http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/developmental_biology/ Developmental Biology News. Read the latest research news on everything to do with developmental biology, from embryology to model organisms. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/developmental_biology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171744.htm Researchers have found a link between two genes involved in cancer formation in humans, by examining the genes in worms. The groundbreaking discovery provides a foundation for how tumor-forming genes interact, and may offer a drug target for cancer treatment. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171744.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105102722.htm New research by European scientists is a first step towards forecasting the expression of all genes in a given organism and demonstrates that the genetic regulation that is crucial for correct embryonic development is more flexible than previously thought. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105102722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171419.htm The search for the holy grail of regenerative medicine -- the ability to "grow back" a perfect body part when one is lost to injury or disease -- has been under way for years, yet the steps involved in this seemingly magic process are still poorly understood. Now researchers have identified an essential cellular pathway in zebrafish that paves the way for limb regeneration by unlocking gene expression patterns last seen during embryonic development. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171654.htm A plant pathology scientist was researching the molecular basis of bacterial diseases of rice when he discovered how a group of proteins from plant pathogenic bacteria interact with DNA in the plant cell, opening up the possibility for what the scientist calls a "cascade of advances." Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105092615.htm The same genes that are chemically altered during normal cell differentiation, as well as when normal cells become cancer cells, are also changed in stem cells that scientists derive from adult cells, according to new research. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105092615.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132700.htm Technological advance in the study of gene expression and regulation in the genome's 3-D folding and looping state through the development of a novel technology. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132700.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. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102548.htm What is the role of proteins called polycystins in patients with polycystic kidney disease? Scientists have elucidated the molecular and cellular mechanisms linked to polycystin malfunctions that cause this common hereditary disease. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102548.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143708.htm Scientists have decoded the genome of the domestic horse, revealing a genome structure with remarkable similarities to humans and more than one million genetic differences across a variety of horse breeds. In addition to shedding light on a key part of the mammalian branch of the evolutionary tree, the work also provides a critical starting point for mapping disease genes in horses. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132450.htm A gene associated with longevity in roundworms and humans has been shown to affect the function of stem cells that generate new neurons in the adult brain, according to researchers. The study in mice suggests that the gene may play an important role in maintaining cognitive function during aging. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132810.htm Researchers have discovered the structure of the PPC descarboxilase (PPCDC) enzyme present in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a very important organism in biotechnology and an excellent model for biological research. Scientists have verified that its structure differs substantially from that found in humans, which in addition to its characteristic as an essential enzyme makes it a potential therapeutic target. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm Engineering researchers have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172257.htm Researchers are using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system to unravel what genes and gene pathways are involved in the metabolic changes that lead to insulin resistance and full-blown diabetes in humans. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125536.htm Since the completion of the human genome sequence, a question has baffled researchers studying gene control: How is it that humans, being far more complex than the lowly yeast, do not proportionally contain in our genome significantly more gene-control proteins? Now, a collaborative effort to examine protein-DNA interactions across the whole genome has uncovered more than 300 proteins that appear to control genes, a newly discovered function for all of these proteins previously known to play other roles in cells. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112102.htm Like savvy Wall Street money managers, bacteria hedge their bets to increase their chances of survival in uncertain times, strategically investing their biological resources to weather unpredictable environments. In a new study, researchers describe how bacteria play the market so well. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026162538.htm A common weed and human cancer cells could provide some very uncommon details about DNA structure and its relationship with telomeres and how they affect cellular aging and cancer, according to scientists. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026162538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914131910.htm Researchers have explored a piece of Darwin's "abominable mystery" -- how flowering plants originated, rapidly diversified, and rose to dominance -- by exploring the microscopic anatomy of seed development in Trithuria, a genus in the plant family Hydatellaceae. This family is thought to be one of the earliest families of angiosperms -- the so-called "basal angiosperms." Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914131910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016224153.htm The Cambrian Explosion is widely regarded as one of the most relevant episodes in the history of life on Earth, when the vast majority of animal phyla first appear in the fossil record. However, the causes of its origin have been object of debate for decades. A novel theory formulates that the geologically induced increase on marine calcium, as a result of volcanic activity, might be the key for understanding this important stage in evolution. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016224153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026220018.htm Researchers have discovered a genetic mechanism in fruit flies that prevents two closely related species from reproducing, a finding that offers clues to how species evolve. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026220018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930132658.htm Researchers have put an end to a 10-year debate over which form of a molecular messenger called Fas ligand is responsible for killing cells during programmed cell death (also called apoptosis). Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930132658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803083916.htm A research team from Spain has discovered the mechanism that favours the correct separation of germ cells -- future ovules and sperm -- from the rest of the cells during embryonic development. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803083916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162501.htm Researchers have found an essential factor for regenerating neurons in the central nervous system, which normally can't regenerate. This enzyme, or factors that stimulate it, could lead to a possible treatment for stroke, spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injury. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022122327.htm A new study has identified a key player in a molecular process essential for DNA replication within cells. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022122327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114313.htm Blocking the NMDA receptor in immature rats leads to profound, rapid brain injury and disruption of auditory function as the animals mature. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141402.htm A new article describes a highly simplified model cell that not only sheds light on the way certain real cells generate electric voltages, but also acts as a tiny battery that could offer a practical alternative to conventional solid-state energy-generating devices. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115018.htm Researchers report that a single-stranded DNA-binding protein, once thought to be a static player among the many molecules that interact with DNA, actually moves back and forth along single-stranded DNA, gradually allowing other proteins to repair, recombine or replicate the strands. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225811.htm Researchers have discovered the first RNA repair system to be discovered in bacteria. The novelty of the newly discovered bacterial RNA repair system is that, before the damaged RNA is sealed, a methyl group is added to the two-prime hydroxyl group at the cleavage site of the damaged RNA, making it impossible to cleave the site again. Thus, the repaired RNA is "better than new." Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022134448.htm New technology has given scientists the first look ever at RNA in a live bacteria cell -- a sight that could offer new information about how the molecule moves and works. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022134448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015171453.htm A new study demonstrates that loss of the tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR, severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice. As a result, tissues deteriorate rapidly, which is generally fatal in these animals. In addition, the study provides supportive evidence for the use of inhibitors of ATR in cancer therapy. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015171453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105335.htm Research has previously assumed that animals and plants developed different genetic programs for cell death. Now scientists have shown that parts of the genetic programs that determine programmed cell death in plants and animals are actually evolutionarily related and moreover function in a similar way. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019205058.htm New research reveals that regulatory differences between mother and daughter cells during cell division are directly linked to how they prepare for their next split. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019205058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134722.htm Eutrophication of the seas may have an impact on genetic variation in algae, new research shows. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141601.htm Applying a small mechanical force to embryonic stem cells could be a new way of coaxing them into a specific direction of differentiation, researchers report. Applications for force-directed cell differentiation include therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102207.htm A team of scientists have demonstrated -- for the first time -- that mathematical models created from data obtained by DNA microarrays, can be used to correctly predict previously unknown cellular mechanisms. This brings biologists a step closer to one day being able to understand and control the inner workings of the cell as readily as NASA engineers plot the trajectories of spacecraft today. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123550.htm Researchers describe how a protein called Id3 coaxes blood progenitor cells in the thymus into becoming gamma-delta T cells. Gamma-delta T cells represent only 5 percent of T cells, yet researchers believe that they have a remarkable effect on human health, possessing functions of both adaptive and innate immunity. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122654.htm Biologists long have marveled at the ability of some animals to re-grow lost body parts. Newts, for example, can lose a leg and grow a new one identical to the original. Zebrafish can regrow fins. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102205.htm Molecular scientists have discovered a new, fast mechanism by which cells communicate change -- for example their location during spreading of a cancer in the human body -- to adjacent cells. The discovery sheds new light on cell behaviour and could lead to the development on new drugs to combat diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015141514.htm Our body's activity levels fall and rise to the beat of our internal drums -- the 24-hour cycles that govern fundamental physiological functions, from sleeping and feeding patterns to the energy available to our cells. Whereas the master clock in the brain is set by light, the pacemakers in peripheral organs are set by food availability. The underlying molecular mechanism was unknown. Now, researchers are shedding light on the long missing connection: A metabolic master switch, which, when thrown, allows nutrients to directly alter the rhythm of peripheral clocks. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015141514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016093919.htm A research team from South Korea studied the complex reaction of gastric inflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori in a systematic manner using a protein interaction network. They found that immune-related proteins activated by H. pylori infection interact with proto-oncogene proteins. The hub and bottleneck proteins are potential drug targets for gastric inflammation and cancer. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016093919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014130702.htm Although the human genome sequence faithfully lists (almost) every single DNA base of the roughly 3 billion bases that make up a human genome, it doesn't tell biologists much about how its function is regulated. Now, researchers provide the first detailed map of the human epigenome, the layer of genetic control beyond the regulation inherent in the sequence of the genes themselves. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014130702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124725.htm Researchers have solved a century-old mystery about proteins that play a vital role in the transfer of the human genetic code from one cell to another. The discovery could lead to finding new ways to help the body fight a variety of diseases, including cancer. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005161120.htm Engineers have boosted stem cells' ability to regenerate vascular tissue (such as blood vessels) by equipping them with genes that produce extra growth factors (naturally occurring compounds that stimulate tissue growth). In a study in mice, the researchers found that the stem cells successfully generated blood vessels near the site of an injury, allowing damaged tissue to survive. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005161120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008142957.htm Scientists have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of the human genome, paving the way for new insights into genomic function and expanding our understanding of how cellular DNA folds at scales that dwarf the double helix. The researchers describe a new technology called Hi-C and apply it to answer the thorny question of how each of our cells stows some three billion base pairs of DNA while maintaining access to functionally crucial segments. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008142957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009104646.htm The central dogma of molecular biology states that genes make RNAs, which then make proteins. Researchers in Germany have now discovered how the crucial first steps in RNA synthesis are executed -- and gene transcription is initiated. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009104646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006104051.htm Scientists have identified a new neural circuit in the retina responsible for the detection of approaching objects. Surprisingly, however, this is not the only function the circuit fulfills. The same nerve cells are also responsible for night vision. This is the first time such a dual function has been demonstrated, shedding new light on the nervous system’s information-processing capacity. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006104051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006122326.htm When it comes to the two basic types of cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, compartmentalization is everything. Prokaryotes are evolutionarily ancient cells that only have a membrane surrounding their outer boundary, while the more complex eukaryotes have an outer membrane and membrane bound compartments within the cell. Perhaps most notable is the double layered membrane that surrounds the nucleus, the cellular compartment which houses the cell's genetic material. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006122326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007081536.htm The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2009 jointly to Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Thomas A. Steitz, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; and Ada E. Yonath, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome". Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007081536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006161812.htm Using computer simulations, researchers have identified some of the pathways through which single complementary strands of DNA interact and combine to form the double helix. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006161812.htm