https://phys.org/biology-news/biotechnology en-us The latest science news on biotechnology 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 CRISPR-Cas9 has long been likened to a kind of genetic scissors, thanks to its ability to snip out any desired section of DNA with elegant precision. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-crispr-cas10-virally-infected-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:17:04 EDT news649347422 In a significant advance against the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, researchers have identified a novel class of antimicrobial agents known as encrypted peptides, which may expand the immune system's arsenal of tools to fight infection. The findings, published in Trends in Biotechnology, reveal that many antimicrobial molecules originate from proteins not traditionally associated with immune responses. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-class-encrypted-peptides-significant-antimicrobial.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:13:03 EDT news649343581 CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene editing tool that has revolutionized biomedical research and led to the first FDA-approved CRISPR-based gene therapy. However, until now, the precise mechanism of exactly how this tool works and avoids creating detrimental off-target effects was not well understood. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-underlying-mechanisms-crispr-effective-gene.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:21:07 EDT news649336861 Meat grown in a lab isn't science fiction anymore. Cultured meats have existed for over a decade, and as of 2023, you might even find lab-grown chicken in restaurants (in the U.S., at least). Now, with the literal support of plant-based scaffolds, "clean meat" options are expanding. Researchers publishing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have created a prototype cultured pork using a new material: kafirin proteins isolated from red sorghum grain. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-sorghum-grainbased-scaffolds-lab-grown.html Biotechnology Agriculture Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:53:03 EDT news649335181 In humans, the main molecular energy carrier is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is critical for cellular functions all over the body, especially in the brain. Its synthesis, which occurs in the mitochondria, through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is a complex, multi-step process. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-stem-cell-derived-artificial-organelles.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:29:04 EDT news649333741 Insects such as bees are crucial pollinators responsible for maintaining biodiversity and food security and have long been a challenge for both existing large-scale tracking methods and high-resolution imaging systems. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-tracking-method-insect-behavior-wild.html Ecology Biotechnology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:18:03 EDT news649333081 There is a pressing need for environmentally friendly meat production technologies to tackle the increasing global food demand. Cultured meat production is one such technology that is attracting a lot of attention as an alternative to conventional meat production. First developed in 2012, cultured meat is simply meat that is produced by growing or culturing muscle cells from animals in a laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-sustainable-photosynthetic-microorganisms-eco-friendly.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:10:15 EDT news649329001 Humans can do plenty, but plants have an ability we don't: they make energy straight from sunlight, a superpower called photosynthesis. Yet new research shows that scientists are closing that gap. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-approach-3d-lab-photosynthetic.html Plants & Animals Biotechnology Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:54:04 EDT news649328042 Research from Dr. Giovanni Sena's group in the Department of Life Sciences highlights an intriguing method to help protect plants from pathogen attacks using weak electric fields. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-weak-external-electric-fields-crops.html Biotechnology Agriculture Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:27:58 EDT news649074476 In cooperation with researchers from the China University of Petroleum, the working group of Dr. Werner Nau, Professor of Chemistry at Constructor University, has demonstrated the effectiveness of a new method of intracellular protein transport. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-method-functional-protein-delivery-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:14:03 EDT news649073641