Bacterial Toxin Surprises Scientists
...ientists knew that a portion of colicin Ia changes from a harmless cluster of about 175 amino...similar channels, which respond to voltage changes in the membrane, open and close due to a subtle rearrangement of a few amino acids. Never be...Enzyme's "Magic" May Hold Key to Anticancer and Antimicrobial Drugs
...em of "hinges" and dramatic conformational changes the enzyme requires to perform its unlinking trick (see figure). A model for the reaction catalyzed by topoisomerase II. Different domains of the enzyme are designated A', B', and C'. The two double-stran...Tumor Suppressor Gene Located In Liver Cancer Cells
...searchers often work backwards from the biological changes involved in cancer to find the genes responsible for these alterations. In this case, however, the functions of an already-identified gene led Jirtle and his team to hypothesize its involvement in liver cancer. "This is an 'old' gene for which we ha...Duke Geologists Explore Alternative Way To Measure Ice Age Sea Bottom Temperatures
...cle, some researchers think that ocean temperature changes reflected in the oxygen ratio data for the last gl...ly measuring is a combination of ocean temperature changes and changes in the ice volumes. In contrast, Dwyer said the ratio of calcium to magnesium in seawate...New Discovery About Genes Has Implications For Genetic Therapy
... the nature of the gene structure," he said. Such changes can drastically change the function of a gene. "These introns can move around from place to place on the gene and spread themselves by inserting into different genes. They do this naturally," Lambowitz said. "We were interested in the mechanism ...Cornell Researchers Precisely Date Wood From Ancient Tomb In Turkey
...e width of annual tree rings (which are altered by changes in climate and moisture) from the wood and charcoal remains of ancient tombs, gates and buildings unearthed at these sites. Using dendrochronology techniques they have perfected along with radiocarbon dating, the researchers were able to determine th...Core Spins Faster Than Earth, Scientists Find
...ted. The scientists made their findingby measuring changes in the speed of earthquake-generated seismicwaves ...ark new researchto explain the observed pattern of changes in Earth's magneticfield, including the way the north and south poles have "wandered"and reversed pe...Humble Pocket Gophers Shed Light On The Genetic Fortitude Of Cheetahs
...n. "It allows a population to adapt effectively to changes in the environment. You exist at a price if you have low genetic variation. It's like having lots of clones of yourself." If animals within a population are similar to each other immunologically, Sanjayan adds, "That doesn't bode well for disease res...Hawaiian Whales Show 'No Overt Response' To Sounds Of ATOC Simulation
...le whale reactions to the simulated sound, such as changes in breathing rates and unusual vocalizations. On...rface but for organisms in the oceans. Any noted changes in the ocean ecosystem could mean change on the surface ecosystem. It's definitely worth doing and...Ocean Sediments Contain Record of Past Vegetation Fires in Africa
...han natural burning, and how burning is related to changes in ecology, and perhaps evolution, on longer time scales. "Another implication of Verardo's work," adds Sancetta, "is that if a lot of the carbon [charcoal] in ocean sediments is terrestrial in origin, then it isn't marine in origin. And scientists...Component In Soy Products May Be Substitute For Estrogen Treatment
...-density findings; Potter presented herfindings on changes in cholesterol levels. The research was supported bythe Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board and Protein Technologies International,which provided the isolated soy protein....Six-Year Drilling Project to Uncover One Million Years of Earth History
... depths of more than 1,000 feet below sea level by changes in rock porosity, and cold, deep seawater can circulate long distances through porous rocks present at depths of 3,000 feet beneath the surface of the island....Changing Continental Runoff Patterns Could Change Ocean Circulation
...ce does not yet mirror history, it does show that changes in surface salinity will affect circulation patterns. According to Bice, it is not just the changes in warm surface currents that could affect the environment, but changes in deep water formation ma...NCAR Scientist Models Earth's Climate and Vegetation Patterns At Last Glacial Peak
...million years has resulted from long-term cyclical changes in the earth's axial tilt, its precession (or moti...esert in Alaska. Worldwide, the biggest vegetation changes occurred in central Asia, where needle-leaf evergreen spruces were replaced by needle-leaf deciduous...Antarctic Science Season Gears Up With Searches for Meteorites, Neutrinos, and New Life Forms
...wimming) -- over one year, to capture how dramatic changes in sea-ice cover affect the animal populations. T...and ice sheet, to assess whether the rapid climate changes recorded in Greenland had a global reach. Flying Above the Rift If West Antarctica's ice...Study Examines How Mechanisms Evolve To Regulate Bee Development
... underlyingbrain mechanisms involved in behavioral changes that could be applied tomore complex genetic systems." For the drones themselves, early maturity brings mixed returns: They canbegin looking for a mate earlier, but drones that mate earlier in life dieearlier....No Such Luck: Nitrogen From Air Pollution Unlikely to Moderate Global Warming
...n grasslands are comparable to the well-documented changes that occur in some lakes when phosphorus is added, the researchers said. In lakes lacking phosphorus, the addition of this nutrient -- often a result of human activities -- causes "eutrophication," a process that leads to increased growth of algae a...Optical Microscopy Shines Light On Biology
... can lead to a better understanding of how protein changes affect biological processes." By studying a single molecule, "we can examine how the molecule moves very precisely," he said. "For us, we plan to use this to watch a single protein ion channel open and close." The near-field scanning optical microsco...New Sensor Provides First Instant Test For Toxic E. coli Organism
...diacetylene (PDA) film. PDA films are sensitive to changes on their surfaceas manifested by the wavelength of light they transmit. When E. coli 0157:H7toxins bind to their synthetic membrane surface, the backbone chain of PDAreorganizes. The sensor that was blue turns red. With the ability to insta......ration, or mutation, of the fru gene have subtle changes intheir songs. With severe mutations, the flies do not sing a note, thoughthey can flick their wings and can use them to fly. (courtesy: JeffreyHall, Brandeis University) Geneticists have known for years that the gene, called fruitless and nicknamed...