A natural alternative to pesticides may be hiding in a misunderstood plant compound — but it could come at an environmental cost.  

For years, scientists knew little about isoprene, a natural chemical produced by plants. New Michigan State University research 40 years in the making now sheds light on how this natural chemical can repel insects — and how some plants that don’t normally make isoprene could activate production in times of stress. 

Tom Sharkey, a University Distinguished Professor in the Michigan State University-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, the MSU Plant Resilience Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has studied isoprene for much of his career. Now, his lab has published findings that could provide a path for engineering plants that are more resilient to environmental change and pest outbreaks. 

Many types of bacteria produce a protein complex that injects toxins into neighbouring cells to eliminate competitors. For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich and Eawag discovered that these killer bacteria also use this weapons to feed on their neighbours.

Researchers have found that chunks of ‘flipped’ DNA can help fish quickly adapt to new habitats and evolve into new species, acting as evolutionary ‘superchargers’.