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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Ecology: Extinction
Published The reasons why insect numbers are decreasing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are investigating the causes and consequences of the worldwide insect decline as well as considering potential countermeasures.
Published New test reveals existing antibiotics, hiding in plain sight on pharmacy shelves, can treat superbugs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new test revealed that FDA-approved antibiotics -- available at your neighborhood pharmacy -- can effectively treat superbugs. They are not prescribed, however, because the gold-standard test predicts they will not work. The new test may improve the way antibiotics are developed, tested and prescribed -- and it is openly available to all.
Published Scientists slow aging by engineering longevity in cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a biosynthetic 'clock' that keeps cells from reaching normal levels of deterioration related to aging. They engineered a gene oscillator that switches between the two normal paths of aging, slowing cell degeneration and setting a record for life extension.
Published One famous dog and a powerful new approach for understanding biology and evolutionary history
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ever since scientists first read the complete genetic codes of creatures like fruit flies and humans more than two decades ago, the field of genomics has promised major leaps forward in understanding basic questions in biology. Two recent articles break new ground by showing how much valuable information can be found in genomes of a single species, such as endangered orcas, or even in the DNA of an individual. That individual is a sled dog named Balto, who has been immortalized in movies and a statue for helping to bring lifesaving diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska in an epic journey across the Alaskan wilderness in the winter of 1925. With just a snippet of the dog's preserved skin researchers have made great discoveries.
Published Pulling the plug on viral infections: CRISPR isn't just about cutting
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source CRISPR claimed scientific fame for its ability to quickly and accurately edit genes. But, at the core, CRISPR systems are immune systems that help bacteria protect themselves from viruses. A new study reveals a previously unrecognized player in one such system -- a membrane protein that enhances anti-viral defense. According to study authors, the finding upends the idea that CRISPR systems mount their defense only by degrading RNA and DNA in cells.
Published Information 'deleted' from the human genome may be what made us human
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What the human genome is lacking compared with the genomes of other primates might have been as crucial to the development of humankind as what has been added during our evolutionary history, according to a new study led by researchers at Yale and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The new findings, published April 28 in the journal Science, fill an important gap in what is known about historical changes to the human genome.
Published Mammalian evolution provides hints for understanding the origins of human disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Even though it is important to know where these variations are located in the genome, it's also useful to know how or why these genetic variations happened in the first place.
Published How dormant bacteria come back to life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacterial spores can survive for years, even centuries, without nutrients, resisting heat, UV radiation, and antibiotics. How inert, sleeping bacteria -- or spores -- spring back to life has been a century-long mystery. New research identifies how sensor proteins revive dormant bacteria. Discovery opens new routes to combat spore resistance to antibiotics and sterilization. Findings can inform novel strategies to prevent infections, food spoilage.
Published Ant mounds are more important for biodiversity than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The ant mounds on the heath, in the forest and in your garden are oases for life. The heat and nutrients from ant mounds make them the perfect home for unique plant and animal species, according to new research.
Published Scientists discover antibiotic resistance genes in clouds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The atmosphere is a large-scale dissemination route for bacteria carrying antibiotic-resistance genes. A research team has shown that these genes can be transported by clouds.
Published Researchers explore techniques to successfully reintroduce captive birds into the wild
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Studies show that some species may require breeding in captivity within the next 200 years to avoid extinction. This reality places heavy importance on the reintroduction practices used to successfully transfer species from captivity to the wild. A new study looks at some of the most popular conservation techniques and identifies which have the highest likelihood of success for the reintroduction of bird species back into the wild.
Published Maths unlocks molecular interactions that open window to how life evolved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Landmark research by mathematicians sets out the definitive picture of biological adaptation at the level of intermolecular interactions.
Published Twilight zone at risk from climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Life in the ocean's 'twilight zone' could decline dramatically due to climate change, new research suggests.
Published Prehistoric scat reveals 'Waves' of extinction in Colombia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fungal spores found in dung have revealed that large animals went extinct in two 'waves' in the Colombian Andes.
Published A healthy but depleted herd: Predators decrease prey disease levels but also population size
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nature documentaries will tell you that lions, cheetahs, wolves and other top predators target the weakest or slowest animals and that this culling benefits prey herds, whether it's antelope in Africa or elk in Wyoming. This idea has been widely accepted by biologists for many years and was formalized in 2003 as the healthy herds hypothesis. It proposes that predators can help prey populations by picking off the sick and injured and leaving healthy, strong animals to reproduce.
Published Near-universal T cell immunity towards a broad range of bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Typically T cells of the immune system respond to a specific feature (antigen) of a microbe, thereby generating protective immunity. Scientists have discovered an exception to this rule. Namely, a group of divergent bacterial pathogens, including pneumococci, all share a small highly conserved protein sequence, which is both presented and recognized by human T cells in a conserved population-wide manner.
Published Ocean ecosystem: Mixotrophic microorganisms play key role
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a previously unknown group of bacteria, called UBA868, as key players in the energy cycle of the deep ocean. They are significantly involved in the biogeochemical cycle in the marine layer between 200 and 1000 meters.
Published Antimicrobial use in agriculture can breed bacteria resistant to first-line human defenses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has shown that overuse of antimicrobials in livestock production can drive the evolution of bacteria more resistant to the first line of the human immune response. Bacteria that had evolved resistance to colistin, an antimicrobial widely used in farming, also showed resistance to compounds that are key components of human and animal immune systems. The results indicate that farmed pigs and chickens could harbour large reservoirs of cross-resistant bacteria, capable of fuelling future epidemics.
Published Luring the virus into a trap
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Viruses like influenza A and Ebola invade human cells in a number of steps. Research teams investigated the final stages of viral penetration using electron tomography and computer simulations. So-called fusion pores, through which the viral genome is released into the host cell, play a central role in these processes. If they can be prevented from forming, the virus is also blocked. The Heidelberg scientists describe previously unknown mechanisms, which might lead to new approaches to prevent infections.
Published Researchers reveal an ancient mechanism for wound repair
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The study is the first to identify a damage response pathway that is distinct from but parallel to the classical pathway triggered by pathogens.