All Ecology & Evolution articles
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NewsA borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet
A group of diatom species belonging to the Nitzschia genus gave up on photosynthesis and now get their carbon straight from their environment, thanks to a bacterial gene picked up by an ancestor, a new study shows.
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NewsAI learns to ‘speak’ genetic ‘dialect’ for future SARS-CoV-2 mutation prediction
Researchers have developed a new method to predict mutations in virus protein sequences called Deep Novel Mutation Search (DNMS), a type of artificial intelligence model that uses deep neural networks.
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News‘She loves me, she loves me not’: physical forces encouraged evolution of multicellular life, scientists propose
A new study presents a striking example of cooperative organization among cells as a potential force in the evolution of multicellular life. The paper is based on the fluid dynamics of cooperative feeding by Stentor, a relatively giant unicellular organism.
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NewsWere our blue oceans once green?
Scientists find evidence that our oceans used to be green, suggesting that this may be a sign of primitive life, including that on alien worlds. The study suggests that cyanobacteria once flourished in green seas.
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NewsCanada is slowest in reporting bird flu – but COVID shows we can do better
A global study was conducted to measure the reporting speed of pandemic-causing bird flu H5N1 in different countries, among which Canada surprisingly came in last, addressing the need for improvements in the current monitoring procedures.
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NewsScientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs
Researchers exploited natural peptides derived from frogs and improved their structural designs as antibiotic candidates, which are effective against complex mock bacterial communities of drug-resistant pathogens in preclinical tests, sparing beneficial microbiota and human cells.
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NewsTadpoles try to flee dangerous virus in their pond by growing much faster than normal
A new study shows that larvae of wood frogs respond to the presence of a deadly ranavirus by growing and maturing precociously. In response to ranavirus, tadpoles change their growth, development, and resource allocation, which may help them tolerate the energetic demands of infection or escape risky environments to avoid infection.
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NewsOrigin of life: How microbes laid the foundation for complex cells
Researchers examining links between Asgard archaea and eukaryotes have shown that Asgard tubulins form similar microtubules, albeit smaller than those in their eukaryotic relatives. Unlike actin, these tubulin proteins appear in very few species of Asgard archaea.
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NewsDeadly bacteria developed the ability to produce antimicrobials and wiped-out competitors
A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominant strain.
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NewsHidden threat: The evolving fungus that spreads through cats and humans
Researchers have developed a better understanding about the molecular basis of the Sporothrix species in virulence and evolution, amid the largest sporotrichosis epidemic in Brazil. The identification of the genetic markers helps to enhance fungal surveillance and strengthen disease control.
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NewsLeafcutter ants recognize and fight pathogen with social immunity
Various characteristics of social immune memory were observed in colonies of Atta sexdens (lemon leafcutter ants) exposed to different pathogenic fungi. Such information is useful for future development of appropriate pest control.
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NewsNew ‘shy’ fungus found in old-growth forest
Although fungi of the genus Piloderma are common, scientists have now discovered five previously unknown species. One of these is one of the most widely distributed species in Northern Europe, while another is found only in old-growth forests.
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NewsNewly identified bacterial protein helps design cancer drug delivery system
Researchers have identified a previously unknown bacterial protein, the unique structure of which acts as an actin homolog that can be used to design protein nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to tumors.
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NewsScientists explain energy transfer mechanism in chloroplasts and its evolution
A recent study by Chinese scientists has revealed the intricate molecular machinery driving energy exchange within chloroplasts, shedding light on a key event in the evolution of plant life.
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NewsResearchers pinpoint shared stress response network between long diverged algae and plants
A research team has compared algae and plants that span 600 million years of independent evolution and pinpointed a shared stress response network using advanced bioinformatic methods.
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NewsDermatophytes adaptation to the human host exemplified by Microsporum canis
Through comparative genomic analyses, researchers investigated the evolutionary mechanisms that underpin gene expansions to enable dermatophytes, such as Microsporum canis to transition from animal to human hosts.
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NewsAdaptation to extreme conditions: thermal water biofilm studies could help understand ancient ecosystems
Researchers have discovered unique bacterial communities in thermal waters that may help unravel the development of stromatolites, one of Earth’s oldest rock formations.
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NewsProactively exposing ecosystems to mild environmental stressors appears to offer protection
Mild, proactive exposure to environmental stress can help biological communities resist severe disturbances and maintain genetic diversity, a recent study has found.
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NewsResearcher measures microplastics’ massive changes in microbes
A new ecological research is underway to investigate the impact of microplastics on aquatic microbial communities in the Virginia Tech Duck Pond.
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NewsHeat-stressed reefs may benefit from coral-dwelling crabs
A species of branching coral is able to recover from heat stress and wounds due to its mutualistic relationship with crabs in the Great Barrier Reef Corals, a new study shows. This evolutionary partnership will inspire coral reef restoration strategies in the future.