https://phys.org/biology-news/molecular-computational en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news on molecular and Computational biology Polar bears are icons of the Arctic, elusive and vulnerable. Detailed monitoring of their populations is crucial for their conservation—but because polar bears are so difficult to find, we are missing critical data about population size and how well-connected those populations are. Scientists have now developed a new tool to help: DNA analysis using skin cells shed in the bears' footprints in the snow. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-polar-footprints-dna-tracks-threatened.html Ecology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:01 EST news620633915 Upon infection or immunization, all jawed vertebrate species generate proteins called antibodies that bind and neutralize pathogens. Strong and long-lasting antibody responses in warm-blooded species such as mammals are produced in secondary lymphoid microstructures (SLMs) among which germinal centers (GCs) are the centerpiece. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-scientists-uncharted-fish-immunology.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:00:01 EST news620648327 In a study published in Science Advances, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE-Berlin) shed light on the intricate dance between the prion protein and copper ions in the physiopathology of live cells. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-physics-biology-prion-protein-orchestrates.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:04:03 EST news620651041 Artificial intelligence (AI) may attempt to mimic the human brain, but it has yet to fully grasp the complexity of what it means to be human. While it may not truly understand feelings or original creativity, it can help us better understand ourselves—especially our physical bodies in health and in disease, according to a series of articles published by the journal Quantitative Biology. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-artificial-intelligence-life-science-ai.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 09:11:54 EST news620644310 New genetic research has revealed how British otters were able to recover from species loss in the 1950s with the help of their counterparts from Asia. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-uncovering-genetic-history-british-otters.html Evolution Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:56:03 EST news620643361 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 Ozone can be a powerful and safe sanitizer when infused in water for food processing. However, in a recent Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station study looking at its use in raw pet food processing, scientists found that ozonated water sanitation's effectiveness is variable depending on how it is applied, and on what foods. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-limits-ozonated-sanitizer-raw-veggie.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:30:04 EST news620641802 Just as people can get sunburned, plants can also suffer from too much sunlight. To stay healthy, they use an internal "sun protection mechanism." Pierrick Bru, a Ph.D. student working with Alizée Malnoë at Umeå Plant Science Centre and Umeå University, has been studying a special component of this mechanism, called qH, and has found that it is quite adaptable. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-sun-mechanism-survive.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Fri, 01 Dec 2023 06:45:33 EST news620635530 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 A tiny but prolific world of microbes encompasses everything around us, both inside and out. Microbiomes, which are comprised of diverse communities of microbes, play a pivotal role in shaping human health, yet the intricacies of how different microbial compositions influence our well-being remain largely unknown. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-microbial-interactions.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:37:04 EST news620584621 Studying sex from just the male perspective misses half the experience. But much of what we know about the origins of reproductive cells comes from looking at sperm and egg formation separately—or only focusing on sperm. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-tiny-worms-scientists-fertility.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:04:03 EST news620575441 Maize is one of the world's most widely grown crops. It is used for both human and animal foods and holds great cultural significance, especially for indigenous peoples in the Americas. Yet despite its importance, the origins of the grain have been hotly debated for more than a century. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-modern-maize-hybrid-years-mexico.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:02 EST news620561475 The family Lauraceae is a prominent component of the evergreen broadleaf forests in the tropics and subtropics. However, the biogeographical history of the family is poorly understood due to the difficulty of assigning macrofossils to living genera, poor pollen preservation, and the lack of sufficiently resolved or well-supported phylogenies. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-reinvestigate-phylogenetic-biogeographic-history-trees.html Ecology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:09:03 EST news620572142 Dogs' food preferences are mirrored in their brain activity, particularly within their caudate nuclei -a brain region associated with reward processing, a new study combining behavioral and neuroimaging data by researchers from the Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary) and Symrise Pet Food (France) finds. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-pickier-dogs-brains.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:36:38 EST news620570195 High doses of X-rays and other kinds of ionizing radiation can damage the DNA present in the cell nucleus, a phenomenon which can both lead to the development of cancer in humans and be used to kill cancer cells. This damage to DNA occurs through two mechanisms: one involves the direct physical impact of ionizing particles; the other is indirect, involving an attack on nucleic acids by chemical species arising from water radiolysis (the decomposition of hydrogen bonds between H2O molecules). https://phys.org/news/2023-11-elucidates-ionizing-dna.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:11:47 EST news620568705 In today's medical landscape, antibiotics are pivotal in combating bacterial infections. These potent compounds, produced by bacteria and fungi, act as natural defenses against microbial attacks. A team of researchers delved into the intricate world of glycopeptide antibiotics—a vital resource in countering drug-resistant pathogens—to uncover their evolutionary origins. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-reverse-evolution-ancient-glycopeptide-antibiotics.html Evolution Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:58:42 EST news620567920 Biomolecular condensates transport RNA molecules inside of cells for functions such as cell signaling and regulating cell processes, but little is known about how they form distinct compositional identities, similar to how oil and water stay separated. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-rna-molecules-added-condensates-composition.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:57:52 EST news620567869 The Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, and life less than a billion years after that. Although life as we know it is dependent on four major macromolecules—DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids—only one is thought to have been present at the beginning of life: RNA. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-microrna-master-genomeresearchers-harness-genes.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:29:13 EST news620566146 Spatial transcriptomics (ST) emerges as a pivotal technique for cataloging gene expression across tissue sections while retaining crucial locational data. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-exploring-spatial-transcriptomics-biomedical.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:06:03 EST news620564761 A new study led by the University of Oxford has shed light on why certain species of bacteria carry astonishing arsenals of weapons. The findings, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, could help us to engineer microbes that can destroy deadly pathogens, reducing our reliance on antibiotics. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-mystery-bacteria-extensive-weaponry.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:00:01 EST news620557079 Spain produces 50% of the world's cork and 30% of all cork stoppers. Cork is a natural polymer which has been a crucial element used to seal bottles, being of great importance for the wine industry. However, a major challenge is the appearance of the "corked wine" aroma, caused by the presence of a compound called trichloroanisole or TCA in the stoppers. Due to its high volatility, TCA can migrate from the cork to the wine, adversely affecting its taste. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-scientists-cork-industry-wine-quality.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Wed, 29 Nov 2023 13:04:35 EST news620485469 With the growing human population placing enormous pressure on food resources, it is estimated that by 2030 there will be an additional half a billion people to feed. This, combined with the rising cost of living, has amassed worldwide concern for the future of food security. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-fitter-fish-people-midst-food.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Wed, 29 Nov 2023 12:31:07 EST news620483463 Have you ever wondered why we carry two copies of each chromosome in all of our cells? During reproduction, we receive one from each of our parents. This means that we also receive two copies, or alleles, of each gene—one allele per chromosome or parent. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-reveals-clever-dosage-mechanism-biallelic.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 11:00:01 EST news620476142 Bees, wasps and ants belong to the Hymenoptera order and inject a whole cocktail of venomous ingredients when they sting. Despite their tremendous ecological and economic importance, little was previously known about the origins of their venom. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-genomic-bee-venom.html Evolution Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:29:18 EST news620476155 Blood vessels are responsible for the appropriate and efficient delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the whole body. To do so, they must grow and branch to reach every cell in a process called angiogenesis. The precise regulation of the sprouting and pruning of blood vessels is complex and partly unknown, but endothelial cells, those lining the inner part of the vessels, are known to play an important role. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-key-protein-blood-vessel-growth.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:27:46 EST news620476064 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 A team of zoologists and wildlife managers at the Endangered Wildlife Trust, in South Africa, working with a colleague from Stellenbosch University, another with South Africa's Department of Agriculture, and a third from the University of Pretoria, has found DNA evidence of a golden mole thought to be extinct. In their study, published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation, the group used two techniques to find evidence of the mole. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-evidence-golden-mole-species-thought.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:25:04 EST news620475902 A research team has found that microorganisms in the human gut utilize beta-elimination to break down plant natural products and thus make them available to humans. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-decipher-enzyme-scissors-intestinal-microbes.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:05:03 EST news620474701 Living systems—unlike non-living or inanimate objects—use information about their surrounding environment to survive. But not all information from the environment is meaningful or relevant for survival. The subset of information that is meaningful, and perhaps necessary for being alive, is called semantic information. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-theory-semantic-realistic-survival.html Ecology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:52:03 EST news620412721 A collaborative study led by Dr. Christopher Gisriel at Yale University and Dr. Tanai Cardona at Queen Mary University of London, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, offers new insight on the origin and evolution of a unique type of photosynthesis that enables some bacteria, specifically cyanobacteria, to harness far-red light. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-molecular-diversity-evolution-far-red-photosynthesis.html Evolution Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:02:02 EST news620409721