From soft to solid: How a coral stiffens its skeleton on demand
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 27-Oct-2025 17:11 ET (27-Oct-2025 21:11 GMT/UTC)
Scientists at the Earlham Institute introduce MARTi, a powerful new tool for the real-time analysis of nanopore metagenomics.
An international research team, led by Shinghua Ding at the University of Missouri, has identified a previously unknown genetic disease that affects movement and muscle control.
The disease — called Mutation in NAMPT Axonopathy (MINA) syndrome — causes damage to motor neurons, the nerve cells that send signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles. It’s the result of a rare genetic mutation in a critical protein known as NAMPT, which helps the body’s cells make and use energy. When this protein doesn’t work as it should, cells can’t produce enough energy to stay healthy.
This study obtained historical genomes (~1900) of 46 Eastern honeybees. A comparison between historical and contemporary genomes revealed a decline in genetic diversity. Genes related to the nervous system have undergone rapid evolution over the past century, including key insecticide targets nAchRs. Insecticide exposure experiments confirmed genomic divergence among populations: those from central China exhibited stronger pesticide tolerance compared to populations from Malaysia.
For decades, scientists have known that bacteria can exchange genetic material in a process called horizontal gene transfer. Research by Professor Mittra’s group suggests that horizontal transfer also happens in mammals via fragments of DNA known as cell-free chromatin particles that are released from dying cells. Once inside new host cells, the chromatin particles acquire novel functions and act as autonomous “satellite” genomes. This discovery may redefine mammalian genomics and evolution.