A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits. Poor sleep may be especially damaging for people carrying certain genes linked to the brain’s nighttime waste-removal system. New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests that sleep habits and genetics may interact to influence subtle…
Read MoreScientists discover why poor sleep may harm some brains more
A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits. Poor sleep may be especially damaging for people carrying certain genes linked to the brain’s nighttime waste-removal system. The study, conducted by ECU’s Centre for Precision Health (CPH), examined the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene. This gene helps…
Read MoreBlood cancer’s genetic warning signs may appear years early
Blood cancers that eventually worsen may carry detectable genetic warning signs years before patients develop serious symptoms. The findings could lead to earlier intervention while also helping doctors distinguish true cancer from harmless age-related blood changes. Genetic “family trees” of blood cells may reveal years in advance which cancers will progress and which patients may not have cancer at all. Long-term tracking of chronic blood cancers has revealed major genetic…
Read MoreMisfolded insulin may be quietly driving diabetes
Researchers found that insulin-producing cells depend on a team of helper proteins to keep insulin production on track. When one key partner was missing, damaged proteins built up and the cells made less insulin. Strengthening this system could offer a new way to protect the pancreas as diabetes progresses. A hidden protein problem inside insulin-producing cells could lead to a new way to slow diabetes-related damage. Much like paper must…
Read MoreScientists resurrect 3.2-billion-year-old enzyme to reveal how life began on Earth
Researchers rebuilt long-extinct versions of a crucial enzyme that helps make nitrogen available to life, offering an unprecedented glimpse into Earth’s distant past. The breakthrough could aid the search for extraterrestrial life while helping scientists tackle future food-production challenges on Earth and beyond. Scientists have recreated ancient nitrogen-fixing enzymes, opening a rare window into the biology of Earth’s earliest life. Nitrogen is essential for every known form of life on…
Read MoreScientists found a surprising cancer fighter hiding inside tumors
Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have turned an unlikely source into a potential new weapon against cancer: bacteria that naturally live inside tumors. They developed a peptide called aurB, inspired by a bacterial protein, that infiltrates cancer cells and effectively cuts off their energy supply by targeting the mitochondria, the cells’ power plants. Scientists turned tumor-dwelling bacteria into a powerful cancer-fighting therapy that effectively cuts off tumors’ energy…
Read MoreMelanoma’s secret to cheating death has finally been revealed
Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery by discovering the missing genetic ingredient that helps melanoma cells become effectively immortal. The breakthrough could open the door to new treatments aimed at disrupting one of cancer’s most important survival strategies. Scientists have uncovered the hidden genetic trick that helps melanoma cells cheat death, revealing a promising new target for fighting skin cancer. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have…
Read MoreNew study explores potential cross-species spread of chronic wasting disease
A new study found that chronic wasting disease can sometimes spread silently, with infectious prions present even in animals that show no symptoms. While there is no confirmed human risk, researchers say the disease’s ability to evolve and spread across species warrants close attention. Scientists uncovered a hidden side of chronic wasting disease: infectious prions may spread unnoticed, raising new questions as the fatal wildlife disease continues to expand. Chronic…
Read MoreScientists discover inherited traits that break Mendel’s Laws of genetics
A major mouse study found that some inherited traits are passed down through epigenetic changes that break the classic rules of genetics. Researchers discovered hundreds of cases where these chemical DNA marks behaved unexpectedly, including some that seemed to emerge out of nowhere. They also identified the first known naturally occurring paramutation in a mammal, hinting that environmental influences may play a larger role in inheritance than scientists realized. Genetic…
Read MoreScientists find natural compounds that hit COVID-19 from every angle
Researchers have identified a group of natural compounds from a Brazilian tree that show promising activity against the virus responsible for COVID-19. The compounds, known as galloylquinic acids, were extracted from the leaves of Copaifera lucens Dwyer, a species native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Laboratory findings suggest these molecules can interfere with the virus in several different ways, offering a broader approach than many existing antiviral strategies. The research focused on Copaifera…
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