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Genetic Analysis Sheds Light on How Staphylococcus aureus Evades the Immune System

The most detailed study to date on the mechanisms by which a common type of bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, adapts to living on the human body could help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of certain infections.

15 Jan 2025

New Genetic Risk Factor Identified for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Researchers have identified a novel genetic risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing new insights into the virus' ability to invade human cells. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that spreads COVID-19.

15 Jan 2025

DNA Stretching: Minimizing Thermal Fluctuations for Imaging

The majority of microscopes can only illuminate objects up to a specific size before the smallest details start to blend together.

15 Jan 2025

Understanding RapA's Function in E. coli R-loop Control

From a genetic perspective, it is the worst-case scenario for a bacterium: during transcription, freshly created RNA adheres to its DNA template to form a three-stranded structure called an R-loop.

15 Jan 2025

The Role of Genetics and Environment in Plant Domestication

University of Southampton researchers have suggested that certain wild plant species possess specific traits that make them more suitable for human cultivation than others.

15 Jan 2025

Researchers Predict U.S. Dementia Cases Will Double by 2060

Unveiling a looming health crisis: how shifting demographics and genetic risks are driving a dramatic rise in dementia cases.

14 Jan 2025

New Software Reveals Unprecedented Insights into Embryonic Heart Development

Researchers have created a new software program that offers previously unheard-of capabilities for viewing inside 3D pictures.

13 Jan 2025

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Copper Against Bacteria

A researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson was awarded a $1.9 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to carry out more research on the mysteries of copper, particularly how it can be used to eradicate dangerous bacteria and other microorganisms.

13 Jan 2025

A Novel Mechanism for Enhancing Root Growth in Response to Drought

Researchers have learned how drought causes plants to modify their root systems so they grow deeper into the ground to reach water reserves.

13 Jan 2025

Is it possible to predict a pathogen’s next move? Novel tool for detecting pathogen fitness says yes!

Phylowave reveals evolutionary dynamics in pathogens, identifying fitness-linked lineages and mutations, essential for effective public health interventions.

13 Jan 2025

Scientists Uncover Key Plant Metabolite to Block Biofilm Development

If your teeth have ever felt fuzzy after skipping a brushing, you've encountered biofilm-a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces. In medical settings, biofilms make infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on devices like catheters and implants.

13 Jan 2025

Fiber Consumption Linked to Reduced Risk of Harmful Gut Bacteria

The group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli and others, is present at low levels as part of a healthy human gut microbiome.

13 Jan 2025

Study Reveals T Cells as Key Players in Complete Viral Infection Control

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the Singapore General Hospital have discovered that T cells-white blood cells that can destroy harmful pathogens-can completely prevent viral infection, to an extent previously thought only possible due to neutralizing antibodies.

13 Jan 2025

Shade Plants Harness Far-Red Light for Photosynthesis in a Surprising Way

Plants in the shade of other plants receive more light than scientists had previously believed. A team of researchers from Utrecht University and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) describe how, in a recent article in the scientific journal Plant Cell & Environment.

10 Jan 2025

Outer Ears Evolved From Fish Gills Through Unique Genetic Mechanism

The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, this intricate coil of cartilage has a surprisingly ancient origin in the gills of fishes and marine invertebrates.

10 Jan 2025

Researchers Discover How Protein Instability Drives Heritable Diseases

Most mutations which cause disease by swapping one amino acid out for another do so by making the protein less stable, according to a massive study of human protein variants published today in the journal Nature.

10 Jan 2025

Research Shows How Sleep Clears Brain Waste

A good night's sleep does more than just help you feel rested-it might literally clear your mind. A new study published January 8 in the Cell Press journal Cell shows how deep sleep may wash away waste buildup in the brain during waking hours, an essential process for maintaining brain health.

10 Jan 2025