Press monitoring
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Brain tissue kept alive for weeks on an artificial membrane
14.10.2019 | Press monitoring
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research in Japan have developed a new system for keeping tissue viable for long-term study once transferred from an animal to a culture medium. The new system uses a microfluidic device that can keep tissue from both drying out and from drowning in fluid. A proof-of-concept experiment...
A virus is attacking koalas genes – but their DNA is fighting back
11.10.2019 | Press monitoring
A virus that infects koalas is steadily integrating itself into their DNA, ensuring that it is passed down from generation to generation. But the koala genome is defending itself, revealing that DNA has its own immune system to shut down invaders. The virus, called koala retrovirus (KoRV), is linked to weakened immunity, cancer, and chlamydia...
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Scientists discover new antibiotic in tropical forest
9.10.2019 | Press monitoring
Scientists from Rutgers University and around the world have discovered an antibiotic produced by a soil bacterium from a Mexican tropical forest that may help lead to a "plant probiotic," more robust plants and other antibiotics. Probiotics, which provide friendlier bacteria and health benefits for humans, can also be beneficial to plants,...
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Bacteria trapped – and terminated – by graphene filter
7.10.2019 | Press monitoring
Airborne bacteria may see what looks like a comfy shag carpet on which to settle. But it's a trap. Rice University scientists have transformed their laser-induced graphene (LIG) into self-sterilizing filters that grab pathogens out of the air and kill them with small pulses of electricity. The flexible filter developed by the Rice lab of chemist...
Engineered viruses could fight drug resistance
4.10.2019 | Press monitoring
In the battle against antibiotic resistance, many scientists have been trying to deploy naturally occurring viruses called bacteriophages that can infect and kill bacteria. Bacteriophages kill bacteria through different mechanisms than antibiotics, and they can target specific strains, making them an appealing option for potentially overcoming...
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CRISPR flies have been gene edited so they can eat poison
2.10.2019 | Press monitoring
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have used the CRISPR gene-editing tool to give fruit flies an evolutionary advantage they’ve never had before. By making just three small changes to a single gene, the team gave the flies the ability to effectively eat poison and store it in their bodies, protecting themselves from predators in...
Scientists Have Bioengineered Bacteria That Pump Out Psilocybin
30.9.2019 | Press monitoring
Scientists have bioengineered bacteria to pump out psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient that puts the "magic" into magic mushrooms, in surprisingly abundant quantities. Researchers from Miami University managed to transfer the DNA sequences responsible for psilocybin production from a mushroom into a microbe host, a strain of E. coli, the...
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HIV kill switch clears out dormant virus in human cells
27.9.2019 | Press monitoring
Several major strides have been made towards a cure for HIV in recent years, and now, researchers from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) may have found a new potential target. In lab tests, the team identified a cellular “switch” that could be turned off to clear out the virus lying dormant inside cells. Currently, people with HIV...
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CRISPR might be the banana’s only hope against a deadly fungus
25.9.2019 | Press monitoring
The race to engineer the next-generation banana is on. The Colombian government confirmed last month that a banana-killing fungus has invaded the Americas – the source of much of the world’s banana supply. The invasion has given new urgency to efforts to create fruit that can withstand the scourge. Scientists are using a mix of approaches to save...
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Discovery of sorghum gene that controls bird feeding could help protect crops
23.9.2019 | Press monitoring
A single gene in sorghum controls bird feeding behavior by simultaneously regulating the production of bad-tasting molecules and attractive volatiles. This gene, called Tannin1, controls the synthesis of bird-deterring astringent polyphenols called tannins, as well as bird-attracting fatty-acid-derived volatile organic compounds. The authors...
