The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) published this week the first fully annotated reference genome of the bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), one of the world’s most important crops. Wheat field. Image credit: Pezibear. Wheat is the most widely cultivated crop on Earth, contributing about a fifth of the total …
Read More »Common Ancestor of All Cellular Life on Earth Emerged Very Early in Planet’s History
New research from the Universities of Bristol and Bath suggests life originated on our planet a lot earlier than previously thought. An artistic conception of the early Earth. Image credit: Simone Marchi / NASA. Scientists have long sought to understand ancient life and the shared evolutionary history of life as …
Read More »‘Denisova 11’ Had Neanderthal Mother and Denisovan Father
Neanderthals and Denisovans are extinct groups of hominins that separated from each other more than 390,000 years ago. These two groups inhabited Eurasia — Neanderthals in the west and Denisovans in the east — until they were replaced by modern humans around 40,000 years ago. Now, a research team led …
Read More »Researchers Identify Two Genes that Control REM Sleep
An international group of scientists from Japan and Australia has identified two essential genes involved in the regulation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The acetylcholine pathway has been proposed to be important for wakefulness and REM sleep, but genetic evidence has been missing. Using a knockout of acetylcholine receptor …
Read More »Scientists Sequence Poppy Genome
A team of researchers from Australia, China and the United Kingdom has sequenced and analyzed the genome of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. This breakthrough, reported in the journal Science, reveals the origins of the genetic pathway leading to the production …
Read More »Study: Genetic Factors are Key to Academic Success
According to a large new study of twins, genetics explains more than 60% of individual differences in school achievement. Rimfeld et al use twin analyses and genome-wide polygenic score analyses of longitudinal data from the Twins Early Development Study from age 7 to age 16, including GCSE scores, to investigate …
Read More »Scientists Sequence Genome of Invasive Cane Toad
An international team of scientists has sequenced and analyzed the draft genome of the cane toad (Rhinella marina), a poisonous amphibian native to Central and South America that has spread across many regions of the globe. The findings appear in the journal GigaScience. A cane toad (Rhinella marina), adult female. …
Read More »Severe Scoliosis Linked to Essential Dietary Mineral Manganese
A research team led by Washington University scientists has found that children with severe scoliosis are twice as likely as children without the disease to carry a gene variant that makes it hard for their cells to take in and use manganese. The findings are published in the journal Nature …
Read More »Groundcherry Could Be Agriculture’s Next Big Berry Crop
The groundcherry (Physalis pruinosa), also called ‘husk cherry’ and ‘strawberry tomato,’ is native to Central and South America. This tropical-tasting fruit is approximately the same size as a cherry tomato, but with a much sweeter flavor. It contains vitamins B and C, beta-carotene, phytosterols and antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory and …
Read More »New ‘Gene Drive’ Can Wipe Out Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes
In some parts of the world, mosquitos are more than a nuisance. These insects can transmit deadly diseases like malaria, which kills 400,000 people every year. Public health agencies have worked to reduce mosquito populations, but researchers from Imperial College London have developed a genetic technique that could control mosquito …
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