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CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing can cause hundreds of unintended mutations. Image credit: Lisichik.

DNA is Just List of Ingredients, Researcher Says

Apr 24, 2020 by News Staff

The common view of heredity is that all information passed down from one generation to the next is stored in DNA. But University of Maryland’s Dr. Antony...

P-HeLa cells grown on a Si substrate. Image credit: Pareek et al, doi: 10.1126/science.aaz6465.

Scientists Catch Elusive Metabolons in Action

Apr 23, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers at Pennsylvania State University has directly observed functional metabolons — long-hypothesized clusters of enzymes —...

The Salazar’s pit viper (Trimeresurus salazar), juvenile male from Pakke Tiger Reserve, India. Image credit: Aamod Zambre & Chintan Seth, Eaglenest Biodiversity Project.

New Species of Pit Viper Discovered in India

Apr 22, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

A team of scientists in India has discovered a new species of the viper genus Trimeresurus living in the lowlands of western Arunachal Pradesh state and...

Neotibicen pruinosus and Magicicada casinnii and their wings with the relevant cells labeled (top). Scale representations of the material removed throughout the chemical extractions (orange: 1 min; dark gray: 5 min; blue: 20 min) and the remaining pillar height (light gray) after the extraction (bottom), based on SEM images. Image credit: Román-Kustas et al, doi: 10.1002/admi.202000112.

New Study Examines Structural and Chemical Characteristics of Cicada Wings

Apr 15, 2020 by News Staff

Chemical compounds that coat cicada wings also contribute to their ability to repel water and kill microbes, says a new study published in the journal...

Left: wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana. Right: Arabidopsis thaliana with overexpressed AHL15. Image credit: Omid Karami.

Biologists Identify Longevity Gene in Flowering Plants

Apr 15, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

A gene called AHL15 (AT-hook motif nuclear-localized protein 15) promotes longevity in annual flowering plants, according to a new study published in the...

Flamingo friends. Image credit: Paul Rose / WWT Slimbridge.

Flamingos Form Long-Standing Friendships, New Study Shows

Apr 14, 2020 by News Staff

Flamingos are well known for their gregarious habits and aggregations in large flocks, but evaluation of the mechanisms behind social grouping remain poorly...

ISS bacteria are just trying to survive. Image credit: Arek Socha.

Study Sheds New Light on Antimicrobial Activity of Silver

Apr 9, 2020 by News Staff

As ‘superbug’ bacteria resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics have become a global threat to public health in recent years, noble metals, such...

Hu et al reveal a novel mechanism regulating reversal learning and provide potential targets for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by cognitive inflexibility. Image credit: Alexas Fotos.

Newly-Discovered Gene Mutation Improves Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Apr 1, 2020 by News Staff

A team of U.S. researchers has discovered a genetic mutation that improves cognitive flexibility in mice. Hu et al reveal a novel mechanism regulating...

Model of the hemolithin molecule: space-filling mode (top), ball and stick (center), enlarged view of iron, oxygen and lithium termination (bottom). White = H; orange = Li; gray = C; blue = N; red = O and green = Fe. Hydrogen bonds are shown by dotted lines. Image credit: McGeoch et al, arXiv: 2002.11688.

Researchers Find Extraterrestrial Protein in Meteorite Acfer 086

Mar 26, 2020 by Sergio Prostak

A research team led by Harvard University scientist Julie McGeoch has found a never-before-seen protein inside a meteorite called Acfer 086. A sample of...

The study by Ward-Smith et al doesn’t support the hypothesis that natural selection for antipredator defense played an important role in the origin of snake venom or front-fanged delivery systems in general, although there may be intriguing exceptions to this rule. Image credit: J.E. Nate / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Snake Venom Evolved for Prey Acquisition, New Study Shows

Mar 26, 2020 by News Staff

Snake venom did not evolve as self-defense, according to a paper published in the journal Toxins. The study by Ward-Smith et al doesn’t support the hypothesis...

Pliotrema kajae, adult male, 97 cm total length. Image credit: Oddgeir Berg Alvheim, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.

Two New Species of Sixgill Sawsharks Discovered

Mar 20, 2020 by News Staff

A team of marine biologists has discovered two new species of six-gilled sawsharks living in the waters of the West Indian Ocean. Pliotrema kajae, adult...

The ‘squatting mantis man’ petroglyph, located in Teymareh Region, Khomein County, Markazi Province, Iran. Scale bar - 10 cm. Image credit: Mohammad Naserifard.

Scientists Find Mysterious Praying Mantis Petroglyph in Iran

Mar 16, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

An international team of archaeologists and entomologists has discovered and examined an ancient arthropod-like petroglyph at the Teymareh rock art site...

Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Image credit: Morrison et al, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-60504-6.

Western Lowland Gorillas Display Territorial Behavior, New Study Says

Mar 13, 2020 by News Staff

Groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) recognize ownership of specific regions; they are also more likely to avoid contact with other...

The Sulawesi hairy-tailed shrew (Crocidura caudipilosa). Image credit: Kevin Rowe, Museums Victoria.

New Species of Musk Shrew Discovered in Indonesia

Mar 12, 2020 by News Staff

A team of researchers from Louisiana State University, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Museums Victoria and the University of Melbourne has discovered...

Genome-wide transcriptomics analysis of anatomically dissected regions in mammalian brains uncovers regional and species-specific expression: multiple regions of the human, pig, and mouse brain were dissected and analyzed; a uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) analysis (middle) shows the global expression patterns of 1,710 samples in the human brain, with the cerebellum as the outlier; the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) Brain Atlas (right) shows the expression of individual genes, for example, synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP25), in the different brain regions in the three mammalian species. Image credit: Sjöstedt et al, doi: 10.1126/science.aay5947.

Researchers Create Atlas of Protein-Coding Genes in Mammalian Brain

Mar 10, 2020 by News Staff

The Brain Atlas explores the protein expression in the mammalian brain by visualization and integration of data from three species of mammals: human, pig...

New Species of Pitcher Plant Discovered in Philippines

Mar 9, 2020 by Natali Anderson

A team of biologists from the Central Mindanao University has discovered a new endemic species of carnivorous plant in the montane tropical rainforests...

The Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani). Image credit: Yunfang Xiu, Straits (Fuzhou) Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center, China.

DNA Analysis Reveals There Are Two Distinct Species of Red Pandas

Mar 9, 2020 by Sergio Prostak

An analysis of DNA from wild populations of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has found that there is not just one species but enough genetic differences...

Durian fruits (Durio zibethinus). Image credit: Truthseeker08.

Researchers Find Rare Amino Acid in Durian

Mar 3, 2020 by News Staff

A rare amino acid called ethionine is present in the pulp of the durian (Durio zibethinus), a fruit called the ‘king of all fruits,’ and plays a key...

Coral garden found in Bremer Canyon, Western Australia as part of a month long expedition exploring canyon depths for the first time with ROV SuBastian. Image credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute.

Marine Biologists Find Coral Gardens in Deep-Sea Canyons Off Australia

Mar 2, 2020 by News Staff

A team of biologists led by University of Western Australia researchers used Schmidt Ocean Institute’s deep-sea remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian,...