Evolutionary Biology – Page 7 – PossibleThreat Articles

The almond and peach trees genomes shed light on the differences between these close species

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Botany, Endangered Animals, Evolutionary Biology, Invasive Species, Nature, New Species, Trees

An international team led by researchers has sequenced the genome of the almond tree and compared it to that of its closest relative, the peach tree. The most substantive differences between these species, so closely related in terms of evolution, are accounted for by the variation created by mobile genetic elements. The results provide some unique insights into the recent evolution of both species and will be key tools in their genetic improvement.

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Evolution experiment: Specific immune response of beetles adapts to bacteria

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Developmental Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Extreme Survival, Insects (including Butterflies), Microbes and More, Microbiology

The memory of the immune system is able to distinguish a foreign protein with which the organism has already come into contact from another and to react with a corresponding antibody. Researchers have now discovered in flour beetles that the immune system's ability to specifically fend off pathogens can adapt in the course of evolution.

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Did mosasaurs do the breast stroke?

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Early Mammals, Endangered Animals, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Fossils, Frogs and Reptiles, Marine Biology, Paleontology

Mosasaurs were true sea monsters of late Cretaceous seas. These marine lizards — related to modern snakes and monitor lizards — grew as long as fifty feet, flashed two rows of sharp teeth, and shredded their victims with enormous, powerful jaws.

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How fungal biofilm structure impacts lung disease

September 23, 2019 0 Comments COPD, Diseases and Conditions, Evolutionary Biology, Extreme Survival, Fungus, Lung Cancer, Lung Disease, Microbes and More

Findings from an innovative new study reveal that the way in which human fungal pathogens form colonies can significantly impact their ability to cause disease. Understanding how these colonies form could lead to new therapies that target these infections in critically ill patients.

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Why the lettuce mitochondrial genome is like a chopped salad

September 23, 2019 0 Comments Biology, Endangered Plants, Evolutionary Biology, Exotic Species, Genetics, Grassland

The genomes of mitochondria are usually depicted as rings or circles. But in plants, 1 ring does not rule them all. A new study of lettuce shows that the mitochondrial genome often forms branching structures with elements that can be swapped around like a chopped salad.

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Salmonella causing bloodstream infections in central Africa resistant to nearly all drugs

September 19, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Evolutionary Biology, Foodborne Illness, Fungus, Infectious Diseases, Microbes and More, Pharmacology, Tuberculosis

The first extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of Salmonella Typhimurium, a pathogen which is responsible for millions of bloodstream infections per year in sub-Saharan Africa, have been identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Drug-resistance has increased in successive groups of S. Typhimurium over time. These new strains are resistant to all but one of the commonly available drugs in the DRC, with one sample showing reduced susceptibility to this final antibiotic.

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These pink sea urchins have teeth that sharpen themselves

September 18, 2019 0 Comments Behavioral Science, Biochemistry Research, Biology, Endangered Animals, Evolutionary Biology, Extreme Survival, Marine Biology, Sea Life

Sea urchins have five teeth, each held by a separate jaw in a circular arrangement at the center of their spiked, spherical bodies. Now, researchers have discovered how the teeth of the pink sea urchin are specially equipped to sharpen themselves.

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One of world's oldest bird species found in Waipara, New Zealand

September 18, 2019 0 Comments Ancient Civilizations, Birds, Early Birds, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Fossils, Nature, New Species

The ancestor of some of the largest flying birds ever has been found in Waipara, New Zealand.

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Guppies teach us why evolution happens

September 18, 2019 0 Comments Environmental Policy, Evolutionary Biology, Exotic Species, Fish, Nature, Wild Animals

New study on guppies shows that animals evolve in response the the environment they create in the absence of predators, rather than in response to the risk of being eaten.

News Science

Fruit flies' microbiomes shape their evolution

September 17, 2019 0 Comments animals, Bacteria, Evolutionary Biology, Food, Microbes and More, Nature, New Species, Soil Types

In just five generations, an altered microbiome can lead to genome-wide evolution in fruit flies, according to new research.