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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Space: Exploration
Published Researchers probe how a piece of the moon became a near-Earth asteroid
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two years after the striking discovery that a near-Earth asteroid could be a chunk of the moon, another UArizona research group has found that a rare pathway could have enabled this to happen.
Published Fungal evolution discovered: Mycena can now invade living hosts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have long known mushrooms of the genus Mycena, commonly known as bonnet mushrooms, as fungi that live off of dead trees and plants. New research demonstrates that bonnets can also find their ways into young, healthy trees and plants, where they try to cooperate. In doing so, they have made an evolutionary leap which challenges our understanding of the ecological roles of fungi.
Published The Moon is 40 million years older than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By analyzing tiny lunar crystals gathered by Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972, researchers recalculated the age of the Earth's Moon. Although previous assessments estimated the Moon as 4.425 billion years old, the new study discovered it is actually 4.46 billion years old -- 40 million years older than previously thought.
Published Researchers develop DANGER analysis tool for the safer design of gene editing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has developed a software tool that provides a way for the safer design of genome editing in all organisms with a transcriptome. For about a decade, researchers have used the CRISPR technology for genome editing. However, there are some challenges in the use of CRISPR. The new analysis system overcomes these challenges and allows researchers to perform safer on- and off-target assessments without a reference genome. It holds the potential for applications in medicine, agriculture, and biological research.
Published Contaminants in cannabis and hemp flowers create potential for health risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cannabis use, even for medical purposes, could make some people sick due to harmful fungi that contaminate the plants. That is the finding of a recently published peer-reviewed journal article, whose authors recommend further study and consideration of changes to regulations to protect consumers, especially those who are immunocompromised. They examined data, previous studies, and U.S. and international regulations related to the cannabis and hemp industry.
Published Moving muscle fibers with magnets 'programs' how they align within tissue
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Stimulating muscle fibers with magnets causes them to grow in the same direction, aligning muscle cells within tissue. The findings offer a simpler, less time-consuming way for medical researchers to program muscle cell alignment, which is strongly tied to healthy muscle function.
Published How cord-like aggregates of bacteria lead to tuberculosis infections
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), a serious respiratory infection, to form snake-like cords was first noted nearly 80 years ago. Investigators report the biophysical mechanisms by which these cords form and demonstrate how several generations of dividing bacteria hang together to create these structures that enable resistance to antibiotics.
Published Potential for injectable 'chemical vaccine' for malaria using atovaquone
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers looking to develop a long-acting, injectable malaria preventive using atovaquone have shown in a new study that resistance may not be the challenge scientists thought it was, particularly when using atovaquone as a malaria preventive. Malaria parasites in infected patients being treated with atovaquone tend to develop a resistance to the drug. Because of this, atovaquone by itself is not used as a malaria treatment nor has not been seen as a strong candidate for use as a preventive.
Published NASA's Webb discovers new feature in Jupiter's atmosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a new, never-before-seen feature in Jupiter's atmosphere. The high-speed jet stream, which spans more than 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) wide, sits over Jupiter's equator above the main cloud decks. The discovery of this jet is giving insights into how the layers of Jupiter's famously turbulent atmosphere interact with each other, and how Webb is uniquely capable of tracking those features.
Published Dietary supplement modifies gut microbiome -- potential implications for bone marrow transplant patients
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers conducted a phase I pilot study to assess the feasibility of using potato starch as a dietary intervention to modify the gut microbiome in bone marrow transplant patients. The study is the first part of a two-phase ongoing clinical trial evaluating the effect of modifying the microbiome on the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a major complication that develops in up to half the patients who receive a bone marrow transplant and can lead to injury and death.
Published Soil carried on sea freight loaded with dangerous pests and diseases, research finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While sea freight is recognised as a pathway for the movement of exotic organisms, there is little research that has quantified the risk. Soil collected from the external surfaces of sea freight was found to support live microorganisms, worms, seeds and insects, including various regulated biosecurity organisms. The research confirms that shipping containers provide a pathway for the movement of exotic species.
Published Astronomers detect most distant fast radio burst to date
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team has spotted a remote blast of cosmic radio waves lasting less than a millisecond. This 'fast radio burst' (FRB) is the most distant ever detected. Its source was pinned down by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in a galaxy so far away that its light took eight billion years to reach us. The FRB is also one of the most energetic ever observed; in a tiny fraction of a second it released the equivalent of our Sun's total emission over 30 years.
Published Can golden retrievers live longer?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found a gene associated with longevity in golden retrievers, one of the most popular breeds of dogs.
Published You say genome editing, I say natural mutation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A plant geneticist and computational biologist teamed up to decipher the unpredictability of natural and engineered mutations in tomatoes. They discovered some combinations of mutations behave as expected while others are more erratic. Their work may help scientists find some order in the chaos of evolution and genome editing.
Published Restoring the function of a human cell surface protein in yeast cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Yeast cells are widely used to study G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a large group of cell surface proteins in humans. However, several of these proteins lose their function when introduced into yeast cells. To tackle this issue, researchers developed an innovative strategy to restore GPCR function in yeast cells by inducing random mutations. Their findings can help understand GPCRs better and could pave the way to therapeutic breakthroughs for many diseases.
Published Black holes could come in 'perfect pairs' in an ever expanding Universe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown it's theoretically possible for black holes to exist in perfectly balanced pairs -- held in equilibrium by a cosmological force -- mimicking a single black hole.
Published Two probiotics identified as promising hypertension treatments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New findings point to 2 additional probiotics as potential treatments for high blood pressure.
Published Stolen genes allow parasitic control of behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has discovered that parasites manipulate their hosts using stolen genes that they likely acquired through a phenomenon called horizontal gene transfer.
Published New 'subway map' of Lyme disease pathways identifies potential new treatment targets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a genome-scale metabolic model or 'subway map' of key metabolic activities of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Using this map, they have successfully identified two compounds that selectively target routes only used by Lyme disease to infect a host.
Published Pinpointing the emergence of muddy flavors in your fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many people have experienced a muddy off-flavor in farmed fish. While the aquaculture industry has known about the problem for 20 years, it continues to impact the consumption of otherwise healthy and potentially sustainable fish. Now, researchers have been able to pinpoint exactly when the off-flavors emerge. And this can make it easier to deal with the compounds that turn people away from farmed fish.