https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from University of Tyumen Species have been going extinct on our planet since life began on it. However, the rate of extinction considerably increased with the rise of human populations. Humans affect the biosphere and cause significant alterations to it. These changes destroy habitats, cause biological invasions into ecosystems, and accelerate the extinction of many species. These processes may differ depending on the region and might affect the plant diversity. In this study a team of researchers from Tyumen State University and their foreign colleagues investigated such differences in world biodiversity hotspots (predominantly regions with Mediterranean-type climate) and coldspots (predominantly Eurasian countries). https://phys.org/news/2019-11-scientists-extinction-world-regions.html Ecology Tue, 05 Nov 2019 10:45:51 EST news492173146 A team of scientists from Tyumen together with colleagues found and described previously unknown tapeworm proteins that suppress the activity of trypsin and efficiently protect the parasites from being digested inside a host's intestinal tract. The analogs of these proteins are found in many other living organisms and were described in some other parasite worms. The results of the study were published in the Molecular & Biochemical Parasitology journal. https://phys.org/news/2019-10-scientists-mechanisms-tapeworms-digested-host.html Plants & Animals Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:31:12 EDT news490962641 A new species of gall mites (Setoptus tsugivagus) associated with the Western hemlock (a common coniferous tree at the west coast of North America) has been described by a group of scientists from Russia, Serbia and the U.S. The researchers believe that the current classification of the Setoptus mites and other groups should be reconsidered, because species that were previously considered as closely related do not have a common ancestor. The results of the study were published in Systematic and Applied Acarology. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-species-canadian-gall-mite-current.html Plants & Animals Tue, 27 Aug 2019 07:15:32 EDT news486108919 A team of scientists from the Institute of Biology of Tyumen State University and universities of Kazakhstan and Australia studied the factors that affect the quality of wheat grains. Two groups of genes that control the synthesis of gluten proteins turn out to have a considerable affect the quality of wheat dough. The work will help make wheat more eco-friendly and healthy. The article was published in Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-scientists-isolate-genes-affecting-quality.html Biotechnology Mon, 26 Aug 2019 08:33:19 EDT news486027186