https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. The "omics" technologies—genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—are at the forefront of discovery in modern plant science and systems biology. In contrast to the rather static genome, however, the metabolome and the products measured in it are very dynamic. In science, metabolome refers to the totality of all small molecules, also known as metabolites, in a biological cell, tissue or organism. Their concentration generally fluctuates greatly, both spatially and temporally. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-method-enables-noninvasive-magnetic-resonance.html Plants & Animals Biotechnology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:13:50 EDT news646586023 Just like people confronted with a sea of options at the grocery store, bees foraging in meadows encounter many different flowers at once. They must decide which ones to visit for food, but it isn't always a straightforward choice. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-bees-irrational-biases-human-shoppers.html Plants & Animals Ecology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:32:03 EDT news646579921 A recent study highlights the pivotal role of alternative splicing in controlling plant secondary metabolism, which is crucial for producing bioactive compounds with significant medicinal and industrial value. This research sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying plant metabolism and opens new avenues for enhancing the production of valuable plant-derived metabolites. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-exploring-alternative-splicing-secondary-metabolism.html Plants & Animals Agriculture Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:14:03 EDT news645376441 Researchers led by Professor Feng Xiaojuan from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) have analyzed the divergent responses of carbon-degrading enzymes to wetland drainage and found that enzymatic response to long-term drainage diverges in Sphagnum versus non-Sphagnum wetlands due to varied vegetational shifts. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microbe-interactions-underpin-contrasting-enzymatic.html Earth Sciences Environment Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:24:03 EDT news643033441 Bacterial small molecule metabolites, such as adenosine-diphosphate-d-glycero-β-d-manno-heptose (ADP-heptose) and their derivatives, act as effective innate immune agonists in mammals. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-d-manno-heptoses-immune-agonists.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 09 Aug 2024 06:50:25 EDT news642405023 A research team has reviewed the potential of glucosinolates, compounds found in Brassicaceae plants like cabbage and broccoli, to enhance stress tolerance and provide health benefits through their hydrolysis products. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-glucosinolates-potential-nutrition-stress-tolerance.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:10:04 EDT news641471994 Van Andel Institute scientists have identified more than 1,000 previously undetected proteins in common metabolite samples, which persist despite extraction methods designed to weed them out. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-persistent-proteins-metabolomics-results.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:11:02 EDT news640437061 Medicinal plants are important economic crops and of great value in the health care industry. The rapid growth of market demand has led to a shortage of Chinese medicinal crops and an annual increase in prices. Secondary metabolites (SMs), as the main active components in medicinal plants, are widely used to produce clinical therapeutic drugs or raw materials for drug preparations. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-secondary-metabolite-accumulation-medicinal.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Fri, 07 Jun 2024 13:28:03 EDT news636985681 What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information. But in underwater environments, invisible compounds create a complex "soup" that is hard for scientists to decipher. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-messages-chemical-clues-left.html Ecology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 07 Jun 2024 09:59:37 EDT news636973173 A study conducted by researcher Juan Du's research group at the Karolinska Institutet sheds light on the capabilities of our gut microbes and their metabolites. The findings reveal potent inhibitory effects on the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and suggest interactions and signaling between gut microbes and pathogens. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-gut-microbes-pathogen-defense-arsenal.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:20:02 EDT news636639601 A venomous, 8-inch centipede may be the stuff of nightmares, but it could save the life of those affected by kidney disease. Researchers report in the Journal of Natural Products that the many-legged critter—used in traditional Chinese medicine—contains alkaloids that in cell cultures reduced inflammation and renal fibrosis, which both contribute to kidney disease. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-centipedes-traditional-chinese-medicine-kidney.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Thu, 02 May 2024 15:51:02 EDT news633883861 Thermophilic fungi are chief components of mycoflora in a variety of natural and manmade composting systems, including rotting hay, stored grains, wood mulch, nesting material of birds and animals, municipal refuse, and self-heating accumulated organic matter. Thermophilic fungi are also a potential source of natural products, which complement the metabolite libraries of mesophilic fungi and bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-exploring-molecular-mechanism-thermophilic-fungal.html Ecology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:43:04 EDT news633105782 Chrysanthemum, celebrated for its ornamental, medicinal, and beverage value, faces significant threats from bacterial and fungal infections, particularly black spot disease caused by Alternaria alternate, which leads to severe economic losses. Current research has focused on developing resistant germplasm as an eco-friendly alternative to pesticides. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-secrets-disease-resistance-chrysanthemums-holistic.html Plants & Animals Agriculture Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:17:02 EDT news631383421 Internal browning (IB) is a significant post-harvest issue in pineapples, impacting fruit quality and leading to substantial losses, yet its mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that the accumulation of phenolic compounds plays a key role in tissue browning development. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-mechanism-pineapple-internal-browning.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:55:03 EST news628430101 You'd think the complex flavor in a quality cup of tea would depend mainly on the tea varieties used to make it. But a study appearing in the journal Current Biology shows that the making of a delicious cup of tea depends on another key ingredient: the collection of microbes found on tea roots. By altering that assemblage, the authors showed that they could make good-quality tea even better. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-root-microbes-secret-cup-tea.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:00:01 EST news627208587 Tea anthracnose significantly impacts China's tea production, with no effective control methods currently available. Research has shifted towards phenolamides, secondary metabolites with potential disease resistance properties. Although these compounds are effective in various plants, their role in tea plants remains under-researched. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-secrets-tea-immunity-key-phenolamides.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:43:02 EST news626010181 The gut microbiome is so useful to human digestion and health that it is often called an extra digestive organ. This vast collection of bacteria and other microorganisms in the intestine helps us break down foods and produce nutrients or other metabolites that impact human health in a myriad of ways. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-resourceful-ways-bacteria-human-gut.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:33:17 EST news623568782 Autophagy, a eukaryotic mechanism for breaking down cellular components, is a vital process in lytic organelles such as vacuoles in yeast and plants, and lysosomes in animals. Research has predominantly focused on the model plant Arabidopsis, revealing the conservation of autophagy-related genes across various plant species. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-unveiling-role-autophagy-metabolism-growth.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:17:08 EST news622376224 A new study conducted by pre-Ph.D. researcher Pablo S. Valera demonstrates the potential of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to explore metabolites secreted by cancer cells in cancer research. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-harnessing-nanotechnology-tumor-behavior.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:33:04 EST news622135981 Plants have evolved fiendishly complicated metabolic networks. For years, scientists focused on how plants make secondary metabolites, the compounds that plants produce to enhance their defense and survival mechanisms. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-metabolism-complicated-previously-understood.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:32:57 EST news622135974 Investigators at the University of Kansas have played a key role in deciphering a previously unidentified cluster of genes responsible for producing sartorypyrones, a chemical made by the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, whose family causes Aspergillosis in humans. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-deadly-pathogen-chemicals.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:45:04 EST news619796701 Plants produce a dizzying array of chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites, which help them flourish under fluctuating environmental conditions. Some of these metabolites defend against insect attack, while others help plants communicate, time life cycle events, or attract pollinators, among other functions. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-production-specialized-steroids-transcriptional-reprogramming.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:50:02 EDT news617982601 In a Finnish study, significant differences in the gene activity of the fetal intestine, brain and placenta were identified, depending on the microbes in the mother's body and the compounds produced by them. The findings indicate that maternal microbes are important to her offspring's development and health. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-maternal-microbiota-affect-fetal.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:32:02 EDT news617013119 Recent advances in metabolomics are improving our understanding of the ecological impacts of plant chemical diversity. However, few studies have examined how phytochemical diversity affects herbivore damage at the community scale in tropical tree communities. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-phytochemical-diversity-affects-herbivore-tropical.html Ecology Mon, 09 Oct 2023 14:15:03 EDT news616079702 Regardless of how one says "tomato," they all contain tomatine, a toxin in the plant's green fruit, leaves, and roots. Tomatoes produce the bitter-tasting compound—a major plant-specialized metabolite secreted from the roots—to defend against pathogens and foragers. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-toxins-common-tomato.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Fri, 06 Oct 2023 13:55:03 EDT news615819301 RUDN University agronomists and colleagues from Tunisia have discovered a way to stop the spread of a phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. It affects crops, especially tomatoes. The Trichoderma fungus and the Pseudomonas bacterium can protect the crop from this pathogen. The results have been published in the journal Agronomy. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-agronomists-microbes-tomatoes-dangerous-fungus.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:07:03 EDT news615737221 Methane concentrations have increased rapidly and have doubled in the atmosphere compared to preindustrial levels. Within the agricultural sector, animal production contributes to 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and produces around 37% of global emissions of CH4. Microbial fermentation in the rumen produces 6% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions representing around 40% of total livestock emissions. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-nutritional-strategies-mitigate-methane-emissions.html Ecology Agriculture Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:02:03 EDT news614350921 Anthocyanins are a group within the flavonoid family of plant secondary metabolites that determine the color of flowers and organs and protect plants from reactive oxygen species produced under environmental stresses. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-role-lhwrky44-anthocyanin-accumulation.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:10:06 EDT news612461402 Fermented foods are deeply seated in global food culture. Many recipes are highly guarded, passed through generations and shrouded in mystery. The microbial communities that make up fermented foods are often diverse, but typically only a few species contribute significantly to the final product. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-microbial-fermented-beans.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 15 Aug 2023 09:24:18 EDT news611310251 When a human consumes a pharmaceutical drug, enzymes in the liver break down the substance into metabolites that are water soluble, so the body can more easily excrete them. In some cases, the resulting metabolites may have potent effects that can be good or bad. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-catalyst-ability-mimic-liver-enzyme.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Thu, 13 Jul 2023 09:28:55 EDT news608459331