Fruit News and Research

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Reassessment of the Role of Background Mutations in Genome Editing

More than a thousand years ago, tomatoes evolved through natural mutations. After human evolution, they cherry-picked tomatoes with preferred traits.

20 Oct 2023

Bat Skull Sheds Light on Evolution of Echolocation

Bats have one of the poorest fossil records among mammals, with approximately 80% of it estimated as missing.

19 Oct 2023

Fruit Fly Model Provides Insights into Pathogenesis of New Genetic Disorder

Research conducted in the laboratory of Dr Hugo J. Bellen, a Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital, has identified a novel disorder linked to gain-of-function variants in the DOT1L gene.

16 Oct 2023

Identifying QTLs for Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Eggplant

In the pursuit of sustainable agriculture, a key goal is to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops.

16 Oct 2023

New Tools to Tackle the Challenges of Pollen and Fungal Spores

Apart from causing discomfort and respiratory issues for individuals, biological aerosols emitted from both terrestrial and marine ecosystems significantly affect agriculture and forestry.

16 Oct 2023

DNA from 19th Century Fruit Flies Sheds Light on Evolution

Back when the biggest fly enthusiasts of 19th century Sweden -; Carl Fredrik Fallén, for one, and later Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt -; were collecting insects for what would become Lund University's entomological collections, they wondered exactly what was that buzzing coming from their can of raisins.

13 Oct 2023

The Factors Influencing Egg Cell Development

According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Northwestern Medicine scientists discovered how cytoskeletal proteins influence the growth of developing eggs in fruit flies, findings that advance the field’s understanding of how egg cells form and distinguish themselves from other sister cells.

11 Oct 2023

$1.1 Million Grant to Fund Research on Molecular Response of Plants to Environmental Stress

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.1 million grant to Purdue University’s Gyeong Mee Yoon to research how plants acclimate to environmental stress. Her findings could have implications for food security in an era of climate change.

9 Oct 2023

Female Fruit Flies Prioritize Both Genetic Quality and Compatibility When Mating

Genetic quality or genetic compatibility? What do female fruit flies prioritize when mating? Researchers at the University of Zurich show that both factors are important at different stages of the reproductive process and that females use targeted strategies to optimize the fitness of their offspring.

3 Oct 2023

Sushi, A Fresh Feast or Hidden Health Hazard?

New research suggests that while sushi is generally safe to eat, some bacteria colonies in certain sushi could put those with weak immune systems at risk.

28 Sep 2023

Jellyfish are More Advanced Than Previously Thought

The enormous evolutionary success of jellyfish is clear after more than 500 million years on Earth. Nonetheless, they were always seen as primitive creatures with limited learning ability.

25 Sep 2023

Fruit Flies Show How Brain Reward-Based Decisions Work

Fitzgerald’s brother-in-law, like many L.P. record collectors, has a go-to store where he routinely finds the greatest vinyl for his collection.

25 Sep 2023

Fruit Fly Study Reveals New Insights into Exercise and Cold Tolerance

As the northern hemisphere experiences shorter and colder days, individuals who prefer morning workouts may encounter increased difficulty in getting up and running.

19 Sep 2023

NC State Researchers Develop New Method to Produce Seedless Plants

North Carolina State University researchers have successfully transferred an important gene from one compartment of a plant cell to another to produce tobacco plants that lack pollen and viable seeds, while otherwise growing normally.

19 Sep 2023

Scientists Deepen Understanding of Pepper Genetics

Peppers are known for their versatility, rich flavor, and broad popularity, serving not only as a nutritious food source but also for their medicinal attributes. An interdisciplinary team of researchers, including experts from the Boyce Thompson Institute, has successfully decoded the genomes of pivotal cultivated and wild pepper species.

13 Sep 2023

The Intriguing Phenomenon of Cellular Reprogramming

A fascinating phenomenon of cellular reprogramming in developed adult organs has been revealed by researchers, providing insight into a brand-new process of adaptive development.

12 Sep 2023

Tomatoes’ Distinctive Flavor Is the Result of Evolutionary Syndromes

Biologists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have uncovered evidence of evolutionary “syndromes”—a set of traits that co-occur.

12 Sep 2023

Understanding Tissue Development and Regeneration in Fruit Flies

Recently, Kyoto University researchers have unveiled a pivotal discovery: they have determined that the Dumpy protein, a constituent of extracellular matrices (ECM), plays a central role in governing the precise, origami-like folding of wing-cell sheets.

7 Sep 2023

Genetic Cluster Could Switch Bad Fungi Into the Good Guys

Fruit and vegetable storage life can be significantly impacted by mold and fungi-based diseases. Some fungi, however, help their hosts by promoting plant survival.

7 Sep 2023