ScienceDaily: Biochemistry Research News

Herbal extract boosts fruit fly lifespan by nearly 25 percent

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:51 EDT

The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant long used for stress relief was found to increase the lifespan of fruit fly populations by an average of 24 percent, according to researchers.

Iodine in bread not enough for pregnant women

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:36 EDT

Iodized salt used in bread is not enough to provide healthy levels of iodine for pregnant women and their unborn children, new research shows.

New virus isolated from patients with severe brain infections

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

A new study describes a new virus isolated from patients with severe brain infections. Further research is needed to determine whether the virus is responsible for the symptoms of disease.

Treating infection may have sting in the tail, parasite study shows

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:27:27 EDT

Using drugs to treat an infection could allow other co-existing conditions to flourish, a study in wild animals has shown.

Diet may affect Alzheimer's disease risk

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

The lipidation states (or modifications) in certain proteins in the brain that are related to the development of Alzheimer disease appear to differ depending on genotype and cognitive diseases, and levels of these protein and peptides appear to be influenced by diet, according to a new report.

New way to improve antibiotic production

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:09:09 EDT

New research findings could reduce production times and therefore costs for antibiotic producers.

Doctors in veterinary, human medicine team to give burned horse a second chance

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

The unlikely pairing of an equine veterinarian and a burn surgeon is providing a second chance at a normal life for a horse that was doused in flammable liquid and set on fire late last summer.

Chemical in antibacterial soap fed to nursing rats harms offspring, study finds

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:21:21 EDT

A mother's exposure to triclocarban, a common antibacterial chemical, while nursing her babies shortens the life of her female offspring, a new study in rats finds.

Genetic diversity key to survival of honey bee colonies

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:13:13 EDT

When it comes to honey bees, more mates is better. A new study shows that genetic diversity is key to survival in honey bee colonies -- meaning a colony is less likely to survive if its queen has had a limited number of mates.

Infections increase risk of mood disorders, study suggests

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:13:13 EDT

New research shows that every third person who is diagnosed for the first time with a mood disorder has been admitted to hospital with an infection prior to the diagnosis. The study is the largest of its kind to date to show a clear correlation between infection levels and the risk of developing mood disorders.

Perching on the cliffs of New Zealand, endemic Lepidium flora faces extinction threats

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:12:12 EDT

Cooks Scurvy Grass (Lepidium oleraceum) has an international claim to fame as the plant most commonly used by Captain James Cook and other 18th century explorers as an antiscorbutic. Formerly widespread on the beaches and cliffs of New Zealand, the species was by 1900 already widely acknowledged as uncommon. A detailed revision outlines a total of 16 species, describing 10 (all endemic) as new to science.

Uniquely shaped enzyme amazes chemists

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:45:45 EDT

Chemists in the Netherlands have found that a uniquely shaped enzyme that has never been seen before in biology is real: two interlocked ring structures, known as catenanes.

Cells play 'tag' to determine direction of movement

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:24:24 EDT

Researchers have found that cells in our bodies, when moving collectively, carry out something similar to a game of 'tag' to coordinate their movement in a particular direction.

Teaching complete evolutionary stories increases learning

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Evolution is often thought to be a difficult subject to teach. A novel teaching approach in which undergraduates studied two integrative evolutionary scenarios all the way from the molecular level via the genetic and organismal levels to the population level improved the students' ability to explain and describe evolutionary principles. The results suggest that wider use of such integrated accounts in teaching could improve students' comprehension of evolution.

Medical researchers design variant of main painkiller receptor

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:04:04 EDT

Scientists have developed a variant of the mu opioid receptor that has several advantages when it comes to experimentation. This variant can be grown in large quantities in bacteria and is also water-soluble, enabling experiments and applications that had previously been very challenging or impossible.

Memory-boosting chemical identified in mice: Cell biologists find molecule targets a key biological pathway

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:48:48 EDT

Memory improved in mice injected with a small, drug-like molecule discovered by researchers studying how cells respond to biological stress.

Bioenergy potential unearthed in leaf-cutter ant communities

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:56:56 EDT

As spring warms up Wisconsin, humans aren't the only ones tending their gardens. Colonies of leaf-cutter ants cultivate thriving communities of fungi and bacteria using freshly cut plant material.

Scientists identify neurons that control feeding behavior in Drosophila

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:56:56 EDT

Scientists have developed a novel transgenic system which allows them to remotely activate individual brain cells in the model organism Drosophila using ambient temperature. This powerful new tool for identifying and characterizing neural circuitry has lead to the identification of a pair of neurons-– now called Fdg neurons-- in the fruit fly that decide when to eat and initiate the subsequent feeding action.

Secrets of biological soil crusts uncovered

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:56:56 EDT

Biologists have performed a molecular level analysis of desert biological soil crusts -- living ground cover formed by microbial communities -- to reveal how long-dormant cyanobacteria become activated by rainfall then resume dormancy when the precipitation stops.

New findings regarding DNA damage checkpoint mechanism in oxidative stress

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:56:56 EDT

Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown surveillance mechanism, known as a DNA damage checkpoint, used by cells to monitor oxidatively damaged DNA. DNA repair takes place approximately 10,000 times per cell, per day, through processes that are still only partially understood because of their complexity, speed, and the difficulty of studying complex interactions within living cells.

Wild cheetah accelerate fast and reach speeds of up to 58 miles per hour during a hunt

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:29:29 EDT

Researchers have captured the first detailed information on the hunting dynamics of the wild cheetah in its natural habitat. Using an innovative GPS and motion sensing collar that they designed, biologists were able to record remarkable speeds of up to 58 miles per hour.

Current affairs make life hard for stickleback dads

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:25:25 EDT

This Father’s Day, spare a thought for three-spined stickleback fish – who may have been having a tough time this year, according to biologists.

Discovery of how a gene that regulates factors involved in bacteria pathogenicity acts

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:22:22 EDT

A discovery has been made of the way in which the glgS gene (now renamed as the “surface composition regulator”, scoR) acts in bacteria and how the mechanisms involved in bacterial infection can be altered by manipulating this gene, which indirectly affects glycogen production. The finding has been protected through the application for a patent and the exploiting of it is now pending a response from institutions or companies prepared to develop it.

Context crucial when it comes to mutations in genetic evolution

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:28:28 EDT

Evolutionary biologists have found that whether a given mutation is good or bad is often determined by other mutations associated with it. In other words, genetic evolution is context-dependent.

Putting flesh on the bones of ancient fish: Synchrotron X-rays reconstruct soft tissue on 380-million-year-old fish

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:28:28 EDT

Scientists present for the first time miraculously preserved musculature of 380 million year old armored fish discovered in north-west Australia. This research will help scientists to better understand how neck and abdominal muscles evolved during the transition from jawless to jawed vertebrates.

How diving mammals evolved underwater endurance

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:28:28 EDT

Scientists have shed new light on how diving mammals, such as the sperm whale, have evolved to survive for long periods underwater without breathing.

Medieval leprosy genomes shed light on disease's history

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Scientists have reconstructed a dozen medieval and modern leprosy genomes -- suggesting a European origin for the North American leprosy strains found in armadillos and humans, and a common ancestor of all leprosy bacteria within the last 4000 years.

Gustatory tug-of-war key to whether salty foods taste good

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:26:26 EDT

As anyone who's ever mixed up the sugar and salt while baking knows, too much of a good thing can be inedible. What hasn't been clear, though, is how our tongues and brains can tell when the saltiness of our food has crossed the line from yummy to yucky -- or, worse, something dangerous. Now researchers report that in fruit flies, at least, that process is controlled by competing input from two different types of taste-sensing cells: one that attracts flies to salty foods, and one that repels them.

Dangerous strains of E. coli may linger longer in water than benign counterparts, study finds

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:36:36 EDT

A toxin dangerous to humans may help E. coli fend off aquatic predators, enabling strains of E. coli that produce the toxin to survive longer in lake water than benign counterparts, a new study finds. The research may help explain why water quality tests don't always accurately capture health risks for swimmers.

Oysters could rebound more quickly with limited fishing and improved habitat

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:43:43 EDT

A new study shows that combining improved oyster restoration methods with limits on fishing in the upper Chesapeake could bring the oyster population back to the Bay in a much shorter period of time. The study assessed a range of management and restoration options to see which ones would have the most likelihood of success.

New fluorescent protein from eel improves key clinical assay

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:42:42 EDT

Unagi, the sea-going Japanese freshwater eel, harbors a fluorescent protein that could serve as the basis for a new clinical test for bilirubin, a critical indicator of human liver function, hemolysis, and jaundice, according to researchers. The discovery also sheds light on the mysterious and endangered Unagi that could contribute to its conservation.

DNA brings materials to life: DNA-coated colloids help create novel self-assembling materials

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:44:44 EDT

A colloid is a substance spread out evenly inside another substance. Everyday examples include milk, styrofoam, hair sprays, paints, shaving foam, gels and even dust, mud and fog. One of the most interesting properties of colloids is their ability to self-assemble -- to aggregate spontaneously into well-defined structures, driven by nothing but local interactions between the colloid's particles. Self-assembly has been of major interest in industry, since controlling it would open up a whole host of new technologies, such as smart drug-delivery patches or novel paints that change with light. Scientists have now discovered a technique to control and direct the self-assembly of two different colloids.

'Tailing' spiny lobster larvae to protect them

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:23:23 EDT

In a new study of spiny lobsters scientists studied the larval dispersal of this species in the Caribbean. The goal of the study was to describe the sources, sinks, and routes connecting the Caribbean spiny lobster metapopulation. The results led the team to propose marine resource management strategies that incorporate larval connectivity and "larval lobster credits" to sustain and rebuild exploited marine populations.

Cutting post-surgical infection rate

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:20:20 EDT

Medical researchers are recommending clinical guidelines that will cut the post-surgical infection rate for staph bacteria (including MRSA) by 71 percent and 59 percent for a broader class of infectious agents known as gram-positive bacteria.

Rapid adaptation is purple sea urchins' weapon against ocean acidification

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:40:40 EDT

In the race against climate change and ocean acidification, some sea urchins may still have a few tricks up their spiny sleeves, suggesting that adaptation will likely play a large role for the sea creatures as the carbon content of the ocean increases.

Taking back the yard: Dealing with invasive plants

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:23:23 EDT

There’s nothing more frustrating for gardeners than discovering that their well-planned plots or rolling lawns have been infiltrated by invasive plant species, the perennial marauders of the back yard set. While many people panic and immediately start yanking or mowing the intruders when they first make their appearance, a gardening expert advises that it’s best to investigate the plant that’s choking your columbines or blighting your lawn before complicating the problem with an errant course of action.

Easy and effective therapy to restore sight: Engineered virus will improve gene therapy for blinding eye diseases

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:48:48 EDT

Gene therapy using adeno-associated virus has successfully restored sight to people with a rare inherited retinal degeneration, but current therapy requires injecting the virus directly into the retina. Researchers have now caused AAV to evolve so that it is able to penetrate the retina, allowing doctors to inject the virus and its gene load into the vitreous to reach all cells of the retina. This broadens AAV's potential application to more common types of vision loss.

Life underground: Microbes active far beneath seafloor

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:47:47 EDT

Genetic researchers have revealed active bacteria, fungi and other microbes living in 5 million-year-old ocean sediment.

Male guppies reproduce long after death

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:34:34 EDT

Performing experiments in a river in Trinidad, evolutionary biologists have found that male guppies -- small freshwater fish -- continue to reproduce for at least ten months after they die, living on as stored sperm in females, who have much longer lifespans than males. While it is well known that guppies store sperm, biologists had never before thought of the extent of the storage.

Breakthrough allows fast, reliable pathogen identification

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:33:33 EDT

Researchers may have developed a way to quickly and reliably diagnose life-threatening bacterial infections and pinpoint the right antibiotics to clear the infections.

Researchers sequence the genome of global deep ocean

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Biologists have started to sequence the genome of the global deep ocean. They are using more than 2,000 samples of microorganisms collected in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans during the Malaspina Expedition. This collection of marine microbial genomic, the first in the world on a global scale, will provide new clues about a reservoir of biodiversity yet to explore.

Deep biosphere harbors active, growing communities of microorganisms

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:30:30 EDT

The deep biosphere -- the realm of sediments far below the seafloor -- harbors a vast ecosystem of bacteria, archaea, and fungi that are actively metabolizing, proliferating, and moving, according a new study. The finding of so much activity in the deep biosphere has implications for our understanding of global biogeochemical cycles.

Chalking up a marine blooming alga: Genome fills a gap in the tree of life

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:30:30 EDT

Carbon dioxide is released when the calcium carbonate "armor" of the photosynthetic alga Emiliania huxleyi forms, but Ehux can trap as much as 20 percent of organic carbon derived from carbon dioxide in some marine ecosystems. Its versatility in either contributing to primary production or adding to carbon dioxide emissions makes Ehux a critical player in the marine carbon cycle. The Ehux genome sequence has now been compared with other algal sequences.

Fingernails reveal clues to limb regeneration

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:25:25 EDT

Mammals possess the remarkable ability to regenerate a lost fingertip, including the nail, nerves and even bone. In humans, an amputated fingertip can sprout back in as little as two months, a phenomenon that has remained poorly understood until now. Biologists now shed light on this rare regenerative power in mammals, using genetically engineered mice to document for the first time the biochemical chain of events that unfolds in the wake of a fingertip amputation.

A critically endangered beauty: The passion flower Passiflora kwangtungensis

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:19:19 EDT

The Chinese passion vine species Passiflora kwangtungensis strikes with the beauty of its clusters of white-greenish flowers and its small round fruit. Feared extinct for a long period of time, this engaging plant has been rediscovered in Hunan Province, but it remains highly endangered. A recent study discusses the conservation status of P. kwangtungensis, raising concerns about the future preservation of the species.

Harbor porpoises can thank their worst enemy, the killer whale, for their success

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:19:19 EDT

The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a whale species that is doing quite well in coastal and busy waters. They are found in large numbers throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Mauritania to Alaska, and now researchers explain why these small toothed whales are doing so well: The harbor porpoise can thank their worst enemy, the killer whale, for their success.

Luminous bacterial proteins detect chemicals in water

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:18:18 EDT

Scientists have developed a simple color sensor principle which facilitates the detection of residual medications, trace metals from industrial process waters, and many other substances. This is the concept: If the analyzed sample shines red, then the water is 'clean;' if its color turns green, however, then it contains the substances the scientists wish to detect.

Two-step mechanism of inner ear tip link regrowth

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:46:46 EDT

A team of researchers is the first to show, in mice, an unexpected two-step process that happens during the growth and regeneration of inner ear tip links. Tip links are extracellular tethers that link stereocilia, the tiny sensory projections on inner ear hair cells that convert sound into electrical signals, and play a key role in hearing. The discovery offers a possible mechanism for potential interventions that could preserve hearing in people whose hearing loss is caused by genetic disorders related to tip link dysfunction.

Do parasites upset food web theory?

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:46:46 EDT

Parasites comprise a large proportion of the diversity of species in every ecosystem, but are rarely included in analyses or models of food webs. If parasites play different roles from other predators and prey, however, their inclusion could fundamentally alter our understanding of how food webs are organized. A new article has shown that including parasites does alter the structure of food webs, but most changes occur because of an increase in diversity and complexity.

X-rays reveal new picture of 'dinobird' plumage patterns

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:45:45 EDT

The first complete chemical analysis of feathers from Archaeopteryx, a famous fossil linking dinosaurs and birds, reveals that the feathers of this early bird were patterned -- light in colour, with a dark edge and tip to the feather -- rather than all black, as previously thought.

Why fruit ripens and spoils: Thousands of plant genes activated by ethylene gas

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:33:33 EDT

It's common wisdom that one rotten apple in a barrel spoils all the other apples, and that an apple ripens a green banana if they are put together in a paper bag. Ways to ripen, or spoil, fruit have been known for thousands of years -- as the Bible can attest -- but now the genes underlying these phenomena of nature have been revealed. Scientists have now traced the thousands of genes in a plant that are activated once ethylene, a gas that acts as a plant growth hormone, is released.

Wood not so green a biofuel? Logging may have greater impact on carbon emissions than previously thought

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:21:21 EDT

Using wood for energy is considered cleaner than fossil fuels, but a new study finds that logging may release large amounts of carbon stored in deep forest soils.

Tillage and reduced-input rotations affect runoff from agricultural fields

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:20:20 EDT

A new study provides information about runoff under different management practices and can help farmers choose the practice that is best for them.

Plunging fish numbers linked to dam releases

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:23:23 EDT

An Australian study has thrown cold water on the notion that large dam releases compensate for the effects of interrupting natural water flows.

Potential disease-transmission sources in animals ID'd by calculating risk using social network mathematics

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:20:20 EDT

Scientists have successfully identified animal species that can transmit more diseases to humans by using mathematical tools similar to those applied to the study of social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Their research describes how parasite-primate interactions transmit diseases like malaria, yellow fever or AIDS to humans. Their findings could make an important contribution to predicting the animal species most likely to cause future pandemics.

How to stop a trunk and start a tail? The leg has the key

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:42:42 EDT

A new study reveals the mechanisms behind trunk to tail transition in vertebrates.

Fractal patterns spontaneously emerge during bacterial cell growth

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:41:41 EDT

Despite bacterial colonies always forming circular shapes as they grow, their cells form internal divisions which are highly asymmetrical and branched. These fractal (self-similar) patterns are due to the physical forces and local instabilities that are a natural part of bacterial cell growth, a new study reveals. The research has important implications for the emerging field of synthetic biology.

Nine genes account for pigmentation in the fruit fly

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:40:40 EDT

Individuals of a particular species generally differ from one another. We are clearly most adept at recognizing members of our own species, although dog and cat owners will be ready to confirm that their pets look unique. Differences within species relate to characteristics such as size and shape but also to color: it is not only humans that show a wide range of skin pigmentation. Nevertheless, the cause of the variation in skin color in animals has remained largely a matter for conjecture. Recent work sheds light on the topic.

Blueprint for blood vessel fusion discovered

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:40:40 EDT

The fusion of blood vessels during the formation of the vascular system follows a uniform process. In this process, the blood vessels involved go through different phases of a common choreography, in which the splitting and the rearrangement of endothelial cells play a critical role. Researchers have now been able to demonstrate this in a living organism, the zebrafish.

Martian clay contains chemical implicated in the origin of life, astrobiologists find

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:01:01 EDT

Researchers have discovered high concentrations of boron in a Martian meteorite. When present in its oxidized form (borate), boron may have played a key role in the formation of RNA, one of the building blocks for life.