http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/life_sciences/ Life Science News. Updated daily with science research articles in all the life sciences. Images. en-us Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:05:01 EDT Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/life_sciences/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010154152.htm Researchers have discovered that as embryonic stem cells turn into different cell types, there are dramatic corresponding changes to the order in which DNA is replicated and reorganized. Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010154152.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010173054.htm Scientists have confirmed the second-ever case of a "virgin birth" in a shark, indicating once again that female sharks can reproduce without mating and raising the possibility that many female sharks have this incredible capacity. Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010173054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010092352.htm Can genetic information be controlled by light? Researchers report sequence-dependent effects of light on DNA. DNA, the molecule that acts as the carrier of genetic information in all forms of life, is highly resistant against alteration by ultraviolet light, but understanding the mechanism for its photostability presents some puzzling problems. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010092352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143708.htm The first ecosystem with only a single biological species has been discovered and its genome analyzed by a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary team. Living 2.8 km beneath the surface of the earth in the Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, the rod-shaped bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator exists in complete isolation, total darkness, a lack of oxygen, and 60-degree-Celsius heat. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008113434.htm A report scheduled to be published this week in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that maintaining the proper balance of herbivorous fishes may be critical to restoring coral reefs, which are declining dramatically worldwide. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008113434.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143700.htm Contrary to conventional wisdom, tropical plant and animal species living in some of the warmest places on Earth may be threatened by global warming, according to ecologists. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143700.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010135037.htm Scientists have eliminated the need for a viral vector in the stem cell reprogramming process In a report in Science, they showed the ability to reprogram adult cells into iPS cells without viral integration into the genome which lays to rest concerns that the reprogramming event might be dependent upon viral integration into specific genomic loci that could mediate the genetic switch. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010135037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010100457.htm The stickleback fish, Gasterosteus aculeatus, is one of the most thoroughly studied organisms in the wild, and has been a particularly useful model for understanding variation in physiology, behavior, life history and morphology caused by different ecological situations in the wild. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010100457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009072716.htm Scientists in the UK have developed a rapid new way of checking for toxic genes in disease-causing bacteria which infect insects and humans. Their findings could in the future lead to new vaccines and anti-bacterial drugs. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009072716.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008151316.htm The songbird has a friend in the beaver. According to a study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the busy beaver's signature dams provide critical habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds, particularly in the semi-arid interior of the West. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008151316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001145114.htm An interdisciplinary group of scientists has obtained the first detailed information about the structure of the most destructive group of plant viruses known: flexible filamentous viruses. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001145114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010081652.htm Scientists have found that the UK's common or garden earthworms are far more diverse than previously thought, a discovery with important consequences for agriculture. Biologists have found that many of the common earthworm species found in gardens and on agricultural land are actually made up of a number of distinct species that may have different roles in food chains and soil structure and ecology. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081010081652.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144331.htm Society is in a race to find renewable sources of carbon-neutral energy. Cellulose-based biofuels hold promise, but we need to proceed cautiously and with an eye toward minimizing long-term ecological impacts. Without a sound plan, we could wind up doing more environmental harm than good. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144331.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144059.htm Will climate change exceed life's ability to respond? Biodiversity in a Warmer World, published in the Oct. 10, 2008, issue of the journal, Science, illustrates that cross-disciplinary research fostered by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama clearly informs this urgent debate. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144057.htm UC Berkeley's resurvey of animal populations in California's eastern mountains kicked off in 2003 with a resurvey of Yosemite National Park, following the route of Joseph Grinnell in 1914-20. The first results show that small mammals have moved to higher elevations as a result of warming, some expanding their range upward, others moving upward and abandoning lower elevations entirely. Though biodiversity remains unchanged, the rapid rate of change sounds a cautionary note about global warming. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009144057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143712.htm Scientists have found that mussels in their natural habitat express their genes in cyclic waves, in what appears to be a survival strategy akin to the circadian rhythms that govern sleep. In addition, two sets of genes used to cope with heat stress are identified, in the first real-time molecular sampling of two mussel communities. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009143712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009072718.htm German and American researchers have for the first time identified complete gene sequences and function of two proteins in mussels that play a key defensive role against environmental toxicants. These proteins form part of an active, physiological barrier in mussel gills that protects them against environmental toxicants. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009072718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081007192532.htm Researchers have licensed ground-breaking research to a non-profit product development partnership working to develop new, more effective vaccines against tuberculosis. This development will give hope that significantly better prevention and treatment of TB will be available within the next few years. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081007192532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006093024.htm One of the smallest seals -- the Caspian -- has joined a growing list of mammal species in danger of extinction. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006093024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008100616.htm The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2008 jointly to Osamu Shimomura, of the Marine Biological Laboratory and Boston University Medical School, Martin Chalfie of Columbia University, and Roger Y. Tsien of the University of California, San Diego "for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP." Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008100616.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180811.htm This one's for the birds. A study by biologists shows that the more diverse a bird population is in an area, the less chance humans have of exposure to West Nile Virus. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002094832.htm There are currently two methods for artificial insemination: bull semen can be frozen to a temperature of -172 °C and may be stored indefinitely. However, pig semen must be diluted and stored liquid, and the storage capacity is only a few days. The window of opportunity for insemination is also limited. Striking the period when the sow is receptive is difficult and farmers need to inspect the animals regularly. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002094832.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009094647.htm Researchers have developed a new tool for investigating the rice genome. The inexpensive, publicly-available rice DNA microarray covers nearly all the 45,000 genes in the rice genome. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009094647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008151114.htm Researchers have decoded the genome of a malaria parasite that infects humans and monkeys. Human infection with P. knowlesi was first reported just over 40 years ago. It is the fifth and emerging human malaria parasite: recent surveys that many P. knowlesi infections have been misdiagnosed, underestimating its prevalence. The genome sequence reveals a dramatic example of 'molecular mimicry' that is likely to be crucial for survival and propagation of the parasite in the body. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008151114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008150441.htm A new study uncovers a previously unrecognized, species-specific impact of circadian rhythms on the production of mobilized stem cells. The research suggests that when it comes to collecting human stem cells for clinical transplantation, picking the right time of day to harvest cells may result in a greater yield. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008150441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001181306.htm Small stretches of seemingly useless DNA harbor a big secret, say researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. There's one problem: We don't know what it is. Although individual laboratory animals appear to live happily when these genetic ciphers are deleted, these snippets have been highly conserved throughout evolution. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001181306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080928145607.htm Biologists have identified a gene in rice that controls the size and weight of rice grains. The gene may prove to be useful for breeding high-yield rice and, thus, may benefit the vast number of people who rely on this staple food for survival. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080928145607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002094838.htm Thought processes made visible: Researchers have succeeded in optically detecting individual action potentials in the brains of living animals. The scientists introduced fluorescent indicator proteins into the brain cells of mice via viral gene vectors: the illumination of the fluorescent proteins indicates both when and which neurons are communicating with each other. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002094838.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172005.htm Researchers have harnessed the power of 21st century computing to confirm an idea first proposed in 1916 -- that plants with rapid reproductive cycles evolve faster. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929100018.htm Researchers report the simultaneous completion of the first genomes of wild Arabidopsis thaliana strains as part of the 1001 Genomes Project. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929100018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006102609.htm How a cell assembles its internal machinery required for cell movement has been revealed for the first time. The discovery is fundamental to the understanding of how a cell responds to its external environment. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006102609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929104601.htm Researchers have developed a computer program that trains itself to predict genes in the DNA sequences of fungi. The software will be freely available for academic researchers. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929104601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081007073930.htm New research aims to aid in the discovery of new molecules and biofuels technology from marine mollusks for development in the Philippines. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081007073930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006092643.htm From majestic African elephants to tiny and often unappreciated rodents, mammals on Earth are in a state of crisis. One in four mammal species on Earth is being pushed to extinction, according to the Global Mammal Assessment, the most comprehensive assessment of the world's mammals. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006092643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006154952.htm The most comprehensive assessment of the world's mammals has confirmed an extinction crisis, with almost one in four at risk of disappearing forever, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006154952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926100636.htm A new experiment to find out how British plant ecosystems may be affected by future changes to climate and biodiversity is underway at Imperial College London. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926100636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081005121337.htm The fossilized trail of an aquatic creature suggests that animals walked using legs at least 30 million years earlier than had been thought. The tracks -- two parallel rows of small dots, each about 2 millimeters in diameter -- date back some 570 million years, to the Ediacaran period. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081005121337.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926100932.htm Aphids (plant lice) and ants carry minibacteria that produce essential amino acids and vitamins. These minibacteria have very limited genetic material and many broken genes. Now, researchers have found that repeated errors in the conversion of DNA to protein save the function of the damaged genes. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926100932.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080925072438.htm A team of researchers has been working to unlock the secrets of equines. Their findings may lead to better muscular horse health and a new approach to breathing devices for people. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080925072438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080924075311.htm Researchers have found that the main source of food for many fish -- including cod -- in the North Atlantic appears to adapt in order to survive climate change. Billions of Calanus finmarchicus, a plankton species, which are just a few millimeters in size, live in the waters of the North Atlantic where the research was carried out. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080924075311.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003122715.htm The latest breakthrough in a 120 year-old debate on the evolution of the bird wing was just published. Bird wings only have three fingers, having evolved from remote ancestors that, like humans and most reptiles, had five fingers. Biologists have typically used embryology to identify the evolutionary origin (homology) of structures; the three fingers of the bird wing develop from cartilage condensations that are found in the same positions in the embryo as fingers two, three and four of humans (the index, middle and ring fingers). However, the morphology of the fingers of early birds such as Archaeopteryx corresponds to that of fingers one, two and three in other reptiles (thumb, index and middle finger). Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003122715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180803.htm Plant scientists have discovered another piece of the genetic puzzle that controls how plants respond to high temperatures. That may allow plant breeders to create new varieties of crops that flourish in warmer, drier climates. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006130457.htm Several mamalogists at Chicago's Field Museum participated in the IUCN survey of the world's mammals, using the Museum's extensive mammal collections for reference. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006130457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002210914.htm Though it has fallen from the headlines, a global pandemic caused by bird flu still has the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on high alert. Yet, to date, the only vaccines that have proven even semi-effective are produced in chicken eggs, take five to six months to prepare and act against a single variant of the H5N1 virus, which mutates incredibly quickly. Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002210914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003173018.htm The discovery of an important fat precursor cell may explain how changes in the numbers of fat cells might increase and lead to obesity. Sat, 04 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003173018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003155610.htm Some animal species have developed conspicuous traits produced by melanin pigments (for instance, dark manes in lions, black stripes in some birds and fishes). These traits are used as signals during contests for resources and/or contribute to increase the mating opportunities. However, the efficiency of these traits as signals depends on the fact that they transmit honest information about the quality of the bearer. Scientists have now proposed a novel hypothesis suggesting that melanin-produced traits could indicate the ability of the bearer in fighting free radicals and oxidative damage. Sat, 04 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081003155610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172534.htm Researchers have applied modern engineering design tools to one of the basic units of life. They say that artificial cells could be built that not only replicate the electrical behavior of electric eel cells but in fact improve on them, possibly driving future implantable medical devices. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002172534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002204424.htm Researchers have shown that the EBNA1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) disrupts structures in the nucleus of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, thereby interfering with cellular processes that normally prevent cancer development. The study, published in PLoS Pathogens, describes a novel mechanism by which viral proteins contribute to carcinogenesis. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002204424.htm