Study uncovers how DNA unfolds for transcription

(PhysOrg.com) -- The human genome contains some 3 billion base pairs that are tightly compacted into the nucleus of each cell. If a DNA strand were the thickness of a human hair, the entire human genome would be crammed into ...

Weightlessness weighs heavy on genes -- a fly's perspective

On Earth all biology is subjected to gravity. Some biological systems require gravity for correct orientation (geotropism: plants grow up, roots grow down). In the absence of gravity even human biology is affected: astronauts ...

A protein safeguards against cataracts

The refractive power of the human eye lens relies on a densely packed mixture of proteins. Special protective proteins ensure that these proteins do not clump together as time passes. When this protective mechanism fails, ...

Microscopic collisions help proteins stay healthy

Studies at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio are providing basic new understanding about "heat shock proteins," also called "chaperone proteins." These proteins, first identified in cells subjected ...

Plants feel the heat

It's not just humans and animals that suffer when the mercury rises, plants feel the heat too. Heat stress is a major issue in agriculture and can significantly reduce crop yield. Even small increases in temperature can affect ...

Space-raised flies show weakened immunity to fungus

Venturing into space might be a bold adventure, but it may not be good for your immune system. Now a study by researchers at the University of California, Davis and published Jan. 24 in the journal PLOS ONE shows how growing ...

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