Fruit News and Research

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DNA Methylation Governs Citric Acid Production in Lemons

Lemons owe their signature tang to citric acid, yet the molecular mechanisms governing its accumulation have long remained a mystery.

12 Feb 2025

Fruit Fly Immune Responses May Help Predict Human Susceptibility to New Viruses

Study on Drosophilidae shows positive correlations in viral susceptibility, highlighting evolutionary trends that may predict novel virus threats to humans.

12 Feb 2025

Fruit Fly Study Sheds Light on Virus Susceptibility and Host Evolution

A study of fruit flies shows some species are highly susceptible to a wide range of viruses.

8 Feb 2025

New Research Identifies Brain Cells Linked to Alcohol-Induced Insomnia

Alcohol use disorder, which affects over 10% of Americans, can lead to persistent and serious insomnia.

8 Feb 2025

Ancient Secrets of Octopus Sex Chromosomes Unveiled

The octopus just revealed another one of its secrets: what determines its sex.

5 Feb 2025

Gut Microbes May Explain Link Between Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Diabetes

It is well known that consuming sugary drinks increases the risk of diabetes, but the mechanism behind this relationship is unclear.

3 Feb 2025

Researchers Uncover How Fruit Flies Taste Food Texture

A study led by Nikita Komarov and Simon Sprecher at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, has discovered neurons in the fly larva mouth that allow the taste of food texture.

31 Jan 2025

Unveiling the Genetic Basis of Mating Behavior in Fruit Flies

The way fruit flies mate could be crucial to preventing mosquitoes from spreading disease.

27 Jan 2025

New Insights into the Structure and Function of a Key Viral Protein

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine have mapped a crucial part of the Nipah virus, a deadly bat-borne infection that has been responsible for human outbreaks every year since its discovery in 1999.

21 Jan 2025

Genetic Study Uncovers Growing Threat of Powdery Mildew to Blueberry Crops

The study on E. vaccinii uncovers its evolution and spread, linking genetic diversity to increased threats to blueberry crops and the role of human activities.

16 Jan 2025

Fruit Flies Evolve New Defense Through Gene Transfer

In the continual arms race between parasites and their hosts, innovation was thought to be the key to a successful attack or defense that one-ups the competition.

26 Dec 2024

Plant Research Reveals Unexpected Function for Key Cellular Protein

A cell protein previously believed only to provide a scaffolding for DNA has also been shown to directly influence DNA transcription into RNA – the first step of the process by which an organism's genetic code expresses itself. The fundamental breakthrough was discovered in apple cells but is relevant to all living organisms made of nucleus-containing cells, including humans.

24 Dec 2024

Discovery of ALAS1's Secret Role Could Boost Cancer Therapy Development

In everyday life, when things turn out the opposite of what you expect, it's usually cause for frustration. In science, it's often the starting point for discovery.

23 Dec 2024

A revolutionary antibody approach to fight cancer by restoring cellular fitness

Ovarian cancer cells exploit cell competition by altering Flower protein isoforms in stromal cells, promoting tumor survival and potential therapeutic targets.

18 Dec 2024

Real-Time Imaging Reveals the Dynamics of Microbial Colonization in the Gut

A research team led by Carnegie Science's Will Ludington, Karina Gutiérrez-García, and Kevin Aumiller has identified genes that allow a beneficial bacterial species to colonize specific areas of the gastrointestinal tract.

12 Dec 2024

Lice as Models for Studying Mitochondrial Disorders

A set of genes that in humans would suggest a late-stage degenerative disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease are present in lice throughout their lives.

10 Dec 2024

Rare Discovery Shows Insects Perform Both Pollination and Seed Dispersal

The discovery of a unique case where the same insect species both pollinate a plant and distribute its seeds not only solves a long-standing botanical mystery. The Kobe University find also stresses the diverse roles insects play in our ecosystem.

5 Dec 2024

Study Reveals How eDNA Could Bear Fruit for Farmers and the Environment

A Curtin University study has revealed a new method of capturing DNA could provide farmers with a valuable tool for boosting crop production — while also benefiting the environment.

29 Nov 2024

Systemic Metabolic Adaptation Supports Tissue Regeneration in Axolotls and Fruit Flies

Regenerating tissues following injury is a demanding task most multicellular organisms master to different levels. In order to better understand the mechanisms common to many species behind tissue regeneration, researchers from the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden and the BIOTEC (TU Dresden), decided to examine changes in systemic metabolism during regeneration.

29 Nov 2024

Overlapping Enhancers Challenge Traditional Genetic Models

The DNA of plants and animals contains their blueprint. However, genes, which are the instructions for generating proteins, are found in a very small portion of the genome roughly 2% in mammals.

25 Nov 2024