Biology News

Reading the Human Genome: A New View of Transcription Initiation Thursday, February 28, 2013 - 11:53

The human genome is contained within a vast jumble of DNA. Its 20,000 or so genes are concealed within strings of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs, and each gene must be turned on at the right time and in the right cells. For the first time, scientists have glimpsed the cellular machinery that accomplishes that feat, as it assembles directly on the DNA and readies it for transcription into RNA, the first step in protein production.

 

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Research connects early childhood with pain, depression in adulthood Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - 12:33

A new University of Nebraska-Lincoln study shows that missed meals in childhood can be linked to experiencing pain and depression in adulthood. Depression and chronic pain are experienced by 44 percent of working-aged adults and the study shows a correlation between childhood conditions and pain and depression in adulthood.

 

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Homer-1 protein in the brain prevents stress-induced cognitive deficits Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - 09:38

Before examinations and in critical situations, we need to be particularly receptive and capable of learning. However, acute exam stress and stage fright causes learning blockades and reduced memory function. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have now discovered a mechanism responsible for these cognitive deficits, which functions independently of stress hormones.

 

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Ancient sea lamprey gets DNA decoded Monday, February 25, 2013 - 11:58

Lampreys diverged from our own lineage about 500 million years ago, during the Cambrian period. The new research sheds light on how the species – long considered an invasive predator – adapted and thrived over the ages. Analyzing its genome will provide scientists with insights into the evolution of organisms as diverse as frogs, chickens and humans, all of which have backbones.

 

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Memory Strategy May Help Depressed People Remember the Good Times Monday, February 25, 2013 - 11:48

New research highlights a memory strategy that may help people who suffer from depression in recalling positive day-to-day experiences. The study is published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

 

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How the ocean loses nitrogen Monday, February 25, 2013 - 09:47

During an expedition to the South Pacific Ocean, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, along with their colleagues from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel discovered that organic matter derived from decaying algae regulates nitrogen loss from the ocean's oxygen minimum zones.

 

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Stash of Stem Cells Found in a Human Parasite Friday, February 22, 2013 - 14:53

 The parasites that cause schistosomiasis, one of the most common parasitic infections in the world, are notoriously long-lived. Researchers have now found stem cells inside the parasite that can regenerate worn-down organs, which may help explain how they can live for years or even decades inside their host.

 

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Fruit flies force their young to drink alcohol -- for their own good Friday, February 22, 2013 - 10:33

When fruit flies sense parasitic wasps in their environment, they lay their eggs in an alcohol-soaked environment, essentially forcing their larvae to consume booze as a drug to combat the deadly wasps.

 

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