http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/molecular_biology/ Molecular biology. Read the latest research on molecular biology or search thousands of news articles with images from leading universities and research institutes. en-us Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:05:01 EST Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/molecular_biology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151449.htm Using novel techniques, a Dutch researcher has cast new light on the replication of coronaviruses, a family of viruses including the cause of SARS. He has shown, using luminescent viruses, how coronaviruses use host cells and how we can use the intracellular processes to attack the virus. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151449.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/2009/11/091106112119.htm A shot of espresso may rev you up in the morning, but the downside is that it may also ramp up levels of bad cholesterol due to its effects on a unique liver protein called PXR. New research now shows that when chronically activated, the protein rejiggers how cholesterol is broken down in and cleared from the liver, a disturbance that can lead to high levels of the waxy substance or worse, full-blown atherosclerosis. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106112119.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/2009/08/090828103930.htm Researchers in Spain have found that several species of lupins from the mountains of Andalusia have a protein content similar to that of other cultivated legumes. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090828103930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121207.htm A chemical culprit responsible for the rapid, mysterious death of phytoplankton in the North Atlantic Ocean has been found. This same chemical may hold unexpected promise in cancer research. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145300.htm Researchers have discovered a fungal protein that plays a key role in causing disease in plants and animals and which also shields the pathogen from oxidative stress. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145300.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/2009/10/091019122840.htm Researchers have previously been able to analyse which sugar structures are to be found on certain proteins, but not exactly where on the protein they are positioned. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122840.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/2009/11/091104132702.htm New insight into how nature handles some fundamental processes is guiding researchers in the design of tailor-made proteins for applications such as artificial photosynthetic centers, long-range electron transfers, and fuel-cell catalysts for energy conversion. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132702.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/2009/11/091103121605.htm If worms are any indication, all the sugar in your diet could spell much more than obesity and type 2 diabetes. Researchers say it might also be taking years off your life. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm Unwrapping some of the mystery from how plants and bacteria communicate to trigger an innate immune response, scientists have identified the bacterial signaling molecule that matches up with a specific receptor in rice plants to ward off a devastating disease known as bacterial blight of rice. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145607.htm The common household chemical hydrogen peroxide, also made naturally by living cells, appears to be involved in regulation of circadian rhythms, according to a new study. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145603.htm A painstaking genomic and proteomic analysis has found a new evolutionary mechanism that accounts for some of the biological complexity of human beings. The scientists who found the mechanism say it helps humans cope with the consequences of inefficient natural selection. It fosters complexity by enabling human proteins to become more specialized over time. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145603.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/2009/11/091102172030.htm Pateamine A, a natural product first isolated from marine sponges, has attracted considerable attention as a potential anti-cancer agent, and now a new activity has been found for it, which may reveal yet another anti-cancer mechanism. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172453.htm The genome of the cucumber has been sequenced by an international consortium lead by Chinese and US institutions. The cucumber genome will give insight into the genetics of the whole cucurbit family, which includes pumpkins and squash, melon and watermelon, and be a platform for research in plant biology. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125532.htm Biologists have shown that independent but similar molecular changes turned a harmless digestive enzyme into a toxin in two unrelated species -- a shrew and a lizard -- giving each a venomous bite. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152816.htm Why do crosses between two species often yield sterile or inviable progeny (for instance, mules emerging from a cross between a horse and a donkey)? New research suggests that the solution to this problem lies in the "dark matter of the genome": heterochromatin, a tightly packed, gene-poor compartment of DNA found within the genomes of all nucleated cells. Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160248.htm Medical researchers have gained a better understanding of how the Leishmania donovani parasite manages to outsmart the human immune system and proliferate with impunity, causing visceral leishmaniasis, a chronic infection that is potentially fatal if left untreated. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160248.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029162024.htm Influenza viruses evade infection-fighting antibodies by constantly changing the shape of their major surface protein. Now, researchers have proposed a new explanation for the evolutionary forces that drive antigenic drift. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029162024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125538.htm As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu -- antioxidants. In a new study, they show that antioxidants -- the same substances found in plant-based foods -- might hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125538.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/2009/10/091027132416.htm Scientists here have identified how the motions of an enzyme are related to correctly copying genetic instructions, setting the stage for studies that can uncover what happens when DNA copying mistakes are made. Perpetuation of DNA mistakes can cause mutations that lead to cancer and other diseases. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114021.htm The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year, according to a new study. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211640.htm Researchers have uncovered what they believe could be the major factor contributing to the SARS virus' virulence: the pathogen's use of a single viral protein to weaken host cell defenses by launching a "two-pronged" attack on cellular protein-synthesis machinery. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211640.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/2009/10/091016224153.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/2009/10/091019122846.htm Scientists found that a lipid kinase directs a voltage-gated calcium channel's degradation to save neurons from a lethal dose of overexcitement. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122844.htm Scientists have developed a biologically active "scaffold" made from soluble fibers which may help humans replace lost or missing bone. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122844.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/2009/10/091022141400.htm Biologists have solved the structure of a critical molecule that helps plants survive during droughts. Understanding the inner workings of this molecule may help scientists design new ways to protect crops against prolonged dry periods, potentially improving crop yields worldwide, aiding biofuels production on marginal lands and mitigating drought's human and economic costs. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125135.htm A clever structure in the ear of a tropical butterfly that potentially makes it able to distinguish between high and low pitch sounds has been discovered. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125135.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