Incredible. In essence, more evidence of life forming from non-life. 2,3, or 4 reactions weren't found in these experiments, but 29, forming two biochemical pathways that formed necessary products from metabolic intermediates. It was always discussed that metabolism isn't really possible without RNA, a molecule that can form specific enzymes to catalyze metabolism, but the kicker is that the results of this experiment were shaped without the presence of RNA, but instead were catalyzed by metal ions. Not only does this answer a lot of questions, but it also makes the discourse of abiogenesis a lot more plausible with an important RNA backbone being formed from the Archean conditions. RNA --> metabolism --> life held a lot of problems, but metabolism --> RNA --> life makes a hell of a lot more sense.
Original published study in the journal Molecular Systems Biology here.
Reference: DOI 10.1002/msb.20145228 | Published online 25.04.2014 Molecular Systems Biology (2014) 10: 725
A blog dedicated to organizing all the types of things that capture my interest into one convenient location. Although it's not used with the intention of obtaining a loyal readership, if you feel that you're interested in the same thing, feel free to peruse at your disposal, and/or to contact me so we can be friends and learn from each other.
Showing posts with label Biology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biology. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2015
A new antibiotic kills pathogens without detectable resistance
For anyone interested in Microbiology. It's a pretty big deal, because not only is it a creative and smart way of tackling antibiotic resistance, but it brings a new hope for preventing the impending antibiotic crisis of 2050, which changes healthcare treatments.
Antibiotics are typically created through semisynthesis, which is a process where you take a natural substance and chemically tweak it using cultured bacteria. This is limiting because the bacteria cultured develop mutational resistances, and microbiology isn't expanding in the field of taxonomy these days to experiment with new cultured bacteria.
If you use culture-independent methods to analyze a gram of soil, you obtain an average of about 12,000 16s rRNA gene sequences, which means that a gram of soil typically ranges between 10,000-20,000 different microbes living in it. If you compare that to the over mere 8,500 microbes currently classified, we have a diverse microbial world that potentially inhabits millions of microbial species yet undiscovered. By using methods that extract antibacterial substances from uncultured bacteria, you increase the chances of finding new powerful antibiotics by a limitless amount, which lead to these incredible antibiotics like teixobactin that haven't yet created any antibacterial resistances.
Article by ScienceDaily here.
Original published study on the journal Nature here.
Reference: Nature 517, 455–459 (22 January 2015) doi:10.1038/nature14098
Antibiotics are typically created through semisynthesis, which is a process where you take a natural substance and chemically tweak it using cultured bacteria. This is limiting because the bacteria cultured develop mutational resistances, and microbiology isn't expanding in the field of taxonomy these days to experiment with new cultured bacteria.
If you use culture-independent methods to analyze a gram of soil, you obtain an average of about 12,000 16s rRNA gene sequences, which means that a gram of soil typically ranges between 10,000-20,000 different microbes living in it. If you compare that to the over mere 8,500 microbes currently classified, we have a diverse microbial world that potentially inhabits millions of microbial species yet undiscovered. By using methods that extract antibacterial substances from uncultured bacteria, you increase the chances of finding new powerful antibiotics by a limitless amount, which lead to these incredible antibiotics like teixobactin that haven't yet created any antibacterial resistances.
Article by ScienceDaily here.
Original published study on the journal Nature here.
Reference: Nature 517, 455–459 (22 January 2015) doi:10.1038/nature14098
Paternally contributed centrioles exhibit exceptional persistence in C. elegans embryos
C. elegans does it again. But how potentially non-genetic carriers like centrioles can carry biological information is still kind of a mystery. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Original published article by the journal Nature, Cell Research here.
Reference: Cell Research 25:642–644. doi:10.1038/cr.2015.49; published online 24 April 2015
Original published article by the journal Nature, Cell Research here.
Reference: Cell Research 25:642–644. doi:10.1038/cr.2015.49; published online 24 April 2015
Leptin Suppresses the Rewarding Effects of Running via STAT3 Signaling in Dopamine Neurons
Knockout or loss of function of STAT3 in mice increases the rewarding effects of running, in which case more voluntary running is observed in mice. Although the mechanism is not completely known yet, it is known that Leptin requires STAT3 for its function. This is what's behind pharmaceutical weight loss regimens, what's known as the "runner's high", and its hyperactivity in anorexia.
Original published study on the journal Cell Metabolism here.
Reference: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2015.08.003
Original published study on the journal Cell Metabolism here.
Reference: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2015.08.003
Tweaking Mitochondria via Nutrition
Neurological Effects of Taurine
Hippocampal neurogenesis and lowered arterial stress (and much more). Taurine's benefits to the human body are revolutionary.
Life Extension magazine article here.
Life Extension magazine article here.
Apoptosis and necrosis mediate skeletal muscle fiber loss in age-induced mitochondrial enzymatic abnormalities
mtDNA deletion mutations are causal in sarcopenia, and are concomitant with electron transport chain abnormalities, causing apoptotic mechanisms to activate, and cell necrosis.
Original published study on the journal Aging Cell here.
Reference: DOI: 10.1111/acel.12399
Original published study on the journal Aging Cell here.
Reference: DOI: 10.1111/acel.12399
Sympathetic Neuro-adipose Connections Mediate Leptin-Driven Lipolysis
First direct evidence of Leptin-driven lipolysis through sympathetic neuron innervations from the hypothalamus within fat cells. Implications would include future pharmacological treatments for obesity.
Article by The Scientist here.
Original published study on the journal Cell here.
Reference: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.055
Leptin on Wiki
Article by The Scientist here.
Original published study on the journal Cell here.
Reference: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.055
Leptin on Wiki
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