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Study Finds How Plants Limit Viral Spread to Progeny with RNA Interference

Scientists have learned how plants keep viruses from being passed to their offspring, a finding that could ensure healthier crops.

20 Sep 2024

Ancient Genomes Reveal Long-Term Genetic Stability in Southernmost Africa

Around 13 individuals, who died between 1,300 and 10,000 years ago, had their genomes reconstructed by a team of researchers from the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, using analysis of human remains found in the southern African rock shelter.

20 Sep 2024

Revolutionizing Cucumber Genetics with Magnetofection

Researchers have achieved a groundbreaking advancement in plant biotechnology by using a magnetofected pollen gene delivery system to genetically transform cucumbers.

19 Sep 2024

COI1 Proteins in Maize Show Unexpected Functions for Crop Improvement

Maize (corn) is one of the most important staple crops in the world and has been extensively studied. Yet, many aspects of the genetic mechanisms regulating its growth and development remain unexplored.

19 Sep 2024

CRISPR-Edited Euglena Offers Improved Biofuel Feedstock for Cold Conditions

News about biofuels sometimes mentions used cooking oil as a feedstock, but if these substances contain animal fat, they can solidify in colder temperatures.

16 Sep 2024

Study Reveals How Alternative Splicing Regulates Plant Metabolite Production

A recent study highlights the pivotal role of alternative splicing in controlling plant secondary metabolism, which is crucial for producing bioactive compounds with significant medicinal and industrial value.

14 Sep 2024

Genetic Blueprint of Atractylodes Lancea Reveals Key Insights for Medicinal Use

Scientists have decoded the genetic blueprint of Atractylodes lancea, a prized herb in traditional Chinese medicine.

12 Sep 2024

AmelHap: A Honeybee Haplotype Map

Beebytes is very happy to have achieved its first publication, the development of a ‘HapMap’ for honey bees, in collaboration with the Roslin Institute, the University of the Basque Country in Spain, and the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) in France.

From Beebytes Analytics 30 Aug 2024

Pesticide Exposure Strongly Correlated with Fewer Wild Bee Sightings

Whether you're strolling through a garden, wandering a park, or simply enjoying an open space in the United States, you're likely to notice bees buzzing about the flowers. While honeybees, imported from Europe in the 17th century to produce honey, are the most recognizable, they aren't the only bees at work. If you're a keen observer, you might spot some of the thousands of less familiar, native bee species that call these spaces home.

28 Aug 2024

Honeybees Contribute to Bumble Bee Virus Prevalence

Honey bees might contribute to rising virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to Penn State researchers who studied seasonal patterns of parasite and virus transmission in bees.

22 Aug 2024

Scientists Create Disease-Resistant Potatoes Using CRISPR

The global food system is under increasing pressure due to the compounding effects of climate change, which exacerbates the prevalence of pests and diseases in crops. Potatoes, being the third most important food crop worldwide, are particularly at risk. The quest for sustainable agricultural practices necessitates the development of crops that can withstand these adversities, prompting an urgent need for research into enhancing the inherent resilience of our staple foods.

9 Aug 2024

Study Reveals Strigolactones as Key Regulators of Tomato Flowering

In an article published in the journal PNAS, researchers at the University of São Paulo's Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP) in Brazil describe for the first time how strigolactones, plant hormones discovered several decades ago, control flowering and fruiting in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The findings of their study point to a new opportunity for management of fruiting time and could have a significant impact on total yields for this crop.

1 Aug 2024

New Study Uncovers Genetic Secrets of Cotton's Drought Resilience

Cotton is woven into the very fabric of our lives, from soft T-shirts to comfortable jeans and cozy bedsheets.

30 Jul 2024

Harvard Researchers Crack the Code on Western Equine Encephalitis Decline

The story of the rise and fall of western equine encephalitis as a lethal disease offers essential lessons about how a pathogen can gain or lose its ability to jump from animals to humans.

29 Jul 2024

Dairy Cattle Become Hosts for Avian Flu Transmission

A new study reveals evidence that avian influenza has spilled over from birds to dairy cattle across several U.S. states, resulting in mammal-to-mammal transmission between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon.

25 Jul 2024

New Approach to Finding Antibiotic Alternatives Using Bacterial Data

Researchers have devised an approach for identifying novel antimicrobial drugs with clinical potential using bacterial databases, offering insights into finding alternatives to existing antibiotics.

17 Jul 2024

Few Chicken Products with Highly Virulent Salmonella Strains Responsible for Most Illnesses

Raw poultry is one of the main causes of Salmonella poisoning, which affects thousands of people in the U.S. every year. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that few products with high levels of very virulent Salmonella strains are responsible for most of the illnesses from raw chicken parts.

16 Jul 2024