Forskare upptäcker protist med ovanlig genetisk kod

7 maj 2026

Rapporterad av AI

Forskare vid Earlham Institute har identifierat en tidigare okänd protistart som omkodar två genetiska stoppkodon till att istället koda för aminosyror, vilket markerar ett sällsynt avsteg från livets standardregler.

Organismen, med namnet Oligohymenophorea sp. PL0344, samlades in från en sötvattensdamm i Oxford University Parks under ett rutintest av en metod för encellig DNA-sekvensering. Dr. Jamie McGowan, en postdoktoral forskare som leder arbetet, beskrev fyndet som en ren slump som visar hur lite som är känt om protisters genetik. Hos detta ciliatdjur signalerar kodonen TAA och TAG inte längre slutet på en gen, utan specificerar istället lysin respektive glutaminsyra, medan endast TGA fungerar som stoppsignal.

Relaterade artiklar

Photorealistic depiction of DHX29 protein selectively silencing inefficient mRNA codons in a human cell, illustrating new gene expression research.

Study identifies DHX29 as a key factor linking codon choice to selective silencing of inefficient genetic messages in human cells

9 april 2026 Rapporterad av AI Bild genererad av AI Faktagranskad

Researchers at Kyoto University and RIKEN report that human cells can detect “non-optimal” synonymous codons—alternative three-letter genetic instructions that encode the same amino acid but are translated less efficiently—and selectively suppress the corresponding mRNAs. In experiments described in Science, the team identifies the RNA-binding protein DHX29 as a central component of this codon-dependent control of gene expression.

UC Berkeley scientists discover microbe with ambiguous genetic code

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have identified a methane-producing archaeon that interprets a standard stop codon in two ways, challenging a core principle of biology. The microbe, Methanosarcina acetivorans, sometimes adds an amino acid called pyrrolysine instead of halting protein synthesis. This flexibility may aid in metabolizing compounds linked to human health.

Scientists identify genes predating life's common ancestor

10 februari 2026 Rapporterad av AI

Researchers have discovered genes that duplicated before the last universal common ancestor of all life, offering insights into evolution's earliest stages. These universal paralogs, present in nearly every organism, suggest protein production and membrane transport were among the first biological functions. The findings, published in Cell Genomics, highlight how ancient genetic patterns can reveal pre-LUCA history.

Vetenskap

Scientists identify oxygen-using Asgard archaea as complex life's ancestor

Vetenskap

New method uses amino acid reactivity to detect alien life

Vetenskap

Researchers create 'zombie' cells from dead bacteria

Asteroid Bennu's amino acids formed in cold conditions

Samples from asteroid Bennu, returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission in 2023, contain amino acids that likely formed in frozen ice exposed to radiation, according to new research. Penn State scientists analyzed isotopes in the material, challenging traditional views of amino acid origins. The findings, published on February 9, highlight diverse pathways for life's building blocks in the early solar system.

Scientists uncover viral proteins targeting bacterial cell wall enzyme

28 februari 2026 Rapporterad av AI

Researchers at Caltech have discovered how viruses infect bacteria by disabling a key protein called MurJ, essential for cell wall construction. This mechanism, revealed through high-resolution imaging, suggests a new approach to combating antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The findings highlight convergent evolution in unrelated viruses blocking MurJ similarly.

New 3D maps reveal early DNA structure in embryos

Researchers have discovered that DNA in newly fertilized eggs forms a structured 3D scaffold before the genome activates, challenging long-held assumptions. Using a new technique called Pico-C, scientists mapped this organization in fruit fly embryos. A related study shows that disrupting this structure in human cells triggers an immune response as if under viral attack.

Scientists engineer bacteria to consume cancer tumors internally

24 februari 2026 Rapporterad av AI

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed engineered bacteria designed to invade and eat solid tumors from the inside out. The approach uses microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments, targeting the low-oxygen cores of tumors. A genetic modification allows the bacteria to survive near oxygenated edges, controlled by a quorum-sensing mechanism.

30 april 2026 03:26

Forskare upptäcker protist med ovanlig genetisk kod

Relaterade artiklar

Study identifies DHX29 as a key factor linking codon choice to selective silencing of inefficient genetic messages in human cells

UC Berkeley scientists discover microbe with ambiguous genetic code

Scientists identify genes predating life's common ancestor

Scientists identify oxygen-using Asgard archaea as complex life's ancestor

New method uses amino acid reactivity to detect alien life

Researchers create 'zombie' cells from dead bacteria

Asteroid Bennu's amino acids formed in cold conditions

Scientists uncover viral proteins targeting bacterial cell wall enzyme

New 3D maps reveal early DNA structure in embryos

Scientists engineer bacteria to consume cancer tumors internally

Freeze-thaw cycles aided evolution of early cell-like structures

Scientists uncover bacterial mechanism for spreading antibiotic resistance

Scientists discover molecular shredder in deadly parasite

Scientists identify 24 new deep-sea amphipod species

Researchers create light-guided evolution for dynamic proteins

Scientists identify essential protein for malaria parasite survival

New giant virus discovery supports origins of complex life

Symbiotic bacteria in insects have smallest known genomes

Giant viruses encode protein-making tools for host control

Ancient DNA uncovers 12,000-year-old growth disorder in Italian burial

Denna webbplats använder cookies