356 articles from THURSDAY 27.8.2020

Researchers discover new avenue for fighting COVID-19, Ebola and other viral diseases

A team including researchers from Seattle's Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason has identified a new pathway for protecting cells from deadly viruses — including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 as well as the Ebola virus. The technique, described in this week's issue of the journal Science, takes advantage of a screening technique for seeking out new genes that can prevent...

NASA's Terra Satellite reveals burn scars from California's two largest fires

On Aug. 26, 2020, NASA's Terra satellite was able to image the two areas in California where the fires have been most active and using the false color reflectance bands on the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Infrared Spectroradiometer) instrument aboard. Using these bands, the burned areas or fire-affected areas are characterized by deposits of charcoal and ash, removal of vegetation and/or the...

Researchers develop a yeast-based platform to boost production of rare natural molecules

Many modern medicines, including analgesics and opioids, are derived from rare molecules found in plants and bacteria. While they are effective against a host of ailments, a number of these molecules have proven to be difficult to produce in large quantities. Some are so labor intensive that it is uneconomical for pharmaceutical companies to produce them in sufficient amounts to bring them to...

Genetics of the tree of life

The African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is called the tree of life. Baobab trees can live for more than a thousand years and provide food, livestock fodder, medicinal compounds, and raw materials. Baobab trees are incredibly significant. However, there are growing conservation concerns and until now, a lack of genetic information.

Researchers develop a yeast-based platform to boost production of rare natural molecules

Researchers outline a method to synthesize complex bioactive molecules much more quickly and efficiently. Using cutting-edge synthetic biology approaches, They were able to produce a large amount of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) to synthesize an array of natural and new-to-nature chemical structures in a yeast-based platform. This can provide a blueprint for the large-scale production of...

Genetics of the tree of life

Baobab trees can live for more than a thousand years and provide food, livestock fodder, medicinal compounds, and raw materials. Scientists counted the significant tree's chromosomes -- information critical for conservation, agricultural improvement, and further genetic work.