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Echidna Genome Sheds Light on Complex Sex Chromosome Evolution

A nearly gapless genome sequence of the echidna, an egg-laying mammal with multiple sex chromosomes, helps researchers to track genomic reorganization events that gave rise to a highly unusual sex determination system.

9 Jan 2025

Coordinated Behavior in Choanoflagellates Provides Evolutionary Clues

A new study published in Science Advances reveals evidence of electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals.

9 Jan 2025

How Streptomyces Uses Iron to Target Competitor Bacteria

Researchers at Indiana University Bloomington have identified a new mechanism by which bacteria can eliminate their competitors within intricate microbial communities, highlighting innovative strategies to utilize viruses for targeting harmful bacteria.

9 Jan 2025

Uncovering the Ancient Genetic Secrets of Hornworts

Over 450 million years ago, plants began the epic transition from water to dry land. Among the first pioneers were the ancestors of humble hornworts, a group of small, unassuming plants that have persisted to this day.

7 Jan 2025

Unique CO₂-Concentrating Mechanism Drives the Future of Sustainable Agriculture

Researchers have been exploring methods to enhance the ability of plants to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biomass, a process that could increase crop yields and contribute to climate change mitigation.

7 Jan 2025

Uncovering Key Differences Between Humans and Mice in Cancer Immunotherapy Targets

“Programmed cell death protein 1,” or PD-1, has been considered a key target in cancer therapies since its discovery in the 1990s.

6 Jan 2025

Bacteria in Lake Mendota Evolve with Changing Seasons

Like Bill Murray in the movie "Groundhog Day," bacteria species in a Wisconsin lake are in a kind of endless loop that they can't seem to shake. Except in this case, it's more like Groundhog Year.

6 Jan 2025

Biologists Reveal Genetics Behind Walnut Trees' Alternating Sexes

The genetics behind the alternating sexes of walnut trees has been revealed by biologists at the University of California, Davis.

3 Jan 2025

Genetic Sequencing Breakthrough Reveals Rapid Spread of New Pathogens

Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans - including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis.

2 Jan 2025

Study Reveals Mechanism Behind Retrotransposon Insertion in Centromeres

A joint research group team led by Sayuri Tsukahara and Tetsuji Kakutani of the University of Tokyo has clarified a mechanism of how retrotransposons, genetic elements that can "jump around" chromosomes and are known drivers of evolution, preferentially insert in the centromere.

2 Jan 2025

Fruit Flies Evolve New Defense Through Gene Transfer

In the continual arms race between parasites and their hosts, innovation was thought to be the key to a successful attack or defense that one-ups the competition.

26 Dec 2024

Researchers Create 3D Atlas of Brain-Spinal Cord Connections

Signals relayed to motor neurons from the brain enable muscle movement, but these signals typically pass through spinal interneurons before they reach their destination. How the brain and this highly diverse group of "switchboard operator" cells are connected is poorly understood.

24 Dec 2024

Unraveling the Evolutionary Trajectories of Early Eukaryotes

Advanced tools and expanded fossil datasets have painted a clearer picture of the eukaryotic diversity of the Proterozoic eon, which has been hard to quantify. The findings show that Earth's severe Cryogenian glaciations catalyzed a pivotal shift in the evolution and diversity of early eukaryotes during this eon, 2500 to 538 million years ago.

20 Dec 2024

Scientists Discover New Twist in DNA Looping Mechanism

Scientists from the Kavli Institute of Delft University of Technology and the IMP Vienna Biocenter discovered a new property of the molecular motors that shape our chromosomes.

16 Dec 2024

Deadly Mould Strains Highly Likely to Acquire Resistance to New Drugs

Scientists have identified strains of one of the world’s most dangerous fungal pathogens, already resistant to our most effective antifungal drugs, which are also 5-times more likely to acquire resistance to desperately needed new treatments in development.

From The University of Manchester 16 Dec 2024

Ancient DNA Reveals Neandertal Gene Flow into Modern Humans

Ancient DNA research suggests that our non-African ancestors mixed with Neandertals about 50,000 years ago, resulting in one to two percent Neandertal DNA in non-African modern humans.

14 Dec 2024

New Look at the Last Universal Common Ancestor

Revising genetic code evolution, this research uncovers early amino acid recruitment patterns and sulfur's significance for understanding extraterrestrial life.

13 Dec 2024

Unraveling the Mystery of Anglerfish’s Deadly Fishing Trick

Frogfish exhibit motor neuron migration in the CNS, revealing evolutionary adaptations in dorsal fins that enhance hunting efficiency and vertebrate evolution.

13 Dec 2024

The Mechanics Behind Crocodile Morphology: A Breakthrough in Evolutionary Biology

How do humans account for the variety of morphologies found in living things? Genetics is usually the first explanation that comes to mind, but it is not the only one.

12 Dec 2024

Programmable G-protein-coupled receptors redefine therapeutic applications.

This study demonstrates the development of PAGERs (programmable antigen-gated engineered receptors), combining antigen specificity, modular adaptability, and drug-controlled activation, with potential applications in synthetic biology, therapeutics, and neuroscience.

12 Dec 2024