Posts Tagged Department of Biology

Naked mole rats are small, hairless, subterranean rodents that have never been known to get cancer despite having a 30-year lifespan. A new protein discovered by biologist Vera Gorbunova may help explain why.

Biology researchers Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov report that the “jumping genes” in mice become active as the mice age when a multi-function protein stops keeping them in check in order to take on another role. A protein called Sirt6 is needed to keep the jumping genes—technically known as retrotransposons—inactive.

Biologists Vera Gorbunova and Andei Seluanov have discovered one reason for the the increase in DNA damage as we age: the primary repair process begins to fail and is replaced by one that is less accurate.

For the first time, the middle-steps in the process that creates the protein-making machinery of bacterial cells—called the ribosomes—has been isolated. A new study by biologist Gloria Culver suggests that blocking these pathways may help kill off drug-resistant bacteria.

A newly-discovered species of ant supports a controversial theory of species formation. “Most new species come about in geographic isolation,” said Christian Rabeling, assistant professor of biology at the University of Rochester. “We now have evidence that speciation can take place within a single colony.”

Rochester biologist Michael Welte and his team made their discovery while studying the internal mechanisms of the egg cell of the fruit fly, known as Drosophila. What keeps the assembly line functioning—based on the new research—is a protein called Klar.

Findings on the cellular-level regulation of proteins called histones by lipid droplets, or “fat depots,” shines light on chromosome production – and possible manipulation of that process.

A $9.5 million grant from the National Institute on Aging will support research into the factors responsible for longevity in various species of long-lived rodents, with the goal of developing treatments to improve the aging process in people.

Sina Ghaemmaghami has been recognized for “exemplifying the role” of teacher-scholar.

Daniel Scantlebury calls Madagascar “an ideal evolutionary laboratory” for studying species formation because it has long been isolated and geologically stable relative to other regions.