Biotechnology

The Sudan virus, a close relative of Ebola, has a fatality rate of 50% but remains poorly understood in terms of how it infects cells. Currently, no approved treatments exist. To address this critical gap in pandemic preparedness, researchers investigated how this deadly virus attaches to human cells.

Researchers have identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms that transform healthy stem cells into oral cancer at the earliest stages of the disease.

Scientists have created genetically-engineered mice that could help accelerate anti-aging research.

Biological scientists have uncovered how the dengue virus uses its envelope protein to capture human plasmin from a blood meal to enhance the permeability of the mosquito midgut for infection.

Researchers have identified a sex chromosome in the California two-spot octopus. This chromosome has likely been around for 480 million years, since before octopuses split apart from the nautilus on the evolutionary tree. That makes it one of the oldest known animal sex chromosomes. The finding also is evidence that octopuses and other cephalopods, a class of sea animals that includes squid and nautiluses, do use chromosomes to determine their sex, answering a longstanding mystery among biologists.

DNA evidence has confirmed killer whales in Australia hunted a white shark for its liver. Based on DNA analysis from the bite wounds on the carcass of a large white shark washed ashore near Portland in Victoria in 2023, the study identified that killer whales were responsible for consuming the mid-section containing the nutritionally rich liver.

Communication between oocytes and granulosa cells is essential for oocyte formation, dormancy, reawakening, and maturation. Researchers have demonstrated that a protein complex called the exocyst complex plays a crucial role in this process. Using a mouse model, their investigations revealed that a deficiency in this complex causes female infertility.

A research group has developed new advanced light-controlled tools that enable precise control of proteins in real time in living cells. This groundbreaking research opens doors to new methods for studying complex processes in cells and could pave the way for significant advances in medicine and synthetic biology.

Zika virus hijacks the skin of its human host to send out chemical signals that lure more mosquitoes to infect and spread the disease further, new research shows.

Study finds three new safe and effective drug regimens to fight multidrug-resistant TB. The treatments, which include recently discovered TB drugs, give new options for shorter, personalized treatment and are cleared for use for more people than ever.

Cells are dynamic, fast-changing, complex, tiny, and often hard-to-see in environments that don't always behave in predictable ways when exposed to external stimuli. Now, researchers have found new ways to modulate cell activity remotely.

Why does coffee taste more bitter to some people than it does to others? Researchers have now come closer to answering this question. They have identified a new group of bitter compounds in roasted Arabica coffee and have investigated how they influence its bitter taste. In addition, they demonstrated that individual genetic predisposition also plays a role in determining how bitter these roasting substances taste.

Study reveals how immune cells in the gut distinguish between food and harmful pathogens, shedding light on the origins of both food allergies and intestinal diseases.

The latest findings on the interaction between cell death and cellular senescence in cancer and their pathophysiological significance have been reviewed.

A team of stem cell scientists have successfully used embryonic stem cell engineering to create a bi-paternal mouse -- a mouse with two male parents -- that lived until adulthood. Their results describe how targeting a particular set of genes involved in reproduction allowed the researchers to overcome previously insurmountable challenges in unisexual reproduction in mammals.

New research has identified a unique genetic signature in bacteria that can predict their likelihood of developing antibiotic resistance, a finding that can help quickly identify precision-based treatments that are more effective against the deadly, treatment-resistant pathogens.

Biologists have identified important components and mechanisms of the molecular machinery that transmits information about a pathogen encounter within the plant organism.

Tissue processing advance can label proteins at the level of individual cells across whole, intact rodent brains and other large samples just as fast and uniformly as in dissociated single cells.

Researchers have uncovered which genes on the Y chromosome regulate the development of sperm and impact fertility in male mice. This research could help us understand why some men don't produce enough sperm and are infertile.

A single gene that regulates testosterone levels in a 'crazy' species of shore bird controls the development of three wildly different types of males, a new study has found. Ruffs have long fascinated scientists for their three types of males, known as morphs, that differ radically from each other in appearance and mating behaviors. A new study has shown that these morphs are produced by a super enzyme (HSD17B2) in the blood of the birds that's able to regulate testosterone levels in males and rapidly break down the hormone normally associated with male dominance and aggression.

A research team has uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the remarkable underwater adhesion of hairy mussels. Their findings reveal an oxidation-independent adhesion process driven by interactions between EGF/EGF-like domains and GlcNAc-based biopolymers.

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs.

A new computational tool improves the analysis of genetic data, making it easier and faster to study the evolutionary relationships between species.

Scientists have developed a theoretical model that uncovers the dual role of polyploidy -- organisms carrying extra genome copies -- in evolution. Their findings reveal that polyploidy can stabilize populations in predictable environments, where the evolution of novel traits is not required, enabling organisms to adapt and thrive in challenging conditions by accelerating evolutionary innovation. This breakthrough offers fresh insights into evolutionary mechanisms and their implications for microbiology, biotechnology, and medicine.

Thanks to a new technology called Moscot ('Multi-Omics Single-Cell Optimal Transport'), researchers can now observe millions of cells simultaneously as they develop into a new organ -- for example, a pancreas.

Scientists have completed construction of the final chromosome in the worlds' first synthetic yeast genome following more than a decade of work, opening new possibilities for creating resilient, engineered organisms.

DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion by enzymatic RNA degradation. Essentially, chemical energy is converted into mechanical motion by biasing the Brownian motion. The DNA-nanoparticle motor uses the 'burnt-bridge' Brownian ratchet mechanism. In this type of movement, the motor is being propelled by the degradation (or 'burning') of the bonds (or 'bridges') it crosses along the substrate, essentially biasing its motion forward.

Globally, over 600 million people are infected with the skin-penetrating threadworm, Strongyloides stercoralis, mostly in tropical and subtropical regions with poor sanitation infrastructure. Biologists have discovered that the nematodes respond differently to carbon dioxide at different stages in their life cycle, which could help scientists find ways to prevent or cure infections by targeting the CO2-sensing pathway.

Trypanosomes are parasites that cause sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and various animal diseases. Diagnosis and treatment remain complex and no effective vaccine has been developed. A better understanding of the molecular processes in the parasite is fundamental to the development of novel effective drugs. Scientists have now characterized an important protein complex -- the nuclear cap-binding complex -- that is vital for trypanosomes, since it binds to the end of each of the parasites' mRNAs.

Over half of our genomes consists of thousands of remnants of ancient viral DNA, known as transposable elements, which are widespread across the tree of life. Once dismissed as the 'dark side' of the genome, researchers have now revealed their crucial role in early embryo development.

In life sciences, confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) is widely regarded for producing high-resolution cellular images. However, it requires fluorescent staining, which poses risks of photobleaching and phototoxicity, potentially damaging the cells under study. Conversely, mid-infrared photoacoustic microscopy (MIR-PAM) allows for label-free imaging, preserving cell integrity. Yet, its reliance on longer wavelengths limits spatial resolution, making it difficult to visualize fine cellular structures with precision.

Scientists have unveiled insights into how HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS, skillfully hijacks cellular machinery for its own survival. By dissecting the molecular interplay between the virus and its host, the researchers identified novel strategies that HIV-1 employs to ensure its replication while suppressing the host's cellular defenses.

Scientists have discovered that the protein machines that shape our DNA can switch direction. Until now, researchers believed that these so-called SMC motors that make loops into DNA could move in one direction only. The discovery is key to understanding how these motors shape our genome and regulate our genes.

Scientists have made 'exciting,' patient-friendly advances in developing a non-toxic bacterial therapy, BacID, to deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly into tumors. This emerging technology holds promise for very safe and more effective treatment of cancers with high mortality rates, including liver, ovarian and metastatic breast cancer.

Scientists have revealed the secret to the structural integrity of tiny particles that transport cargo from cell to cell through blood vessels and bodily fluids: special proteins that keep their membranes intact as they negotiate shifting electrical impulses in different biological environments.

A research team has discovered how the 'Shethna protein II' protects the nitrogen-fixing enzyme nitrogenase from damage. The oxygen sensor protein could help to make nitrogenase usable in biotechnology, thereby reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Researchers have now uncovered the 3D structure of the RNA enzyme SAMURI. Their study provides insights into the development of ribozymes and the evolution of catalytically active RNA.

Understanding biological relationships is often critical when studying animal populations. Researchers have now developed a transformative approach that identifies stretches of DNA that two individuals inherited from a common ancestor. The team successfully applied their new tool to a free-ranging population of rhesus macaques. The results show that even for low-quality sequencing data, this method can accurately determine relatedness among pairs of individuals, even without prior knowledge of pedigrees within the population. This breakthrough helps to reveal previously unknown pairs of relatives and provides rich insights into population structure in the wild.

A research team reports on a novel observation of a plant protection mechanism in response to salt stress. The study opens new avenues of research to strengthen food security.

While most known types of DNA damage are fixed by our cells' in-house DNA repair mechanisms, some forms of DNA damage evade repair and can persist for many years, new research shows. This means that the damage has multiple chances to generate harmful mutations, which can lead to cancer.

New proteins not found in nature have now been designed to counteract certain highly poisonous components of snake venom. The deep learning, computational methods for developing these toxin-neutralizing proteins offer hope for creating safer, more cost-effective and more readily available therapeutics than those currently in use. Each year more than 2 million people suffer snakebites. More than 100,000 die, and 300,000 suffer disabling complications.

Researchers have developed a gene-editing treatment for prion disease that extends lifespan by about 50 percent in a mouse model of the fatal neurodegenerative condition. The treatment, which uses base editing to make a single-letter change in DNA, reduced levels of the disease-causing prion protein in the brain by as much as 60 percent. The work demonstrates that lowering levels of the prion protein improves lifespan in animals that have been infected with a human version of the protein.

Scientists have developed a new strategy to enhance pharmaceutical production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which are commonly used to manufacture protein-based drugs for treating cancer, autoimmune diseases and much more. By knocking out a gene circuit responsible for producing lactic acid -- a metabolite that makes the cells' environment toxic -- researchers eliminate a primary hurdle in developing cells that can produce higher amounts of pharmaceuticals like Herceptin and Rituximab, without compromising their growth or energy production.

A new study of hemp microbes may lead to more sustainable farming methods, using nature to boost the growth of the plant which has become increasingly popular for its versatile uses: CBD-rich varieties are in high demand for pharmaceutical products, while fiber-rich varieties are valued for industrial applications like textiles.

New research reveals how the RapA enzyme protects against R-loop cytotoxicity in E. coli.

Using advanced imaging techniques and precise microfluidics control to stretch out curly DNA into a straight line, new research demonstrates techniques for stretching and immobilizing DNA with minimum thermal fluctuation to enable detailed analysis. A team at Nagoya University experimented with ways to uncurl a DNA molecule using pressure applied to liquid flowing in a channel, with the pressure flow providing shear force that uncurled the DNA molecule. They found that controlling the flow velocity of the liquid helps fine-tune the shear force applied and allows precise adjustments of the stretch ratio of the DNA.

Girolline, a compound extracted from the sea sponge Pseudaxinyssa cantharella, has been investigated for possible antitumor effects and also found to have anti-malarial effects. Now, researchers have a better idea of how it works.

Scientists looked at multiple techniques used to measure the modified viruses deployed in some gene therapy research and treatments. One technique, known as SEC-MALS, was the most precise and accurate, while another proved 'problematic.'

Scientists have adapted a sensing platform to detect and even measure chemicals at low enough concentrations to have use outside the lab. The system, which is 10 times more sensitive than previous sensors built by the team, opens the door for the system to be applied to disease detection and monitoring in the human body for nucleic acids and bacteria.

Scientists have succeeded in controlling the structure and function of biological membranes with the help of 'DNA origami'. The system they developed may facilitate the transportation of large therapeutic loads into cells. This opens up a new way for the targeted administration of medication and other therapeutic interventions. Thus, a very valuable instrument can be added to the toolbox of synthetic biology.

Ecologists have made valuable discoveries that could transform the conservation of two iconic cockatoo species: the Sulphur-crested cockatoos and the critically endangered Yellow-crested cockatoos -- with only 2,000 individuals remaining in the wild for the latter. Until now, no whole-genome research had been conducted on either species, which were identified solely by subtle morphological differences.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus is known for causing microcephaly, a birth defect in which abnormal brain development results in a smaller-than-expected head. A new study shows that the Zika virus hijacks a host protein called ANKLE2, which happens to be important for brain development, to assist its own reproduction. Because Zika, unlike most related viruses, can cross the placenta, this can have disastrous consequences in pregnancy.

Radiation-induced mutation is unlikely to have induced genetic differences between dog populations in Chornobyl City and the nearby Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Chimpanzees bear genetic adaptations that help them thrive in their different forest and savannah habitats, some of which may protect against malaria, according to a study by an international team.

Researchers identified a protein and a group of small ribonucleic acids (sRNAs) in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, which regulate sugar metabolism. These discoveries shed light on how this gut microbe adapts to varying nutritional conditions. The findings deepen our understanding of this bacterium's role in the human gut and may pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to promote health through the microbiota.

A battery that needs feeding instead of charging? This is exactly what researchers have achieved with their 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery. The living battery could supply power to sensors for agriculture or research in remote regions. Once the work is done, it digests itself from the inside.

Epithelial tissues are in constant interaction with their environment. Maintaining their functionality requires dynamic balance (homeostasis) and that their cell numbers are tightly regulated. This is achieved by cell extrusion programs, a checkpoint mechanism eliminating unwanted or harmful cells. Researchers have now demonstrated how physical signals can have an impact on the fate of extruding cells governing their death or survival. The results may establish novel paths for understanding tissue properties in both normal and pathological conditions.

A recent study has uncovered the surprising evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear, linking it to the gills of ancient fish and marine invertebrates. The research reveals that both structures are composed of elastic cartilage and shares gene control elements that hint at their connection. This finding sheds new light on the evolution of the mammalian ear, highlighting how structures can transform over time to serve new functions.

Scientists have created the first single cell genomic atlas of mature plants' outer armor layer, called the periderm, and its carbon-capturing phellem cells. The findings will be useful in creating more robust, climate change-fighting plants.

A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart -- genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate.