Autumn shifts mating biology across species: humans see a testosterone rise that leads to more conceptions in November and December, red deer begin the rut, walruses revert to same-sex pairings, and hydra, coral gobies and northern shrimp alter reproduction or sex with the season.
— via Phys.org
Harmit Malik's lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center studies genetic conflicts that drive rapid evolution. Findings include an alphavirus stop codon that balances protein production and conceals replication from immunity, plus fast-evolving essential genes such as HJURP and the protamine Mst77F.
— via Phys.org
Researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences built a two-color autoluminescent reporter by pairing a red-shifted fungal luciferase with a green one. Reading the color ratio rather than brightness corrects for metabolic effects, letting them track plant defense signaling and localized immune activity around infection sites over long periods.
— via Phys.org
A survey of over 1,100 University of the Witwatersrand students found nearly three in four felt load shedding affected their sleep, most for the worse, and worse sleep went with lower grades. Solar backup users reported worse sleep far less often than generator or inverter users.
— via Phys.org
Researchers built a cell-free sheet of microtubule filaments in which embedded DNA drives production of kinesin motors, making the material wrinkle, buckle and flow. Altering the genetic program, including adding PRC1 and a feedback loop, changed the dynamics to sustained flow, a single burst, or repeated oscillations.
— via Phys.org
A University of Vienna-led study in Science Advances reports Gravettian-era genetic exchange between eastern and western Europe, shown by a 30,000-year-old woman's genome from Isturitz Cave. Sediment DNA from El Mirón Cave also indicates long-term ancestry continuity in southwestern Europe.
— via Phys.org
Lund University researchers report that a remnant of an ancient retrovirus, PTERV1, silences the LINC00662 gene in chimpanzees, while the gene stays active in humans. Removing the viral DNA with CRISPR in chimpanzee cells restored the gene's activity, and silencing it in human brain organoids lowered activity of genes tied to nerve cell development.
— via Phys.org
Protein analysis of skull and jaw fragments from China's Xujiayao site identified them as Denisovan, based on a collagen variant found in Denisovans but not Neanderthals or modern humans. The fossils suggest Denisovans had low, flat skulls with thick bones and prominent brow ridges, and were widespread across East Asia.
— via Phys.org
St. Jude researchers found that PARP1 asymmetrically evicts two histone proteins beside DNA damage, converting a nucleosome into a hexasome that recruits repair proteins. The finding suggests future inhibitors could target PARP1's remodeling activity instead of shutting down all PARP activity.
— via Phys.org
Researchers at the University of Ottawa identified SPRIZ, a protein that acts as a rigid pillar linking the two mitochondrial membranes while holding them a set distance apart. Altering it changed the size of the intermembrane space, molecular access and calcium uptake, and the protein appears to be present only in vertebrates.
— via Phys.org
Red crown rot, a soil-borne fungal disease of soybean first found in Illinois in 2018, has reached 51 Illinois counties and several neighboring states. Severe infestations can cut yield by 60%–70%, and its symptoms resemble other diseases, so testing suspect plants is advised. Sanitation and avoiding soil movement help, while crop rotation shows little benefit.
— via Phys.org
University of Arizona researchers created CANID, a roughly 40-minute, three-task assessment that can detect subtle cognitive impairment in dogs around age 7 or 8, years before overt dementia signs appear. Tested on 239 dogs, scores stayed consistent across retests six months and a year later.
— via Phys.org
University of Queensland plant scientists argue that a century of selective breeding in crops like maize, wheat, rice and soybean has narrowed which gene combinations get tested, slowing gains. They propose exploring wild relatives, wider crosses, diverse testing environments and gene editing.
— via Phys.org
UCLA researchers report that briefly squeezing the nucleus loosens packed DNA so CRISPR activation can reach key genes. In mouse skin cells this lifted neuron conversion from about 3% to about 40% when the squeeze was used as a priming step.
— via Phys.org
UC Davis psychiatrist Ruth Shim argues in JAMA Health Forum that voter suppression is a structural determinant of health. She cites research tying lower turnout to worse outcomes, Voting Rights Act-era drops in Black infant deaths, and felony disenfranchisement's link to depressive symptoms.
— via Phys.org
Project CETI researchers in Dominica combine drones, biologging tags, hydrophones and machine learning to study sperm whale codas. Models found that roughly eight to 10 codas can predict an upcoming deep foraging dive, though the meaning of whale communication remains largely unknown.
— via Phys.org
Tufts researchers from veterinary medicine and computer science built NanoMAP, a computational platform that groups nanobody sequences from immunized alpacas into clonal families. It helps pick the strongest binders to COVID-19, botulinum toxin and a parasitic blood fluke for diagnostics or treatments.
— via Phys.org
Researchers working in French Guiana showed that the distinctive iris patterns of the Amazonian treefrog Osteocephalus oophagus can identify individuals without touching them. Across 392 captures they distinguished 103 frogs, offering a less invasive alternative to toe-clipping.
— via Phys.org
A study in Journal of Experimental Botany finds that faster growth in Honeycrisp apples, rather than final size, drives bitter pit by disrupting xylem calcium transport toward the peel. The authors suggest irrigation, root pruning and photosynthesis inhibitors to slow growth and cut losses.
— via Phys.org
A study on Japanese house bats found that mothers' heart rates rose when they heard their own pups' calls, but not when they heard other bats' pups. Echolocation calls from their older, independent pups produced the strongest response, though the sample was small.
— via Phys.org
