https://phys.org/biology-news/biotechnology en-us The latest science news on biotechnology What if we could keep an eye on nature 24/7 without constantly being there? Researchers at the University of Amsterdam Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) have teamed up with Waternet in a nature reserve in the Dutch coastal dunes to do just that. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-advancing-biodiversity-network-automated-wildlife.html Ecology Biotechnology Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:21:03 EST news650215261 A research team led by Lund University in Sweden has developed an AI tool that traces back the most recent places you have been to. The tool acts like a satellite navigation system, but instead of guiding you to your hotel, it identifies the geographical source of microorganisms. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-gps-microorganisms-forensic.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:43:04 EST news650212982 The ability to genetically engineer plants is largely thanks to a microscopic helper: a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Agrobacterium in the wild causes damaging tumors in flowering plants, including some economically important crops, but its ability to insert its own DNA into host plants is what makes it both a pest to farmers and a powerful tool for biotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-method-biofuel-bioproduct.html Biotechnology Agriculture Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:08:05 EST news650203682 Genes contain instructions for making proteins, and a central dogma of biology is that this information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins. But only two percent of the human genome actually encodes proteins; the function of the remaining 98% remains largely unknown. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-rna-crispr-reveals-hundreds-noncoding.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 07 Nov 2024 11:00:01 EST news650193702 A team of microbiologists and virologists at Wuhan University, working with colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Washington and Humabs BioMed SA, has found that it is possible to use coronavirus DNA to create receptors that can be added to the membranes of human or animal cell membranes for research efforts. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-artificial-receptors-coronavirus-dna-avenues.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 06 Nov 2024 16:00:24 EST news650131220 Wastewater treatment fails to kill several human pathogens when they hide out on microplastics in the water, reports a study led by Ingun Lund Witsø of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, published November 6, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-pathogens-microplastics-survive-wastewater-treatment.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:00:01 EST news650105086 The CRISPR molecular scissors have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases. This is because they can be used to correct specific defective sections of the genome. Unfortunately, however, there is a catch: under certain conditions, the repair can lead to new genetic defects—as in the case of chronic granulomatous disease. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-genetic-crispr-inadvertently-defects.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:07:18 EST news650113633 Food engineers have harnessed the power of lupins (legumes) to create a yogurt that rivals dairy in taste and texture while delivering more nutrition than typical plant-based yogurts. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-lab-cultured-yogurt-rivals-dairy.html Biotechnology Agriculture Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:09:55 EST news650110189 Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) are closer to developing an oral vaccine for anthrax, thanks to a recent study showing an immune response in white-tailed deer. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-oral-anthrax-vaccine-successful-white.html Biotechnology Veterinary medicine Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:10:01 EST news650041734 A small team of horticulturists in China and the U.S. has found that spraying rice plants with a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution helps them better handle the stress of a heat wave. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group conducted experiments involving spraying rice plants in a heated greenhouse. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-spraying-rice-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles.html Biotechnology Agriculture Tue, 05 Nov 2024 09:00:02 EST news650019223 A research group may have unraveled the mystery behind the locomotion of the ancient marine reptile, the plesiosaur, by recreating a bio-inspired control system that accounts for motion adjustment. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-reconstructing-plesiosaur-styles-bio.html Biotechnology Paleontology & Fossils Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:56:12 EST news650019366 How we use land and feed a growing global population, and the burden we place on natural habitats in pursuit of nutrition, will again take center stage at the annual global climate change conference, COP29, in November. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-cop29-ai-climate-resistant-crops.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:50:01 EST news649944576 While talking to horses and other animals seems like a far-fetched fantasy, University of Missouri engineers are developing technology that puts us one step closer to that reality. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-generation-sensors-horse-welfare.html Biotechnology Veterinary medicine Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:30:01 EST news649944739 Researchers from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Italy have developed synthetic genes that function like the genes in living cells. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-synthetic-genes-intracellular-modular-ikea.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:01:38 EST news649944087 Experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM have harnessed their know-how in microfluidics and single-cell technologies to print organ structures. They will be presenting their developments at the joint Fraunhofer booth (Hall 3, Booth E74) at the MEDICA 2024 trade show from November 11 to 14. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-cell-technologies-microfluidics.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:46:28 EST news649939585 A collaborative study by researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Illumina has showcased the exceptional capabilities of the DRAGEN (Dynamic Read Analysis for GENomics) platform in comprehensive genome analysis. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-validation-gen-genome-analysis-platform.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:10:21 EST news649937407 There is fresh momentum in our protein supply—and it's moving along on six legs. Insects are a source of protein with a smaller resource footprint than conventional alternatives in every possible way. To ensure the safety of insect farms and their products, Fraunhofer researchers have developed a system that reliably detects pathogens right away, at low cost and with the possibility of automation. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-pathogen-safety-health-insect-farms.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:58:13 EST news649936688 A team of researchers led by Duke University, the University of California San Francisco, and the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope have engineered odorant receptors to reveal the molecular basis of odor discrimination. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-lab-receptors-illuminate-odor.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Sun, 03 Nov 2024 07:30:01 EST news649675404 A team of materials scientists, medical researchers and engineers affiliated with a large number of institutions across Australia has developed a new way to conduct digital light manufacturing that overcomes problems with current methods. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their new technique, how it works and ways it might be used. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-digital-approach-common-problems-3d.html Biotechnology Sat, 02 Nov 2024 10:40:01 EDT news649690563 The high complexity and diversity of the eukaryotic transcriptome poses significant challenges for the efficient detection of specific transcripts. Conventional targeted RNA-seq methods often require labor-intensive pre-sequencing enrichment steps, which can compromise comprehensive transcriptome profiling and limit their broader applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-rna-sequencing-approach-real-programmable.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:51:03 EDT news649677061 With the rapid increase in the global population, a "protein crisis" is expected in the near future, where the supply of protein will not be able to meet the rising demand. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-biotech-approach-nutritional-black-soldier.html Biotechnology Agriculture Fri, 01 Nov 2024 02:00:01 EDT news649587383 U.S. Air Force officials installed a new kind of structure in the waters of St. Andrew Bay on the shore of the Tyndall U.S. Air Force Base in Northwest Florida on Oct. 30—the first section of a Rutgers University-designed "self-healing" reef made of custom-designed concrete modules and living oysters. The reef is designed to protect the base and its people from hurricanes and tidal surges. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-concrete-modules-oyster-reef-florida.html Ecology Biotechnology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:48:04 EDT news649612081 Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) aims to collect millions to billions of high-quality, highly contextualized vocalizations in order to understand how sperm whales communicate. But finding the whales and knowing where they will surface to capture the data is challenging—making it difficult to attach listening devices and collect visual information. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-framework-autonomous-drones-rendezvous-sperm.html Ecology Biotechnology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:10:38 EDT news649595434 They say a picture is worth a thousand words. A new method, developed by University of Michigan researchers, creates images that are worth many gigabytes of data, which could revolutionize the way biologists study gene expression. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-newly-algorithm-gene-microscopic-resolution.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:37:03 EDT news649593421 A team of computer scientists, ecologists and statisticians at Stony Brook University, working with a colleague from the U.S. Geological Survey, has found that it is possible to use AI applications to find images captured by ecotourists for use in studying remote animal species. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-ai-method-captures-ecotourism-photos.html Ecology Biotechnology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:42:47 EDT news649586549 New drug discovery is a critical step for improving patients' lives. First, researchers must identify molecules in the body's cells that help drive disease, as these are potential targets for new drugs. The next step is to screen candidate drugs that can hit those targets. However, screening can be a challenging and time-consuming process. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-molecule-tracking-technology-drug-discovery.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:31:44 EDT news649585898 Most corn and soybean fields in the U.S. are planted with herbicide-resistant crop varieties. However, the evolution of superweeds that have developed resistance to common herbicides is jeopardizing current weed management strategies. Agricultural robotics for mechanical weeding is an emerging technology that could potentially provide a solution. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-explores-robotic-weeding-superweeds.html Biotechnology Agriculture Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:36:16 EDT news649521372 Energy-making chloroplasts from algae have been inserted into hamster cells, enabling the cells to photosynthesize light, according to new research in Japan. It was previously thought that combining chloroplasts (chlorophyll containing structures in the cells of plants and algae) with animal cells was not possible, and that the chloroplasts would not survive or function. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-solar-powered-animal-cells-combining.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:30:28 EDT news649517425 Unlike most cells in the human body, stem cells have the unique ability to divide indefinitely. This property makes them especially appealing to scientists exploring ways to extend human lifespans or develop new methods for repairing damaged tissues. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-compact-incubator-imaging-device-real.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:24:04 EDT news649499041 A living cell is a bustling metropolis, with countless molecules and proteins navigating crowded spaces in every direction. Cell division is a grand event which completely transforms the landscape. The cell starts behaving like the host of an international competition, reconfiguring entire streets, relocating buildings and rerouting its transportation systems. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-molecular-cell-division-demand.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 29 Oct 2024 06:00:02 EDT news649390073