Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Creating a better RNA switch

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a powerful RNA switch that can activate genes thousands of times better than nature, providing precise control over gene expression. This technology has potential applications in diagnostics, metabolic engineering, and regulating RNA networks.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 19, 2017

Early stress confers lifelong vulnerability causing alterations in a specific brain region

Researchers identify early stress as a molecular basis for lifelong depression susceptibility, revealing a critical role for the developmental transcription factor Otx2. Mice stressed in early life exhibit suppressed Otx2 levels and increased depression-like behavior in adulthood, highlighting a sensitive period for brain development.

Scientists discover master switch to turn on silent biosynthetic gene clusters

Researchers at Princeton University have discovered a master switch that 'switches on' silent biosynthetic gene clusters in bacteria, leading to the production of new compounds with anti-parasitic properties. The global regulator, scmR, acts as a gatekeeper for expression and can be eliminated genetically to release molecules of interest.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 13, 2017

Biologists identify reproductive 'traffic cop'

Researchers discover FKB-6, a protein that regulates the speed of chromosome pairing in nematodes, ensuring accurate genetic information swap during reproduction. The findings offer new insight into animal fertility and could help understand defects contributing to conditions like Down syndrome.

SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateJan 24, 2017

CRISPR meets single-cell sequencing in new screening method

A new screening method combining CRISPR genome editing with single-cell RNA sequencing enables the simultaneous analysis of thousands of genes in individual cells. This approach, called CROP-seq, allows researchers to study complex biological mechanisms and identify novel drug targets more efficiently than traditional methods.

CRISPR editing in pancreatic cells reduced cell death and increased insulin secretion

Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to remove an enzyme that regulates the diabetes-associated TXNIP gene, leading to reduced cell death and increased insulin production in genetically modified pancreatic beta cells. The study also found that histone acetyltransferases play a crucial role in regulating the TXNIP gene.

SourceLund University·JournalThe International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology·DateDec 1, 2016

Short RNA molecules mapped in single cell

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have measured the absolute numbers of short, non-coding, RNA sequences in individual embryonic stem cells, revealing their precise function. The new method could lead to improved IVF treatments by identifying embryos with the best chance of development.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateNov 1, 2016

DNA methylation affects superiority of hybrid plants

A team of researchers discovered that maintaining DNA methylation is closely linked to hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant for studying hybrid plant superiority. The study's findings suggest that epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in hybrid vigor.

SourceKobe University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 30, 2016