Human Biological Complexity Mechanism Found Nov 4, 2009
This "selection inefficiency" arises from the smaller population size of humans as compared with unicellular organisms ... "But this also implies that random drift must prevail over Darwinian selection. In other words, if Darwinian selection were ruthlessly efficient in humans -- as it is in bacteria and unicellular eukaryotes -- then our level of complexity would not be possible.". (Science Daily)
Calendar: Mind events in September and October Oct 17, 2009
At the conference Evolution of Brain, Behaviour & Intelligence in Cambridge, England, international scientists will discuss advances made since Darwin s time, drawing on results from species as diverse as unicellular organisms and Neandertals. Darwin biographer James Moore will deliver the keynote lecture. (Scientific American)
Telomere Copy Protection: Nobel Goes To Scientists Who Solved How Chromosome Ends Work Oct 6, 2009
When studying the chromosomes of Tetrahymena, a unicellular ciliate organism, she identified a DNA sequence that was repeated several times at the ends of the chromosomes. The function of this sequence, CCCCAA, was unclear. (Science Daily)
Synchronized Swimming Of Algae Jul 30, 2009
The researchers studied the unicellular organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which has two hair-like appendages known as flagella. The beating of flagella propels Chlamydomonas through the fluid and simultaneously makes it spin about an axis. (Science Daily)
Bacteria And Algae Act As Biocatalysts For Deep-sea Raw Material Deposition Jun 5, 2009
In the case of deep-sea crusts, a unicellular alga rather than a bacterium provides the bio-seed. The deep-sea crusts also known as manganese or cobalt crusts are found at depths of 800 to 2,400 meters and also contain significant quantities of valuable raw materials. (Science Daily)
Why Are Scientists Sending Yeast Into Outer Space? May 7, 2009
The most common use of yeast, aside from baking bread and brewing beer, is to test how a particular drug or chemical or enzyme affects unicellular organisms. Like human cells, yeast cells have a typical structurea nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and other components surrounded by cell walls. (Slate)
Fish Health Claims May Cause More Environmental Harm Than Good, Researchers Say Mar 24, 2009
Further, if we decide that fish oil supplementation is necessary for good health, then unicellular sources of fish oil like algae, yeasts, etc, should now be used, as they are in infant formula, adds Dr. Jenkins. While many studies show healthy benefits of consuming omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oils, some other studies fail to show significant benefits. (Science Daily)
Biodiversity Found In Unexpected Regions: More Than 200 Plant Species Found In Semi-arid Rivers In South Eastern Spain Mar 21, 2009
The study is focused on the study of algal communities, and particularly of diatomeae (a class of microscopic, unicellular algae), since these organisms form the foundations of the entire ecosystem. The biologists discovered more than 200 species of micro algae (which cannot be seen with the naked eye), some of which may be new to Science. (Science Daily)
LETTERS: The Californian, Feb. 19, 2009 Feb 19, 2009
Who's living in fantasyland. " ... No landowners will lose their land, and no landowners will lose their right to build on their property, so what rights will private property owners lose?Further, the writer also fails to mention that land in the annexation area was already included as open space in Temecula's General Plan of 1993, so why are the landowners only now objecting? If the landowners owned the land before 1993, they should have objected at the time Temecula was considering adding this... (North County Times)
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Feb 8, 2009
Cell polarization is crucial for the development of unicellular and multicellular organisms and is achieved through the coordinated actions of signalling pathways, membrane trafficking mechanisms and cytoskeletal dynamics. This special aims to capture the status quo of cell polarity research in a range of different systems by dissecting the underlying principles. (Nature News Service)
