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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 29, 2025 at 10:39am

The researchers examined sediment cores taken from 240 meters water depth in the Eastern Gotland Deep during an expedition with the research vessel Elisabeth Mann Borgese in 2021.

In favorable nutrient and light conditions, viable algae could be awakened from dormancy from nine sediment samples and individual strains were isolated. The samples were taken from different sediment layers that represent a time span of around 7,000 years and thus the main climate phases of the Baltic Sea.
The diatom species Skeletonema marinoi was the only phytoplankton species that was revived from all samples. It is very common in the Baltic Sea and typically occurs during the spring bloom. The oldest sample with viable cells of this species was dated to an age of 6,871 ± 140 years.

"It is remarkable that the resurrected algae have not only survived 'just so,' but apparently have not lost any of their 'fitness,' i. e. their biological performance ability. They grow, divide and photosynthesize like their modern descendants.
The measurement of photosynthetic performance also showed that even the oldest algae isolates can still actively produce oxygen—with average values of 184 micromoles of oxygen per milligram of chlorophyll per hour. These are also values that are comparable to those of current representatives of this species.
The researchers also analyzed the genetic profiles of the resurrected algae using microsatellite analysis—a method in which certain short DNA segments are compared. The result: The samples from sediment layers of different ages formed distinctive genetic groups.

Firstly, this ruled out the possibility that cross contamination could have occurred during the cultivation of the strains from sediment layers of different ages. Secondly, this proves that successive populations of S. marinoi in the Baltic Sea have changed genetically over the millennia.
Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 29, 2025 at 10:36am

After 7,000 years without light and oxygen in Baltic Sea mud, researchers bring prehistoric algae back to life

A research team was able to revive dormant stages of algae that sank to the bottom of the Baltic Sea almost 7,000 years ago. Despite thousands of years of inactivity in the sediment without light and oxygen, the investigated diatom species regained full viability.

The study, published in The ISME Journal, was carried out as part of a collaborative research project PHYTOARK, which aims at a better understanding of the Baltic Sea's future by means of paleoecological investigations of the Baltic Sea's past.

Many organisms, from bacteria to mammals, can go into a kind of "sleep mode," known as dormancy, in order to survive periods of unfavorable environmental conditions.

They switch to a state of reduced metabolic activity and often form special dormancy stages with robust protective structures and internally stored energy reserves. This also applies to phytoplankton, microscopically small plants that live in the water and photosynthesize. Their dormant stages sink to the bottom of water bodies, where they are covered by sediment over time and preserved under anoxic conditions.

Such deposits are like a time capsule containing valuable information about past ecosystems and the inhabiting biological communities, their population development and genetic changes.

In this new study,  researchers analyzed specifically for viable phytoplankton dormant cells from the past. 

This approach bears the rather unusual name of 'resurrection ecology': Dormant stages that can be clearly assigned to specific periods of Baltic Sea history due to the clear stratification of the Baltic Sea sediment are to be brought back to life under favorable conditions, then they are genetically and physiologically characterized and compared with present-day phytoplankton population.

By analyzing other sediment components, so-called proxies, it will also be possible to draw conclusions about past salinity, oxygen and temperature conditions.

By combining all this information, they aim to better understand how and why Baltic Sea phytoplankton has adapted genetically and functionally to environmental changes.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 29, 2025 at 10:08am

Following injury in organoids, stem-like cells migrated into the damaged area and produced new retinal cells. Gene activity during the repair process matched patterns observed during natural fetal development.
In a mouse model of inherited retinal degeneration, transplanted cells remained viable for up to 24 weeks. Donor cells integrated into the host retina, developed into mature retinal types, and formed connections with neighboring cells. Treated animals exhibited improved retinal structure and stronger visual responses compared to controls.
Human retinal stem-like cells demonstrated the capacity to regenerate tissue and restore visual function across both fetal tissue and retinal organoid models. In both injury models and transplant experiments, the cells demonstrated the ability to restore retinal structure and contribute to visual function.
Post-transplantation, the cells remained viable for at least 24 weeks, differentiated into photoreceptors, ganglion cells, and bipolar cells, and formed functional synapses with host tissue. Treated mice demonstrated improved retinal morphology and performance in visual function assays across multiple time points. No intraocular tumors were observed following transplantation.

Compared to previously studied retinal progenitor cells, this population showed broader differentiation capacity and longer-term viability. Transplanted cells contributed to retinal structure and restored visual function in mice, without adverse effects.

Results suggest that retinal organoids may serve as a source of human stem-like cells for future research and therapeutic development. Further studies will be needed to assess safety, immune compatibility, and effectiveness in models that more closely resemble human disease.

Hui Liu et al, Identification and characterization of human retinal stem cells capable of retinal regeneration, Science Translational Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adp6864

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 29, 2025 at 10:04am

Human retinal stem-like cells with potential to repair vision loss discovered

Researchers  have identified a population of human neural retinal stem-like cells able to regenerate retinal tissue and support visual recovery.

Vision loss caused by retinal degeneration affects millions worldwide. Conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration involve the irreversible loss of light-sensitive neural cells in the retina. While current treatments may slow progression, they do not replace damaged tissue.

For decades, scientists have explored whether stem cells could be used to regenerate the retina, but the existence of true retinal stem cells in humans has remained uncertain. In fish and amphibians, the outer edge of the retina houses stem cells that regenerate tissue continuously. Whether a comparable system exists in the human eye has been debated for more than two decades.

In the study, "Identification and characterization of human retinal stem cells capable of retinal regeneration," published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers used single-cell and spatial transcriptomic methods to investigate the presence and identity of retinal stem-like cells in humans.

Researchers examined human fetal retinal tissue from four donors at 21 weeks of gestation, using spatial transcriptomics and single-nucleus sequencing to identify and localize cell types in the retina.

Researchers analyzed gene expression and chromatin accessibility to detect populations with stem cell–like properties. Additional samples from donors between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation were used to confirm the location of these cells in the peripheral retina.

A distinct population of neural retinal stem-like cells was identified in the peripheral retina of human fetal tissue. Located in the ciliary marginal zone, these cells showed molecular features consistent with self-renewal and the ability to differentiate into all major retinal cell types. Similar cells appeared in the same anatomical region of retinal organoids, with overlapping gene expression profiles.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 28, 2025 at 1:07pm

An Easy Way to Remove Microplastics From Your Drinking Water

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 28, 2025 at 9:10am

Unlike traditional microscopes that use light or lenses, DNA microscopy creates images by calculating interactions among molecules, providing a new way to visualize genetic material in 3D.

First, short DNA sequence tags called unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) are added to cells. They attach to DNA and RNA molecules and begin making copies of themselves. This starts a chemical reaction that creates new sequences, called unique event identifiers (UEIs), that are unique to each pairing.
It's these pairings that help create the spatial map of where each genetic molecule is located. UMI pairs that are close together interact more frequently and generate more UEIs than those that are farther apart.

Once the DNA and RNA are sequenced, a computational model reconstructs their original locations by analyzing the physical links between UMI-tags, creating a spatial map of gene expression.
DNA microscopy doesn't rely on prior knowledge of the genome or shape of a specimen, so it could be useful for understanding genetic expression in unique, unknown contexts. Tumors generate countless new genetic mutations, for example, so the tool would be able to map out the tumor microenvironment and where it interacts with the immune system.

 Spatial-transcriptomic imaging of an intact organism using volumetric DNA microscopy, Nature Biotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41587-025-02613-z

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 28, 2025 at 9:08am

DNA microscope creates 3D images of organisms from the inside out

Standard genetic sequencing approaches can tell you a lot about the genetic makeup and activity in a sample, like a piece of tissue or drop of blood. But they don't tell you where specific genetic sequences were located inside that sample, or their relationship to other genes and molecules.

Researchers  are now developing a new technology that overcomes these challenges. By tagging each DNA or RNA molecule and allowing neighboring tags to interact, the technique constructs a molecular network that encodes their relative positions, creating a spatial map of genetic material.

This technique, called volumetric DNA microscopy, creates a 3D image of an entire organism from the inside out, giving scientists an unprecedented view of genetic sequences and where they are located, down to individual cells. 

The researchers have spent more than 12 years developing DNA microscopy.

In a paper published in Nature Biotechnology the researchers used the technology to create a complete DNA image of a zebrafish embryo, a common model organism for studying development and neurobiology.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 27, 2025 at 2:36pm

Liver regeneration was known to occur through the proliferation of liver cells, known as hepatocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms involved were not fully understood. This current discovery is very novel, as it describes communication between two different organs, the liver and bone marrow, involving the immune system.

The results show that liver and bone marrow are interconnected by glutamate. After acute liver damage, liver cells, called hepatocytes, produce glutamate and send it into the bloodstream; through the blood, glutamate reaches the bone marrow, inside the bones, where it activates monocytes, a type of immune system cell.

Monocytes then travel to the liver and along the way become macrophages—also immune cells. The presence of glutamate reprograms the metabolism of macrophages, and these consequently begin to secrete a growth factor that leads to an increase in hepatocyte production.

In other words, a rapid chain of events allows glutamate to trigger liver regeneration in just minutes, through changes in the macrophage metabolism. It is a new, complex and ingenious perspective on how the liver stimulates its own regeneration.
In the liver, there are different types of hepatocytes, organized in different areas; the hepatocytes in each area perform specific metabolic functions.

The study reveals that hepatocytes producing a protein known as glutamine synthetase, which regulates glutamate levels, play a key role in regeneration.
Dietary glutamate supplementation may simply be recommended in the future after liver extirpation, and also to reduce liver damage caused by cirrhosis, which is common in patients with a poor diet or unhealthy lifestyle or other serious liver diseases, say the researchers.

María del Mar Rigual et al, Macrophages harness hepatocyte glutamate to boost liver regeneration, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08778-6. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08778-6

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 27, 2025 at 2:32pm

Rapid liver regeneration: New mechanism is triggered by glutamate just minutes after damage occurs

The liver is a vital organ, crucial to digestion, metabolism and the elimination of toxins. It has a unique ability, regeneration, which allows it to replace liver cells damaged by the very toxins that these cells eliminate. However, the liver stops regenerating in cases of diseases that involve chronic liver damage, such as cirrhosis. Such diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent, associated with bad dietary habits and alcohol.

Learning to activate liver regeneration is therefore a priority today, to benefit mainly patients with severe liver damage and also those who have had part of their liver cut out to remove a tumor.

Research at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), published in Nature, has discovered in animal models a previously unknown mechanism of liver regeneration. It is a process that is triggered very quickly, just a few minutes after acute liver damage occurs, with the amino acid glutamate playing a key role.

The authors write that, in light of their results, nutritional glutamate supplementation can effectively promote liver regeneration and benefit patients with severe and chronic liver damage, such as those recovering after hepatectomy, to stimulate liver growth, or even those awaiting a transplant.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 27, 2025 at 1:39pm

Researchers discover new class of antibiotics

The last time a new class of antibiotics reached the market was nearly three decades ago—but that could soon change, thanks to a discovery by researchers .

A team led by researcher Gerry Wright has identified a strong candidate to challenge even some of the most drug-resistant bacteria on the planet: a new molecule called lariocidin. The findings were published in the journal Nature on March 26, 2025.

The discovery of the all-new class of antibiotics responds to a critical need for new antimicrobial medicines, as bacteria and other microorganisms evolve new ways to withstand existing drugs. This phenomenon is called antimicrobial resistance—or AMR—and it's one of the top global public health threats, according to the World Health Organization.

Our old drugs are becoming less and less effective as bacteria become more and more resistant to them. About 4.5 million people die every year due to antibiotic-resistant infections, and it's only getting worse.

A research team found that the new molecule, a lasso peptide, holds great promise as an early drug lead because it attacks bacteria in a way that's different from other antibiotics. Lariocidin binds directly to a bacterium's protein synthesis machinery in a completely new way, inhibiting its ability to grow and survive.

This is a new molecule with a new mode of action. Lariocidin is produced by a type of bacteria called Paenibacillus, which the researchers retrieved from a soil sample . 

The research team allowed the soil bacteria to grow in the lab for approximately one year—a method that helped reveal even the slow-growing species that could have otherwise been missed. One of these bacteria, Paenibacillus, was producing a new substance that had strong activity against other bacteria, including those typically resistant to antibiotics.

When the researchers figured out how this new molecule kills other bacteria, it was a breakthrough moment.

In addition to its unique mode of action and its activity against otherwise drug-resistant bacteria, the researchers are optimistic about lariocidin because it ticks a lot of the right boxes: it's not toxic to human cells, it's not susceptible to existing mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and it also works well in an animal model of infection.

The research team is now laser-focused on finding ways to modify the molecule and produce it in quantities large enough to allow for clinical development. 

The researchers are now working on ripping this molecule apart and putting it back together again to make it a better drug candidate.

Gerard Wright, A broad-spectrum lasso peptide antibiotic targeting the bacterial ribosome, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08723-7. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08723-7

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