The next time you breathe, consider this: photosynthesis of algae, powered by iron dust in the ocean, made it possible.  Now, a new Rutgers University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pulls back the curtain on this vital process.

Iron is a critical micronutrient for marine phytoplankton, the microscopic algae that form the foundation of the ocean’s food webs. It is deposited into the world’s oceans as dust from deserts and arid areas as well as from glacial meltwater.

Subunits of the six-subunit origin-recognition complex plays an unexpectedly broad role in the regulation of human cell gene expression, according to the first detailed study of how and where ORC acts. The subunit ORC2 in particular repressed or activated genes, changed epigenetic markers and altered DNA loop formation, findings that open new chapters in ORC biology.

As bacteria become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and other antibacterials, there is a growing need for alternatives. In a study published on August 14^th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Tobias Warnecke and colleagues from the University of Oxford and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom, identified untapped antimicrobials produced by archaea, single-celled organisms that make up one of the three domains of life (the other two being bacteria and eukaryotes, the group that includes us).

A network analysis of more than 26,000 dogs and their health conditions helps reveal which diseases tend to go together, providing data that veterinarians and researchers can use to help treat the problems that dog man’s best friend face, according to a study published DATE in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology by Antoinette Fang from the Fred Hutchingson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, and colleagues.

Families, particularly those already vulnerable to food insecurity, can face difficulties obtaining food in the aftermath of natural disasters. University of Houston researchers will utilize artificial intelligence to develop an online resource for food pantries, aiming to streamline stakeholder collaboration and distribute resources to families in need.