The network of molecules that makes up the circadian clock, which governs the timing of cellular processes in most living things, has been well studied. But thus far, technological limitations have prevented researchers from elucidating exactly how the clocks orchestrate … Continue reading
Journal Club
Highlighting recently published papers selected by Academy members
Category Archives: Biochemistry
Journal Club: Phosphorylation has surprisingly big role in control of circadian clocks
Categories: Animal Behavior | Biochemistry | Journal Club | Physiology
Tagged circadian rhythms, gene expression, mass spectrometry, phosphoproteome, phosphorylation
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Journal Club: Extremophiles captured from normal freshwater lake
Microbes capable of stunning metabolic feats—such as thriving in extremely hot or acidic conditions —might not require a trek to an exotic hot spring. The neighborhood pond might do just fine. That’s the implication of a new study in Biology … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Ecology | Journal Club
Tagged extremophiles
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Journal Club: Animals that glow for courtship have more species
The distinct blinking pattern of fireflies enables mate recognition and, thus, the perpetuation of the species. But it seems this flashy courtship ritual could be driving the formation of new species, too. A new analysis of diverse animal lineages—from octopuses … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Evolution | Journal Club
Tagged bioluminscence, camoflage, courtship, diversification, evolution
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Journal Club: “Zombie” HIV RNA could cause ongoing damage
Streaming through the blood of people with HIV are cells carrying mutant, incomplete viral genomes—viral DNA sets that researchers have long deemed duds, irrelevant to disease. But a study in PNAS this week refocuses attention on these defective viral tagalongs. … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Genetics | Journal Club
Tagged DNA, HIV, inflammation, RNA
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Journal Club: Rule-breaking microbe lacks mitochondria
Mitochondria, organelles central to cellular metabolism and energy production, are typically a hallmark of the eukaryotic cells that make up plants, animals, fungi, and many other organisms. Now scientists report the first known example of a eukaryotic organism that lacks … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Journal Club
Tagged eukaryotes, mitochondria, organelles
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Journal Club: Newly found tiny peptides may have a big role
Tiny proteins known as micropeptides can play key roles in developmental biology. These molecules are encoded by equally little bits of DNA known as short or small open reading frames that often escape detection amidst an extraordinary number of meaningless … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Genetics | Journal Club | Medical Sciences
Tagged lncRNA, micropeptide, non-coding RNA
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Identifying antibiotic “elicitors” with a new high throughput approach
Most clinically used antibiotics actually originate from bacteria, derived from small molecules produced by gene clusters in the microbes. Recent investigations have revealed that most bacterial gene clusters are inactive or “silent,” raising hopes that finding ways to activate them … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Chemistry
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Printing living cells with “woodblocks”
The inkjet printer technology often seen in offices is now finding use in research that uses suspensions of living cells as their ink to explore ways to manufacture complex tissues and organs. However, inkjet-based cell printing leaves many cells damaged … Continue reading
Categories: Biochemistry | Engineering
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In the deepest deep, fish can’t take the pressure
Living at the bottom of the Mariana Trench would feel like 50 jumbo jets were piled on top of you. Surveys of our planet’s watery depths reveal that life can thrive even at these outrageously high pressures. But fish, it … Continue reading