Insights into Biology

Staying in Sync

Scientists have found that subtle interactions between three proteins keep the internal clock in sync with the outside world.

Why this matters: This article reminded me again that fly (Drosophila) geneticists have the most fun. The three proteins mentioned in this article (and by extension the genes that code for the proteins) are called: Cryptochrome, Jetlag and Timeless. There's a long history of giving Drosophila genes goofy names.

The advantage of working with a model organism like Drosophila (other than being able to give the genes goofy names)  is that it can lead to insights into how other organisms are set up. A surprising amount of the genetic and cellular structures are conserved across organisms. So, while you probably won't find exactly the same genes and proteins in humans that are in Drosophila, research like this can at least give you insight into where to start looking.

Melting Away

The number of Emperor Penguins, an iconic species of Antarctica, are likely to plummet 95% by 2100.

Why this matters: As global warming heats up the planet, species all over the world are at risk. In Antarctica, melting ice plays havoc with the ecosystem; Emperor Penguins depend upon the ice for a safe place for their eggs, and the ice also affects where and how plentiful food is. There are pragmatic considerations for people about global warming (e.g. flooded seaside cities), but beyond that the world is a richer, more interesting place for the animals we share it with.

Closer and Closer

Neuroscientists (who, as a branch of the life sciences, are doing some of the most interesting work out there) are getting closer and closer to figuring out how memory works - here they report on findings on how the brain holds temporary memory.

Why this matters: In the Middle Ages, philosophers and doctors thought that the brain was a device for cooling the blood. (In case you're wondering, thought was supposed to happen in the heart.) Knowledge has improved since then and neuroscientists are getting closer and closer to sorting exactly how the brain functions. This matters for many, many reasons, but treating neurological disease is one obvious benefit. I'm also fascinated by how much of our personality is physically based - intuitively, a memory feels more spiritual than a series of cascading physical reactions. But current research suggests it's just that, and vulnerable like any other physical element.

Reinforcing Each Other

Researchers at the Washington School of Medicine were doing research with yeast, and noticed that two genes were more potent together than individually - in other words, the genes were strengthening each other.

Why this matters: Awhile ago, scientists were very taken aback to discover humans only had about 25,000 genes (it was a blow to the collective human ego). People had been expecting a much higher number because, frankly, we're a fairly complicated organism. This has led to a lot of research trying to work out how organisms get the most out of the genes they do have.

One way that this is speculated to happen is by genes interacting with each other. So gene A produces effect A, gene B produces effect B. But if you have both genes A and B then you get effect C. For instance, in the article I linked to, the effect is stronger expression of a trait than you would expect from simply combining the two genes.

There's a lot more to come from research like this; we know the DNA code, but we don't fully understand how it works.

The Bacteria in Your Gut

Scientists have found a link between obesity and the microbes in the human gut.

Why this matters: Morbid obesity is a serious problem; it's associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The reasons for the sudden increase in the number of obese individuals is also under intense debate. Research like this can help shed light on the situation. The other reason this matters, though, is that it is incredibly interesting that people are reliant upon trillions of microbes to help them digest their food; in a very intimate sense, we depend upon other organisms to stay healthy.

Faulty DNA Damage Response

Scientists have located a new step required for nerve cells to respond to DNA damage.

Why this matters: The research helps illuminate what's going wrong for patients who suffer from ataxia telangiectasia. This disease is serious, and leaves most wheelchair bound by the age of 10. So a better understanding of this disease is a great thing for patients suffering from this condition. The other reason it matters, though, is that it's easier to understand the one thing going wrong in a faulty system than the 1000s of things going right in a fully functional system. By studying a system that is not behaving properly, scientists, paradoxically, can learn more about how it should work and, in this case, improve our knowledge of the brain.

Destroying Prions

A common soil mineral - birnessite - solves a nearly insolvable problem: degrading prions.

Why this matters: Prions are a misfolded form of a protein that have been implicated in many neurologically wasting diseases, the best known being Mad Cow Disease. One of the things that makes prions so tricky is that they are very, very hard to destroy. If this research pans out, and can be applied to prevent the spreading of prions, it's great news.

More Than Just the Writing on the Page

A researcher is using DNA testing to trace the origins of Medieval manuscripts.

Why this matters: Parchment in the middle ages was made out of animal skins. The proposal is to analyze the DNA in various books and to use that information to track the movement of books around Europe during the Middle Ages. There are some significant hurdles they'll need to overcome, but if it works it will be very helpful for historians and is a great example of the application of modern science to solve old problems. (It's also near and dear to my heart as I'm currently on a Middle Ages reading kick.)

Molecular Immortality

Scrips researchers have synthesized RNA enzymes that can replicate themselves indefinitely without the help of other proteins or cellular components.

Why this Matters: To replicate, a modern cell, even a very basic bacteria, requires cellular machinery in order to copy its DNA and reproduce. This produces a puzzle for early life. Even if the necessary molecules (RNA or DNA) were around, how could they start replicating? Research like this points to possible answers

We're Not Alone (and We're Outnumbered)

NIH is running a project to study all the microbial cells that go along with the average healthy adult:

Within the body of a healthy adult, microbial cells are estimated to outnumber human cells by a factor of ten to one. These communities, however, remain largely unstudied, leaving almost entirely unknown their influence upon human development, physiology, immunity, and nutrition. To take advantage of recent technological advances and to develop new ones, the NIH Roadmap has initiated the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) with the mission of generating resources enabling comprehensive characterization of the human microbiota and analysis of its role in human health and disease.