Researchers used high-throughput DNA sequencing to measure biodiversity along a transect – a succession from recently exposed to mature soil – in front of a glacier in Antarctica. To capture a detailed ecological ‘time sequence’ they distinguished between intracellular and extracellular DNA from living versus dead or locally extinct species. They found an abundance of previously unsuspected interactions between eukaryotes and prokaryotes, eg, algae with heterotrophic bacteria and fungi with actinobacteria. The results imply that novel mutualistic interactions play an essential role in shaping this system, and that biodiversity in Antarctica may be much greater than previously thought.

The axolotl is renowned for its extensive ability to regenerate organs and body parts, including its spinal cord. Studies on spinal cord regeneration, however, have focused on axolotl cells next to an injury site, leaving the brain’s role in regeneration a relative mystery. A new study from researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, reveals that activating a specific group of neurons in the axolotl brain is essential for tail regeneration. Their findings point to the possibility that a comparable group of neurons impacts regenerative responses in mammals. The study, led by MBL Associate Scientist Karen Echeverri, was published last week in npj Regenerative Medicine. 

A new study by University of Utah biologists taps data from 22,000 birds captured at Bonderman Field Station near Moab to reveal changes in how they replace their feathers. Climate change is not just disrupting songbirds’ breeding and migration schedules. The timing of their fall molt is occurring earlier every year.

Proteins are among the most studied molecules in biology, yet new research from the University of Göttingen shows they can still hold surprising secrets. Researchers have discovered previously undetected chemical bonds within archived protein structures, revealing an unexpected complexity in protein chemistry. These newly identified nitrogen-oxygen-sulphur (NOS) linkages broaden our understanding of how proteins respond to oxidative stress, a condition where harmful oxygen-based molecules build up and can damage proteins, DNA, and other essential parts of the cell. The new findings were published in Communications Chemistry.

As global warming alters ecosystems, the need to predict the reorganization of Earth’s biodiversity has become urgent. New research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America May 20, suggests that neglecting the ecological differences between male and female plants can lead to inaccurate biodiversity forecasts. The study led by Jacob Moutouama, a postdoctoral research associate at Rice University and lead author, highlights the need to refine biodiversity forecasts to account for the sex-specific responses to Earth’s rapidly changing climate.