http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biotechnology/ Biotechnology News. Read the latest research from around the world on genetic engineering, drug development and more. en-us Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:05:02 EST Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biotechnology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124140951.htm Scientists have identified a new class of therapeutic agents found naturally in soy that can prevent and possibly treat colon cancer, the third most deadly form of cancer. Sphingadienes are natural lipid molecules found in soy that research shows may be the key to fighting colon cancer. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124140951.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124121427.htm The atomic-level action of a remarkable class of ring-shaped protein motors has been uncovered using a state-of-the-art protein crystallography beamline at the Advanced Light Source. These protein motors play pivotal roles in gene expression and replication, and are vital to the survival of all biological cells, as well as infectious agents, such as the human papillomavirus, which has been linked to cervical cancer. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124121427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124113611.htm Scientists have crystallized a protein that may help gut bacteria bind to the gastrointestinal tract. The protein could be used by probiotic producers to identify strains that are likely to be of real benefit to people. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124113611.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120124829.htm A key question in the origin of biological molecules like RNA and DNA is how they first came together billions of years ago from simple precursors. Now, researchers have reconstructed one of the earliest evolutionary steps yet: generating long chains of RNA from individual subunits using nothing but warm water. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120124829.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094844.htm In order to effectively fight pathogens, even at remote areas of the human body, immune cells have to move quickly and in a flexible manner. Scientists have now deciphered the mechanism that illustrates how these mobile cells move on diverse surfaces. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094139.htm Researchers recently offered the sharpest-yet picture of how core biochemical pathways in skeletal muscle cells and fat cells are altered in people who suffer from insulin resistance -- a primary defect in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Taking a systems biology approach, the bioengineers and medical researchers also determined how a common class of drugs for treating insulin resistance -- TZDs -- alter these same core pathways. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132635.htm Two new studies reveal in unprecedented detail how the ribosome interacts with other molecules to assemble new proteins and guide them toward their destination in biological cells. The studies used molecular dynamics flexible fitting to examine the interaction of the ribosome with two prominent molecular partners. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132635.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114646.htm With Bt crop acreage increasing worldwide, incorporating enhanced understanding of observed patterns of field-evolved resistance into future resistance management strategies can help to minimize the drawbacks and maximize the benefits of current and future generations of transgenic crops. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125094321.htm When you eat may be just as vital to your health as what you eat, found researchers. New experiments in mice revealed that the daily waxing and waning of thousands of genes in the liver -- the body's metabolic clearinghouse -- is mostly controlled by food intake and not by the body's circadian clock as conventional wisdom had it. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125094321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120094743.htm Bacteria possess an ingenious mechanism for preventing oxygen from harming the building blocks of the cell, according to new research. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120094743.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116103838.htm Is the indefinite self-renewal of adult cells possible without recourse to stem cell intermediates? Scientists have shown that it is possible, by achieving the ex vivo regeneration of macrophages, specialized cells in the immune system, over several months. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116103838.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102954.htm In foods, soil samples or customs checks, plant fragments sometimes need to be quickly identified. The use of DNA "barcodes" to itemize plant biodiversity was proposed during the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Summit. Researchers have now tested this method in the tropical forest. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102954.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143217.htm Researchers set out to address a question that has been challenging scientists for years: How does dietary restriction produce protective effects against aging and disease? And the reverse: how does overconsumption accelerate age-related disease? An answer lies in a worm study that examines how the two ends of the spectrum influence biochemical responses. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143217.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193933.htm A team of scientists has taken a large step toward unraveling how regulatory proteins control the production of gene products during development and growth. They focused specifically on the complex process of producing red blood cells (erythrocytes). These cells contain large amounts of hemoglobin, a molecule essential for transporting oxygen throughout the body. The research results could help in the development of important new therapies to combat sickle-cell disease. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000553.htm In winemaking, grape juice is turned to wine during the fermentation process by the action of a number of essential beneficial microorganisms -- namely, bacteria. Sometimes, though, harmful bacteria also populate the fermentation vat, spoiling the wine in the process. A researcher in Finland has developed new methods based on DNA identification for rapidly and accurately identifying detrimental lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria during the earliest stages of the wine fermentation process. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000553.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114848.htm Two recent studies investigating the use of human umbilical cord blood stem cell (UCB) transplants for lung and heart disorders in animal models found beneficial results. When human UCB-derived mensenchymal cells were transplanted into newborn laboratory rats with induced oxygen-deprived injury, the effects of the injury lessened. A second study found that UCB mononuclear cells transplanted into sheep with a right ventricular malfunction beneficially altered the malfunction and enhanced diastolic function. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114848.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114811.htm When asked to compare apples to apples, consumers said they would pay more for locally grown apples than genetically modified (GMO) apples. But in a second questionnaire consumers preferred GMO apples -- that is, when they were described, not as GMO, but as having a Reduced Environmental Impact. The research demonstrated that product labeling makes a difference when it comes to consumer acceptance. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119210836.htm A new treatment route for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and its human form Creutzfeldt Jakob disease could be a step closer based on new results from scientists in the UK. The team has found that a protein called Glypican-1 plays a key role in the development of BSE. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119210836.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119085216.htm Bird flu viruses would have to make at least two simultaneous genetic mutations before they could be transmitted readily from human to human, according to new research. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119085216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193636.htm In recent years, scientists have decoded the DNA of humans and a menagerie of creatures but none with genes as complex as a stalk of corn, the latest genome to be unraveled. A team of scientists has published the completed corn genome -- an accomplishment that will speed efforts to develop better crop varieties to meet the world's growing demands for food, livestock feed and fuel. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111413.htm Scientists have described for the first time how the telomeres and adjacent sequences of the oyster fungus are organized. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165741.htm Scientists have discovered that a dietary antioxidant found in such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower protects cells from damage caused by chemicals generated during the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. The finding has implications for such inflammation-based disorders as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart disease and neurodegeneration. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165741.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119135636.htm New DNA barcoding shows that nearly a third of the tuna plated in sushi restaurants was bluefin -- even if it was not labeled bluefin on the menu. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119135636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161526.htm Scientists have published the largest nematode phylogenetic tree up until now. It contains over 1,200 species and is entirely based on the analysis of DNA sequence data. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143255.htm Breakthrough research done earlier this year by a plant cell biologist has greatly accelerated scientists' knowledge on how plants and crops can survive difficult environmental conditions like drought. In drought conditions certain receptor proteins in plants perceive ABA, causing them to inhibit an enzyme called a phosphatase. The receptor protein is at the top of a signaling pathway in plants, functioning like a boss relaying orders to the team below that then executes particular decisions in the cell. Now recent published studies show how those orders are relayed at the molecular level. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143255.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194130.htm A massive survey of genetic diversity in maize has produced a gene map that should pave the way to significant improvements in a plant that is a major source of food, fuel, animal feed and fiber around the world. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194130.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122095415.htm Scientists have shown how a family of genes (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase, or ACS genes), in the weed Arabidopsis thaliana, are responsible for production of ethylene. This gas affects many aspects of plant development, and this information, which will be applicable to other plants, lays the foundation for future genetic manipulation that could make plants disease resistant, able to survive and thrive in difficult terrain, and increase yields. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122095415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116163210.htm A modified soybean oil increased the level of an omega-3 fatty acid in humans more than regular soybean oil. The modified oil may provide a plant-based alternative source of omega-3s. However, the oil's health effectiveness as a food ingredient remains to be proven. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116163210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111415.htm Researchers have developed a new model system to study fungal infections. The system can be a powerful tool for screening potential drug targets for conditions like thrush, athlete's foot and vaginal yeast infections, which affect millions of people each year but are difficult to treat with existing medications. Using the new model, the researchers also identified a gene that may be a promising target for a new anti-fungal drug. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143221.htm Viruses are well known for attacking humans and animals, but some viruses instead attack bacteria. Researchers are exploring how hungry viruses, armed with transformer-like weapons, attack bacteria, which may aid in the treatment of bacterial infections. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143221.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118160357.htm Biologists and engineers have dramatically improved the speed and accuracy of measuring an enigmatic set of proteins that influences almost every aspect of how cells and tissues function. The new method offers a long-sought tool for studying stem cells, cancer and other problems of fundamental importance to biology and medicine. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118160357.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194120.htm A new study of maize has identified thousands of diverse genes in genetically inaccessible portions of the genome. New techniques may allow breeders and researchers to use this genetic variation to identify desirable traits and create new varieties that were not easily possible before. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193634.htm The maize genome sequence is now complete thanks to a decoding effort so challenging even the epic aptitudes of secret agent 007 -- James Bond -- would have come up short. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193634.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141050.htm Scientists have long known that the offspring of two inbred strains tend to be superior to both their parents. Now, a team of researchers has discovered clues to why that might be the case for one of the most important crops in the world: corn. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141046.htm The offspring of two inbred strains tend to be superior to both of their parents. Characterizing the gene-level variability that leads to this phenomenon, known as heterosis or hybrid vigor, could boost our ability to custom-tailor crops for specific traits, such as high protein content for human consumption or high glucose content for biomass fuel. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141041.htm Maize is an important crop in many countries of the world. It is widely used for human consumption, animal feed and industrial materials. It also is considered an exemplar plant species for studying domestication, molecular evolution and genome architecture. The authors of the research presented in this special collection used the first description of the B73 maize genome to probe some of the most intriguing questions in genetics and plant biology. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141034.htm Scientists have revealed the genetic instructions inside corn, one of the big three cereal crops. Corn, or maize, has one of the most complex sequences of DNA ever analyzed, says a genomicist who was one of more than 100 authors in the article in the journal Science. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119121306.htm A new statistical technique allows scientists to scan a genome for specific gene-regulatory regions without requiring prior knowledge of the relevant transcription factors. The technique has been experimentally validated in both the mouse genome and the fruit fly genome. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119121306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165633.htm Scientists have shown how plants can protect themselves against genetic damage caused by environmental stresses. The growing tips of plant roots and shoots have an in-built mechanism that, if it detects damage to the DNA, causes the cell to "commit suicide" rather than pass on its defective DNA. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118161639.htm Researchers have uncovered the genetic identity of a cellular receptor for the immune system's first-response antibody, a discovery that sheds new light on infection control and immune disorders. The discovery is such a crucial part of immunology that the researchers are asking that the gene linked to this antibody receptor be renamed to better describe its role in early immune responses. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118161639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118101401.htm The regulating protein Srebp2 drives cholesterol formation, which prions need for their propagation, in prion-infected neuronal cells. Scientists anticipate new approaches in drug development to combat prion infection, as a result of these new findings Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118101401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116103439.htm Infectious organisms that become resistant to antibiotics are a serious threat to human society. They are also a natural part of evolution. In a new project, researchers in Sweden are attempting to find substances that can slow the pace of evolution, in order to ensure that the drugs of today remain effective into the future. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116103439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116180134.htm Using a powerful microscopic live imaging technique, researchers have discovered the way ticks transmit Lyme disease to humans is different than previously thought. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116180134.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112103413.htm The AIDS virus inserts its genetic material into the genome of the infected cell. Scientists have now shown for the first time that the virus almost entirely spares particular sites in the human genetic material in this process. This finding may be useful for developing new, specific AIDS drugs. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112103413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135411.htm Penguins that died 44,000 years ago in Antarctica have provided extraordinary frozen DNA samples that challenge the accuracy of traditional genetic aging measurements, and suggest those approaches have been routinely underestimating the age of many specimens by 200 to 600 percent. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123606.htm The most extensive DNA study to-date of Africa's rarest monkey reveals that the species had an intriguing sexual past. Of the last two remaining populations of the recently discovered kipunji, one population shows evidence of past mating with baboons while the other does not, says a new study. The results may help to set conservation priorities for this critically endangered species, researchers say. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112095036.htm A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic. Scientists say the compound, called trigonelline or "trig," may be a factor in estrogen-dependent breast cancer but beneficial against colon cancer development. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112095036.htm