eukaryotic single-celled organism (protist), establishing tintinnids as a new model system for the future development of advanced biomaterials. More than 200 years after the discovery of tintinnids, the composition of their shells has finally been deciphered. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-centuries-planktonic-shell-mystery-discovery.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:40:01 EDT news701618339 A new study provides the first insights into how thylakoid membranes—the internal compartments where oxygen-producing photosynthesis takes place—emerged during evolution. By comparing the genomes of cyanobacteria with and without thylakoids, the researchers identified proteins that may have contributed to their formation. The work is published in the journal New Phytologist. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cyanobacteria-photosynthetic-membranes-evolution.html Evolution Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:50:01 EDT news701364481 A publication led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, shows that microscopic partnerships between ciliates and bacteria play a role in the nitrogen cycle of lakes. The study, published in The ISME Journal, investigates what determines the ecological niche of the remarkable symbiosis, and how strongly the host depends on its microbial partners. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-swiss-lake-symbiosis-reveals-unexpected.html Ecology Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:40:08 EDT news700910283 Genes aren't just transferred from parents to their offspring. Nature has found other ways to pass on genetic information, even between different species. And a new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reports that cockroaches, in particular, are riddled with DNA transferred from another species. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cockroach-genomes-dna-endosymbiont-bacterial.html Plants & Animals Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:20:08 EDT news700914540 A new study led by Marco Fumasoni, principal investigator at Fundação GIMM, shows that evolution can substantially reduce cell size without significantly compromising cells' ability to grow. The work, carried out in yeast in collaboration with researchers at Cornell University, is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-evolution-cells-smaller-growth.html Evolution Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:00:09 EDT news700902833 Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections. The study was conducted at the Center for Research in Bacterial and Bacteriophage Biology (B3 RIDC) and was published in the journal PLOS Biology. It shows that these substances primarily act in competition among microorganisms for space and resources. The study also suggests that these substances may inspire the development of new antibiotics, in-depth studies in humans and biotechnological applications in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-salmonella-genomes-reveal-previously-unknown.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:40:06 EDT news700401841 For decades, biologists assumed a cell's energy simply diffused to wherever it was needed. It turns out the most important destination of all has a private delivery line. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cells-secret-power-line-nucleus.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:30:03 EDT news700328042 All cells in animals, plants, fungi, and protists share a fundamental characteristic: they are eukaryotic cells—complex cells with specialized internal compartments. The cells that make up our bodies are no exception. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-microbial-alliances-mitochondria-built-eukaryotic.html Evolution Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:00:02 EDT news700234236 Hiroshima University researchers say a newly proposed three-step "detour" pathway for making dolichol, a molecule cells need to properly process proteins, may be more universal than scientists realized. Experiments in yeast suggest eukaryotes may rely on overlapping biochemical pathways, including the evolutionarily conserved detour and evidence of a possible backup route, to produce a molecule essential to life. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-yeast-reveal-evolutionarily-backup-route.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:55:17 EDT news700138501 Decomposers are crucial for keeping Earth habitable, breaking down dead biomass and returning key nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, to the ecosystem. Most decomposers, including fungi, survive through osmotrophy—a means of feeding by absorbing dissolved nutrients rather than engulfing prey. But how this method of feeding repeatedly arose across the eukaryotic tree of life remains unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-gene-swapping-planet-decomposers.html Ecology Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news699875427 Living in the Dead Sea would be a very unpleasant experience for most creatures. With salt concentration above 30% and temperatures ranging from 10–50°C, it takes unique environmental adaptations to survive in such harsh conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dead-sea-archaea-sport-tail.html Evolution Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:40:01 EDT news699696781 It's tricky to make an exact copy of yourself. Or at least it is for cells undergoing mitosis, where cells replicate everything inside of them, including their neatly packaged DNA, then split in half. Rice University professor Peter Wolynes is interested in how the packaged DNA, called a chromosome, changes its structure during replication, going from a ball shape to a cylinder shape that can be transported easily to the daughter cell. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chromosome-links-steady-motor-shift.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:03 EDT news699268719 Earth was mostly devoid of oxygen for much of its 4.5 billion year lifetime. That is, until certain processes started to allow for the eventual buildup of oxygen up to the levels we have now (around 21% of the atmosphere). While scientists have found evidence of the approximate timescales of rises in oxygen over time and are aware of some of the mechanisms behind it, the main driver behind Earth's long-term oxygenation is still unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-earth-oxygen-rich-atmosphere-owe.html Earth Sciences Wed, 27 May 2026 12:15:54 EDT news699102077 A University of Texas at Austin-led team has reconstructed the most detailed map to date of the molecular machines that carried out the functions of life in an ancient ancestor that gave rise to all complex life on Earth, including us, shedding new light on genetic causes of human diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-reconstructed-15billionyearold-protein-network-reveals.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 27 May 2026 11:00:01 EDT news699029585 In evolutionary biology, all life on Earth is theoretically part of a single phylogenetic tree, indicating common ancestry. This model suggests that every living organism can be traced back to a distant common ancestor. However, viruses—which are not made of cells, but consist only of genetic material—are not part of this traditional cellular tree of life, raising important questions about their origin and evolution. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-discovery-furtivovirus-advances-giant-virus.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 26 May 2026 18:00:05 EDT news699029287 In the crushing darkness of the hadal zone—deep ocean trenches plunging 6,000 m to nearly 11,000 m—scientists have uncovered a hidden community. A study published in Science on May 14 reports the discovery of a protist-dominated hard-substrate fauna across seven hadal regions in Oceania, highlighting an overlooked yet highly active carbon "hotspot." https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-hard-substrate-fauna-oceania.html Plants & Animals Fri, 22 May 2026 15:00:03 EDT news698669321 From the highest mountains to the deepest ocean, the driest desert to the lushest jungle, Earth displays a dazzling array of life-forms. And eukaryotes account for many of these life-forms, including nearly all of the multicellular life we can see in the landscape. But scientists are still piecing together exactly how this domain of life evolved from simpler predecessors. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-early-complex-life-clung-oxygenated.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 20 May 2026 11:00:10 EDT news698493481 Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen have shown that giant viruses long thought to exist only as fleeting, free-living particles that can embed themselves permanently in the genome of a multicellular host, lie dormant for generations and then wake up on demand. Their study, published in Nature Microbiology, challenges fundamental assumptions about how giant viruses operate and establishes a powerful new model for studying viral latency in complex organisms. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hidden-viruses-seaweed-future-generations.html Evolution Mon, 18 May 2026 14:40:03 EDT news698323741 Researchers from A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) have developed a new method to study individual RNA molecules and reveal how their structures influence gene regulation, a fundamental process that affects how cells function in health and disease. Their work was published in Nature Methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-molecule-rna-reveal-shifts-health.html Biotechnology Fri, 15 May 2026 14:20:03 EDT news698071081 Researchers at Aarhus University have demonstrated that a simple adjustment to water filtration methods can dramatically improve the detection of marine animal DNA when using advanced, PCR-free sequencing. This methodological optimization could help clear a major bottleneck in aquatic biomonitoring and marine conservation efforts. The study is published in Metabarcoding and Metagenomics. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-simple-filter-swap-advance-marine.html Ecology Mon, 04 May 2026 07:20:01 EDT news697097461 During the development of marine organisms—from fertilization through to juvenile stages—it is often observed that the eggs released into the water column are initially supplied with only a small fraction of the energy they require. The remaining reserves needed for growth must be obtained from the environment through filtering food—like phytoplankton—from the water column. This strategy of providing many eggs with only a small amount of energy each often leads to the loss of almost all potential offspring. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mother-gift-plastid-derived-sea.html Ecology Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:40:01 EDT news696249601 A new study finds the proteins responsible for controlling which genes are expressed in a genome do more than simply turn a gene on or off. Essentially, each type of protein that interacts with a gene produces different behaviors—a finding with ramifications for everything from biomedical therapeutics to biological computing. A paper on the study, "Epigenome Regulators Imbue a Single Eukaryotic Promoter with Diverse Gene Expression Dynamics," is published in the journal iScience. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-protein-epigenome-pattern-gene.html Biotechnology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:40:06 EDT news695909641