femaleInside

Sunday, June 7, 2015

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Nw role for zebrafish: Larger scale gene function studies
Arabidopsis uses molecular decoy to trick pathogens
Daily sugar-sweetened beverage habit linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Nw role for zebrafish: Larger scale gene function studies

Posted: 05 Jun 2015 03:28 PM PDT

Scientists are using a fairly new gene-editing technology known as CRISPR/Cas9 to target specific DNA sequences in zebrafish. This technique could dramatically accelerate the discovery of gene function and the identification of disease genes in humans.

Arabidopsis uses molecular decoy to trick pathogens

Posted: 05 Jun 2015 03:24 PM PDT

In the animal kingdom, predators use a full range of strategies, such as camouflage, speed and optical illusions, to catch their prey. Meanwhile, prey species resort to the same tactics to escape from their predators. Such tricks are also used at the molecular level, as discovered by researchers in one of the most devastating bacterial plant pathogens in the world, which bypasses plant cell defenses by preventing an immune signaling from being triggered. Even more surprising is the fact that plant cells have developed a receptor incorporating a decoy intended to catch the invader in its own trap.

Daily sugar-sweetened beverage habit linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Posted: 05 Jun 2015 03:23 PM PDT

A daily sugar-sweetened beverage habit may increase the risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), researchers report. NAFLD is characterized by an accumulation of fat in the liver cells that is unrelated to alcohol consumption. NAFLD is diagnosed by ultrasounds, CT, MRI, or biopsy, and many of the approximately 25% of Americans with the disease don't experience any symptoms.