Navigation Links
MIT reels in RNA surprise with microbial ocean catch
Date:5/24/2009

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes' natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms; the discovery of its presence in a natural setting may make it possible finally to learn on a broad scale how microbial communities living at different ocean depths and regions respond to environmental stimuli.

"Microbes are exquisite biosensors," said Edward Delong, a professor of civil and environmental engineering (CEE) and biological engineering. "We had developed this methodology to look at protein-encoding genes, because if we know which proteins the microbes are expressing under what conditions, we can learn about the environmental conditions and how these microbes influence those. The unexpected presence and abundance of these small RNAs, which can act as switches to regulate gene expression, will allow us to get an even deeper view of gene expression and microbial response to environmental changes.

DeLong and co-authors Yanmei Shi, a graduate student in CEE, and postdoctoral associate Gene Tyson describe this work in the May 14 issue of Nature. The team used a technique called metatranscriptomics, which allows them to analyze the RNA molecules of wild microbes, something that previously could be done only with lab-cultured microbes.

Microbes are ultra-sensitive environmental sensors that respond in the blink of an eye to minute changes in light, temperature, chemicals or pressure and modify their protein expression accordingly. But that sensitivity creates a quandary for the scientists who study them. Sort of like the observer effect in quantum physics, by entering the environment or removing the microbes from it, the observer causes the m
'/>"/>

Contact: Elizabeth Thomson
thomson@mit.edu
617-258-5402
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Source:Eurekalert

1

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology technology :

1. SportCoatings; The North American Booster Club Association (NABCA); the Coatings Specialist Group New Booster Program Goes High Tech With Invisible Antimicrobial Defense
2. Innovative Fosshield(R) Antimicrobial Technology Shown to Continuously Kill MRSA Superbug
3. Baxter Receives 510(k) Clearance From FDA For V-Link With VitalShield, New Antimicrobial Intravascular Technology
4. Change in Medicare and Medicaid Legislation Creates Market for Antimicrobial Coatings In the U.S.
5. New Microbial Genome-to-Array Service
6. Advanced Analytical Unveils New Instrument for Rapid Microbial Identification at BIO 2008
7. Microtest Labs Doubles Microbial Identification, Analytical Services
8. 90 billion tons of microbial organisms live in the deep biosphere
9. Peramivir Phase 2 Data for the Treatment of Outpatient Influenza to be Presented at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
10. Celsis Launches RapiScreen(TM) Beverage Microbial Screening System
11. PURE Bioscience and Ciba Strike New Contract for Natural Antimicrobial
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/23/2013)... May 23, 2013 Virobay, Inc. today announced ... has reached an important milestone, as Virobay has now ... a selective cathepsin S inhibitor.   The ... randomized, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, ... healthy adults. "The initiation of this Phase ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... , May 23, 2013 Z Trim ... value-added ingredients to a variety of industries, announced that ... a panel discussion at this year,s National Restaurant Association ... 2013, on behalf of the Research Chefs Association.  Chef ... Restaurants: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," joining ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... EASTON, Mass. , May 23, 2013 ... today announced that the Company will host a teleconference ... to provide a business update. The teleconference information is ... Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) ... ); (302) 607-2001 (Int,l) Passcode: VS22823 ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... BUSAN, South Korea , May 23, 2013 ... collaboration with SillaJen, Inc., a private biotherapeutics and ... of targeted biological products for cancer, announced today ... antibodies in patients treated with the oncolytic and ... This research was published in the ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Virobay, Inc. initiates a Phase 1 Trial of VBY-036, a compound intended for the treatment of neuropathic pain 2Virobay, Inc. initiates a Phase 1 Trial of VBY-036, a compound intended for the treatment of neuropathic pain 3Z Trim's Chef Erin Ryan sits on Expert Panel at NRA Show 2Z Trim's Chef Erin Ryan sits on Expert Panel at NRA Show 3Pressure BioSciences, Inc. to Discuss First Quarter 2013 Financial Results and Provide Business Update 2Pusan National University Announces Science Translational Medicine Publication Highlighting Landmark Demonstration of Functional Anti-Cancer Antibody Induction in Patients Following JX-594 Treatment 2Pusan National University Announces Science Translational Medicine Publication Highlighting Landmark Demonstration of Functional Anti-Cancer Antibody Induction in Patients Following JX-594 Treatment 3
... Partner with Biocareercenter.com ... Oct. 2 According to the National,Postdoc Association, more ... the United States today. With only 30 percent of,this ... emerging need to find more quality jobs in the ...
... Calhoun Credits Early Diagnosis with Saving his Life, ... 2007:,The MedTech Conference will highlight how everyday patients are ... as speakers on the,diversity and strength of the economic ... 1 through Oct. 3., Co-writing "A PASSION TO ...
... MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Vasogen Inc.,(NASDAQ: ... the research and,commercial development of technologies targeting the ... its,quarterly results after the close of the North ... conference call and audio web cast will also,be ...
Cached Biology Technology:Bio Career Center Launches First Online Jobs Board for Life Science PhDs, MDs 2U.S. Commerce Secretary Gutierrez to Address AdvaMed 2007 2U.S. Commerce Secretary Gutierrez to Address AdvaMed 2007 3Vasogen Announces Third Quarter Conference Call and Webcast of Bio InvestorForum 2007 Presentation 2Vasogen Announces Third Quarter Conference Call and Webcast of Bio InvestorForum 2007 Presentation 3Vasogen Announces Third Quarter Conference Call and Webcast of Bio InvestorForum 2007 Presentation 4
(Date:5/23/2013)... Public Health at Emory University, along with partners ... a $4 million grant over four years to ... and Exposome Research Center: Understanding Lifetime Exposures). The ... in the United States. , The HERCULES ... Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... cancer patients unnecessarily undergo surgery or harsh treatments ... slow-growing and aggressive forms of the disease. Researchers ... Medical Institutes are developing technology that allows patients ... relatively mild treatments or take drastic measures. , ... an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Case ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... of the world,s largest and fastest growing open-access ... Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology . ... Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology will ... emerging bioengineering and biotechnology research to be disseminated ... and Biotechnology will provide an open-science and ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Emory, Georgia Tech receive first human exposome center grant in US 2Emory, Georgia Tech receive first human exposome center grant in US 3Using big data to identify prostate cancers and best treatments 2Using big data to identify prostate cancers and best treatments 3Frontiers launches new open-access journal in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2
... the Americas avoid competing for the same lunch, or ... from a new study by a pair of researchers ... shows that it,s not just chance that,s at play, ... force in the evolution of many carnivores, influencing such ...
... 10, 2009)The use of common and readily available screening ... scoring systemssuch as the Framingham Risk Scorehas the potential ... who are not originally thought to be at high ... Society of Interventional Radiology,s 34th Annual Scientific Meeting. About ...
... but scientists have found a Yellowstone National Park alga ... algae called Cyanidioschyzon -- thrives in extremely ... around hot springs, said Tim McDermott, professor in the ... State University. Cyanidioschyzon could someday help ...
Cached Biology News:American carnivores evolved to avoid each other, new study suggests 2Simple test helps predict heart attack risk 2Simple test helps predict heart attack risk 3Montana State team finds Yellowstone alga that detoxifies arsenic 2Montana State team finds Yellowstone alga that detoxifies arsenic 3
No description available in Ensembl Antigen: Recombinant Protein Epitope Signature Tag (PrEST)....
...
Normal Bovine Serum; U.S. sourced, ideal for those who seek an uncompromising quality. Low Hemoglobin levels; U.S. sourced, ideal for those who seek an uncompromising quality. Low Hemoglobin lev...
...
Biology Products: