Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Network of protein-RNA interaction guides phase separation
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators are studying the details of how phase separation leads to the formation of RNA granules, assemblies of protein and RNA that are not bound...
Hit-to-lead studies on a novel series of small molecule inhibitors of DHODH
The enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an essential component for the de novo pyrimidine ribonucleotide biosynthesis, has reemerged in the last few years as a target for the development of small...
The Lipid Code: New chemical tools can control the concentration of lipids in living cells
Lipids, or fats, have many functions in our body: They form membrane barriers, store energy or act as messengers, which regulate cell growth and hormone release. Many of them are...
Scientists conduct first census of viruses and bacteria living in Florida Springs
Like oxygen, your brain stem, and love (for the romantics out there), The Floridan Aquifer falls into the category of things we can't see but also cannot live without.
Possible Dinosaur DNA Has Been Found
New discoveries have raised the possibility of exploring dino genetics, but controversy surrounds the results -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Watch: Kelly Clarkson says Aretha Franklin made her cry on 'Tonight Show'
Kelly Clarkson detailed on "The Tonight Show" how the late, great Aretha Franklin once made her cry tears of joy.
L.A. County suffering disproportionate share of coronavirus deaths amid a grim week
Coronavirus: L.A. County -- and the Southern California region -- seeing an outsized number of deaths
Genetic tracing 'barcode' is rapidly revealing COVID-19's journey and evolution
Drexel University researchers have reported a method to quickly identify and label mutated versions of the virus that causes COVID-19. Their preliminary analysis, using information from a global database of...
Letters to the Editor: Restart the economy? We can't even stock enough toilet paper right now
It's insane to think life can return to normal soon when we haven't even figured out how to get enough milk and toilet paper into stores.
Some worms programmed to die early for sake of colony
Some worms are genetically predisposed to die before reaching old age, which appears to benefit the colony by reducing food demand, finds a new UCL-led study.
Insight into the synapses
'Distance keeping' is not exactly the motto of the glutamate receptors: Using super-resolution microscopy, it now was discovered that the receptors usually appear in small groups at the synapses and...
Watch that smell! Scents can regulate fat storage
Dr. Ayse Sena Mutlu, a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor’s Huffington Center On Aging, had an intriguing question. Is it possible to change the body’s fat storage without changing eating habits? Working...
Scents regulate fat storage without affecting eating behavior
Researchers discovered that, in the lab worm C. elegans, certain scents dynamically regulate fat mobilization by interacting with specific olfactory neurons through specific receptors.
Study finds evidence for existence of elusive 'metabolon'
For more than 40 years, scientists have hypothesized the existence of enzyme clusters, or 'metabolons,' in facilitating various processes within cells. Using a novel imaging technology combined with mass spectrometry,...
Mystery solved, rotavirus VP3 is a unique capping machine
After eluding researchers for more than 30 years, the VP3 protein of rotavirus has finally revealed its unique structure and function.
Researchers get important glimpse into microbiome development in early life
A team of researchers has characterized how the gut microbiome develops in the first hours of infancy, providing a critical baseline for how changes in this environment can impact health...
Whole genome sequencing reveals genetic structural secrets of schizophrenia
Scientists have conducted the largest-ever whole genome sequencing study of schizophrenia to provide a more complete picture of the role the human genome plays in this disease.
Male ring-tail lemurs exude fruity-smelling perfume from their wrists to attract mates
Humans aren't the only primates who like smelling nice for their dates. Scientists report that male ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) become more attractive to females by secreting a fruity and...
Blacks make up 6% of California's population but 12% of coronavirus deaths, data shows
Coronavirus: Blacks make up 6% of California's population but 12% of coronavirus deaths, according to new data.
NFL Draft: Dolphins prioritize game film, weigh injury history
Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said the team will prioritize the game film of prospects over what they did at the combine and in other settings when it considers...
Genetic variation not an obstacle to gene drive strategy to control mosquitoes
New research from entomologists at UC Davis clears a potential obstacle to using CRISPR-Cas9 "gene drive" technology to control mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and Zika.
Sheep that went missing in bushfire turns up seven years later
An Australian family said a sheep that fled during bushfires seven years ago has been recaptured -- along with a whole lot of new fleece.
Fiat Chrysler recalls more than 425,000 Rams, Jeeps
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said last week it is recalling more than 425,000 Rams and Jeeps because of faulty wiper arms.
Scientist explores the colorful intricacies of pollen
Unless it happens to be allergy season, most people don't give a lot of thought to pollen. But new research might change the way we look at a field of...
Designing peptide inhibitors for possible COVID-19 treatments
Scientists across the globe are rushing to find inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus behind the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are using computer simulations to identify promising compounds before conducting actual...
Mechanisms generating cancer genome complexity from a single cell division error
The chromosome breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycle is a mutational process that produces gene amplification and genome instability. Signatures of BFB cycles can be observed in cancer genomes alongside chromothripsis, another catastrophic...
Meeting fisheries, ecosystem function, and biodiversity goals in a human-dominated world
The worldwide decline of coral reefs necessitates targeting management solutions that can sustain reefs and the livelihoods of the people who depend on them. However, little is known about the...
Temperature-dependent sex determination is mediated by pSTAT3 repression of Kdm6b
In many reptiles, including the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta elegans (T. scripta), sex is determined by ambient temperature during embryogenesis. We previously showed that the epigenetic regulator Kdm6b is...