https://phys.org/biology-news/biotechnology en-us The latest science news on biotechnology Two teams of bio-researchers have developed similar processes for demonstrating how photolyase isolates use light to repair damaged DNA. In their papers, both published in the journal Science, the two groups outline their stop-motion-animation-type process to capture the action in detail. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-methods-photolyase-isolates-dna.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:55:38 EST news620643336 There is good news for researchers working with high-resolution fluorescence microscopy: Biocompatible molecular rulers are available for the first time to calibrate the latest super-resolution microscopy methods. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-molecular-rulers-high-resolution-microscopy.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 06:42:21 EST news620635338 Researchers from The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (DTU Biosustain) have developed an innovative fermentation process that produces natural betalain-type food colors. This groundbreaking technology is set to revolutionize the food color industry by offering a more sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional extraction methods. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-nature-palette-reinvented-fermentation-breakthrough.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 06:38:26 EST news620635090 Artificial helical microswimmers with shape-morphing capabilities and adaptive locomotion are promising for precision medicine and noninvasive surgery. However, current fabrication methods are slow and limited. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-shape-changing-helical-microswimmers-revolutionize-biomedical.html Biotechnology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:17:05 EST news620576223 Forests, known as nature's "green dams," play a crucial role in replenishing Earth's groundwater reserves. However, overcrowding in planted forests due to lack of maintenance activities, such as thinning practices, is a pressing concern in Japan. This overcrowding causes substantial water loss from these forests into the atmosphere through a combination of soil evaporation and tree transpiration (Et) known as evapotranspiration. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-satellite-remote-wide-area-transpiration-japanese.html Ecology Biotechnology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:04:02 EST news620571841 Over the past 100 years, global water use has increased sixfold, and increased drought has led to substantial declines in crop production in recent decades. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], originally domesticated in China about 5,000 years ago and subsequently spread worldwide, has become an important and primary source of vegetable oil and protein, as well as a supplement in livestock feed. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-peroxidase-gene-confer-drought-tolerance.html Biotechnology Agriculture Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:24:02 EST news620569441 Hung from a common utility pole, a fiber optic cable—the kind bringing high-speed internet to more and more American households—can be turned into a sensor to detect temperature changes, vibrations, and even sound, through an emerging technology called distributed fiber optic sensing. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-periodical-cicadas-chorus-fiber-optic.html Plants & Animals Biotechnology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:00:04 EST news620560802 Phosphorus in wastewater is a major contributor to harmful algal blooms in water bodies around the globe, with the potential to harm wildlife, livestock, and even humans. To prevent this, wastewater treatment plants often rely on chemical- and energy-intensive techniques to remove phosphorus before it can impact downstream water bodies. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-newly-algal-strains-rich-phosphorous.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 13:21:33 EST news620486490 Researchers have designed a new electron cryo-microscope that is a fraction of the size and cost of current alternatives and used it to determine 11 atomic structures. The breakthrough aims to slash the cost of running electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) to make it more accessible to scientists all over the world. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-smaller-cost-efficient-electron-cryo-microscope.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:26:03 EST news620475961 Diverse ecosystems support the web of life and in the process, provide food, water, medicine and materials for humanity. But the butterfly effect tells us all things are connected. So, when biodiversity loss threatens the foundation upon which we live, what does that mean for the future of Earth and humanity? https://phys.org/news/2023-11-biodiversity-space-borne-lidar.html Ecology Biotechnology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:34:55 EST news620397292 Researchers at PSI and ETH Zurich have taken connective tissue cells that have been mechanically reprogrammed to resemble stem cells and transplanted them into damaged skin. In their laboratory experiment, they were able to show that this can promote wound healing. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-reprogramming-tissue-mechanically-wound.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:43:17 EST news620390592 Countless times a day, patients, visitors and medical staff in hospitals touch surfaces of all kinds. Door handles, railings or elevator buttons can serve as transport vehicles for pathogens such as hospital germs or viruses. Smooth surfaces are comparatively easy to clean after contamination. With porous structures such as textiles, however, this is not that simple. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-coating-fabrics-inhibits-growth-pathogens.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:37:07 EST news620386625 Using new super-resolution microscopes, researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Pennsylvania have for the first time observed electrical charge and discharge functions inside mitochondria isolated from cells. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-uncover-battery-like-functions-mitochondria-super-resolution.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:36:49 EST news620386607 Publications on sugar cane have increased exponentially since 2006 worldwide, and Brazil has had more articles published on the topic than any other country in the period, according to a review in BioEnergy Research. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-article-key-role-brazil-sugarcane.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:07:04 EST news620327222 Maize (Zea mays L.), the most globally produced cereal, owes its enhanced productivity to genetic, agronomic, and climatic factors, with cultivars adapted to higher density playing a crucial role. Recent research has focused on maize's architectural plasticity, particularly its ability to adapt leaf architecture to maximize light interception under varying densities. This adaptation includes leaf reorientation, a response to intraspecific competition, influenced by changes in red to far-red light ratios. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-automatic-algorithm-unveils-key-insights.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:46:03 EST news620322361 Aboveground biomass (AGB) of rice, vital for carbon pool and yield estimation, is traditionally measured through labor-intensive manual sampling. Recent advancements employ remote sensing, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to derive vegetation indices (VIs) from plant interactions with the electromagnetic spectrum. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-rice-biomass-uav-based.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:32:03 EST news620314321 During the nearly five decades of its operation, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hamburg has developed many fruitful collaborations with other scientific institutions located in the Hamburg metropolitan area. One example is the long-lasting collaboration between researchers at EMBL Hamburg and the Center for Biobased Solutions (CBBS) at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), which has recently yielded new insights into the structure and function of a lipid-degrading enzyme found in a microbe adapted to living in extreme conditions. The findings could help improve chemical processes in various branches of industry. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-qa-scientific-collaboration-paves-cleaner.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:08:52 EST news620312929 Scientists have developed a technique to rapidly and reliably detect genetic changes in malaria parasites in Ghana, using just a gaming laptop and portable MinION sequencer from Oxford Nanopore. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-pocket-sized-dna-sequencers-track-malaria.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 27 Nov 2023 12:43:23 EST news620311400 Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have great potential for the treatment of various immune diseases due to their unique immunomodulatory properties. However, MSCs exposed to the harsh inflammatory environment of damaged tissue after intravenous transplantation cannot exert their biological effects, and therefore, their therapeutic efficacy is reduced. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-immunosuppressive-properties-human-umbilical-cord.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 27 Nov 2023 12:01:03 EST news620308861 Potatoes are the premier vegetable crop in Canada, with $1.5 billion nationwide in potato receipts in 2021. The agricultural significance of potatoes is particularly prominent in provinces like New Brunswick, the home of McCain Foods Limited, the world's largest potato processor. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-potato-growers-ai-nutrition-real.html Biotechnology Agriculture Fri, 24 Nov 2023 11:48:04 EST news620048882 Drastic climate change and overpopulation have rendered traditional agricultural practices unsustainable. Even more economically affluent countries suffer from constantly increasing household food insecurity. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-digital-twins-enable-generation-precision.html Biotechnology Agriculture Fri, 24 Nov 2023 11:42:03 EST news620048521 Microbial sequence databases contain a wealth of information about enzymes and other molecules that could be adapted for biotechnology. But these databases have grown so large in recent years that they've become difficult to search efficiently for enzymes of interest. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-algorithm-reveals-kinds-crispr.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:24:05 EST news620043842 New research by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and UK biotechnology company Jellagen Ltd has revealed the potential of jellyfish collagen as the foundation for a range of new medical applications and to support new biological research. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-medical-potential-jellyfish-biomaterial.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:00:03 EST news620042401 A combination of machine learning and lab experiments has given researchers a peek into the different languages bacteria use to communicate. Understanding how bacteria communicate—and when they can't—has implications for treating drug-resistant bacteria and for developing biocomputing tools. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-untangle-relationships-bacterial-languages.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:43:00 EST news620037774 Animal embryos go through a series of characteristic developmental stages on their journey from a fertilized egg cell to a functional organism. This biological process is largely genetically controlled and follows a similar pattern across different animal species. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-ai-tempo-stages-embryonic.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:00:01 EST news619867707 Proteins, the workhorses of biology, are encoded by DNA sequences and are responsible for vital functions within cells. Since the first experimental measurement of a protein structure was made by John Kendrew in the 1950s, protein's ability to fold into complex three-dimensional structures has long been a subject of scientific fascination and importance. However, determining these structures experimentally has remained a formidable challenge for decades. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-limits-alphafold2-accuracy-protein.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:19:49 EST news619870785 Researchers have invented a new kind of artificial seed to sense environmental parameters without impacting the health of the environment. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-eco-friendly-fluorescent-artificial-seed-soil.html Biotechnology Agriculture Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:11:29 EST news619809085 COVID-19, flu, mpox, noroviral diarrhea: How do the viruses that cause these diseases actually infect you? https://phys.org/news/2023-11-viruses-cells-infection-tactics-species.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:30:08 EST news619788598 When bacteria build communities, they cooperate and share nutrients across generations. Researchers at the University of Basel have been able to demonstrate this for the first time using a newly developed method. This innovative technique enables the tracking of gene expression during the development of bacterial communities over space and time. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-sophisticated-swarming-bacteria-generations.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:19:38 EST news619787975 Scientists have engineered a living material resembling human phlegm, which will help them to better understand how a certain kind of infection develops on the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-scientists-tackle-chronic-infections-cystic.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:00:01 EST news619778128