Thursday, July 07, 2011

ScienceDaily: Biotechnology News

ScienceDaily: Biotechnology News

Nano detector for deadly anthrax

Posted: 06 Jul 2011 11:46 AM PDT

An automatic and portable detector that takes just fifteen minutes to analyze a sample suspected of contamination with anthrax is being developed by U.S. researchers. The technology amplifies any anthrax DNA present in the sample and can reveal the presence of just 40 microscopic cells of the deadly bacteria Bacillus anthracis.

Can gulls smell out a good partner? Study suggests kittiwakes use body odor to assess genetically compatible mates

Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:26 AM PDT

Male and female kittiwakes smell different from each other, according to new research. Their work also suggests that the birds' body odors might signal the genetic makeup of individual birds, and could be used in mate choice to assess the genetic compatibility of potential partners.

Energy-storage capacity of ancient microorganism could lead to power source for synthetic cells

Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:39 AM PDT

Researchers are studying one of the oldest known life forms, Archaea, to learn how they thrive in harsh environments. A new study shows that M. hungatei, a type of Archaea, contain granules that are incredibly efficient energy storage structures.

Mutant flies shed light on inherited intellectual disability

Posted: 04 Jul 2011 12:14 PM PDT

Clumsy fruit flies with poor posture are helping an international team of scientists understand inherited intellectual disability in humans -- and vice versa. The flies can't hold their wings tightly against their bodies, and have trouble with flying and climbing behaviors, because they have mutations in a gene called dNab2. In humans, mutations in the same gene (with a clunkier name, ZC3H14) have been found to cause intellectual disability in studies of some Iranian families.
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