ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Saturday, January 7, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Saturday, January 7, 2012

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Salt water alone unlikely to halt Burmese python invasion (January 6, 2012) -- Invasive Burmese python hatchlings from the Florida Everglades can withstand exposure to salt water long enough to potentially expand their range through ocean and estuarine environments. ... > full story

DNA mismatch repair happens only during a brief window of opportunity (January 6, 2012) -- In eukaryotes-the group of organisms that include humans –- a key to survival is the ability of certain proteins to quickly and accurately repair genetic errors that occur when DNA is replicated to make new cells. Researchers have solved part of the mystery of how these proteins do their job, a process called DNA mismatch repair. ... > full story

Molecular 'maturation clock' modulates branching architecture in tomato plants (January 6, 2012) -- The secret to pushing tomato plants to produce more fruit might not lie in an extra dose of Miracle-Gro. Instead, new research suggests that an increase in fruit yield might be achieved by manipulating a molecular timer or so-called "maturation clock" that determines the number of branches that make flowers, called inflorescences. ... > full story

Sea snails help scientists explore a possible way to enhance memory (January 6, 2012) -- Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Neuroscientists have used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging. ... > full story

Flatworm flouts fundamental rule of biology: Worm regenerates without centrosome, a structure long thought necessary for cell division (January 6, 2012) -- A tiny, freshwater flatworm found in ponds and rivers around the world that has long intrigued scientists for its remarkable ability to regenerate has now added a new wrinkle to biology. ... > full story

Scientists 'hijack' bacterial immune system (January 6, 2012) -- The knowledge that bacteria possess adaptable immune systems that protect them from individual viruses and other foreign invaders is relatively new to science, and researchers across the globe are working to learn how these systems function and to apply that knowledge in industry and medicine. Now, a team of researchers has discovered how to harness this bacterial immune system to selectively target and silence genes. ... > full story

World’s first primate chimeric offspring produced: Research demonstrates not all embryonic stem cells are equal (January 6, 2012) -- Scientists have shed new light on how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. ... > full story

Progress made toward a genital herpes vaccine (January 6, 2012) -- New research points investigators toward finding a genital herpes vaccine that works on both viruses that cause disease. ... > full story

Scientists find structure of gene-editing protein (January 6, 2012) -- In the two and a half years since scientists discovered how a class of proteins find and bind specific sequences in plant genomes, researchers worldwide have moved fast to use this discovery. Now, the next step has been taken by determining the 3-D structure of a TAL effector bound to DNA. ... > full story

How male spiders use eavesdropping to one-up their rivals (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have made a new discovery into the complex world of spiders that reflects what some might perceive as similar behavior in human society. As male wolf spiders go searching for a mate, it appears they eavesdrop, match and even try to outdo the mating dances of their successful rivals, a behavior seen mainly in vertebrate animals. ... > full story

Flipped from head to toe: 100 years of continental drift theory (January 5, 2012) -- Exactly 100 years ago Alfred Wegener presented his theory of continental drift to the public for the first time. Modern plate tectonics confirmed his ideas by flipping them upside down. ... > full story

Bat brains parse sounds for multitasking (January 5, 2012) -- Imagine listening to music while carrying on a conversation with friends. This type of multi-tasking is fairly easy to do, right? That's because our brains efficiently and effectively separate the auditory signals -- music to the right side; Conversation to the left. But what researchers have not been able to do in humans or animals is to see a parsing of duties at the single neuron level -- until now. ... > full story