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Biology stories, news, articles, videos, slideshows, images, and web stories. Business Insider India is providing latest and consolidated news related to the Biology category.

Biology Stories, News, Articles, Videos, Slideshows and Web Stories

In an astonishing breakthrough, scientists in India have genetically engineered bacteria capable of performing mathematical operations. Researchers from the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) in Kolkata have demonstrated that clusters of bacterial cells can add, subtract, and even identify prime numbers between 0 and 9. This accomplishment marks a crucial step toward the development of biocomputers—computational devices made from living cells that could revolutionise how we think about computing in the future. <h2>A history of biological computing </h2>The concept of using living cells for computation is not entirely new. Over the past two decades, researchers worldwide have explored the potential of biological systems to perform computational tasks. The first major breakthroughs came in the early 2000s when scientists developed synthetic biology techniques to engineer cells with logic gates—the fundamental components of digital computers. These biological logic gates allowed simple operations such as "AND," "OR," and "NOT," mimicking the operations seen in silicon-based processors. Following this, scientists advanced by using various microbes, such as E. coli and yeast, to perform basic mathematical operations like addition and subtraction. Researchers were able to construct networks of genes and proteins within the cells, programming them to respond to specific chemical inputs. While these early studies were promising, the computational tasks performed by cells were relatively simple and far from rivalling the capabilities of modern microprocessors. However, SINP's latest research takes a significant step forward by using a more sophisticated approach. The integration of artificial neural network concepts with genetic engineering enabled these bacterial cells to solve more complex and abstract problems, such as identifying prime numbers — tasks traditionally considered the domain of human brains or advanced computers. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="103532224" title="Scientist engineered bacteria to generate electricity from wastewater" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Turning bacteria into living machines </h2>The research team modified the E. coli genomes, incorporating 14 distinct genetic circuits, to create different bacterial types. These bacteria can be combined and arranged in liquid environments to execute various computational functions. In one set of experiments, the scientists were able to get them to add, subtract, and solve ten different computational problems, including determining prime numbers between 0 and 9. The bacteria's ability to answer yes-or-no questions, like "Is 4 a prime number?" or "Is 7 a prime number?" was particularly astonishing. When the bacteria were questioned chemically, they responded by secreting proteins that indicated their answers — green for "yes" and red for "no." This development underscores their capacity to function as living computers. The implications of this research are immense, not only for computational science but also for fundamental biology. “Mammalian cells make decisions all the time, and we currently have very little understanding of this decision-making process,” said Mohit Kumar Jolly, assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. This study offers fresh insights into biological decision-making and could open new avenues for understanding how living organisms process information. As scientists continue to explore the computational power of living cells, the possibilities are endless. Bacteria, once considered simple organisms, may well hold the key to the future of computing. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="110909568" title="A living computer? This AI made from interconnected &amp;quot;mini-brains&amp;quot; requires a million times less power than ChatGPT!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Did you know that genetically engineered bacteria can do math?

<ul><li>A new plant species in the Swiss Alps dubbed Cardamine inseuta only took 150 years to evolve. </li><li>Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) believe this is because of traits C. inseuta inherited from its parent plants — each with their own distinct habitat. </li><li>“Depending on the environmental situation, the plant activates a different set of genes it inherited from its two parent species,” explained co-author Rei Shimizu-Inatsugi of the study published in Frontier in Genetics. </li></ul>Evolution normally takes place over several millions of years. However, in a little village nestled amid the Swiss Alps, a new planet species only took 150 years to evolve. Named Cardamine inseuta, was first spotted in 1972 in the Urnerboden region after the land in the area went from being a forest to a grassland. Now, researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) have narrowed down the two species of the plants that merged to create the hybrid that is thriving. One is Cardamine amara, which grows in and around streams and the other is Cardamine rivularis, which inhabits moist, not wet, areas. The shift from being a forest to a grassland caused the new hybrid species to emerge. It can handle itself against temporary water level fluctuations — surviving even when there is excess water. “It is the combination of genetic traits from its parents that enabled the new species to grow in a district environmental niche,” said <a href="https://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2020/Urnerboden.html?utm_source=miragenews&amp;utm_medium=miragenews&amp;utm_campaign=news">Rei Shimizu-Inatsugi</a>, co-author of the study published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2020.567262/full">Frontiers in Genetics.</a> The best of both worlds C. inseuta is a so-called triploid plant. It means that it has three sets of chromosomes. Two come from C. rivularis and one set from C. amara. From C. rivularis, the plant’s new species got the ability to produce plantlets on the surface of its leaves. These plantlets go on to grow into new plants. The capacity for asexual vegetative reproduction has helped C. inseuta thrive since it has no other means of reproduction. From its other parent, C. amara, the new species inherited the trait of submergence tolerance. That means that even if surrounded by water, C. inseuta would survive rather than drown. “Depending on the environmental situation, the plant activates a different set of genes it inherited from its two parent species,” said Shimizu-Inatsugi. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/malware-infiltrates-the-defenses-of-common-antivirus-softwares-like-mcafee-kaspersky-symantec-and-others/articleshow/78515377.cms">Malware infiltrates the defenses of common antivirus softwares like McAfee, Kaspersky, Symantec and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/andrea-ghez-is-the-fourth-woman-to-win-the-nobel-prize-for-physics/articleshow/78514164.cms">Andrea Ghez is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics — found the first signs of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-expected-to-post-higher-revenue-and-margins-led-by-a-streak-of-deal-wins-over-the-last-three-months/articleshow/78511834.cms">TCS expected to post higher revenue and margins led by a streak of deal wins over the last three months</a>

Scientists unravel the mystery behind new plant species found in the Swiss Alps, which only took 150 years to evolve

Scientists have created first gene-edited livestock that can serve as viable "surrogate sires" -- males that produce sperm carrying only the genetic traits of donor animals -- an advance that they say could improve food production for a growing global population. The research, published in the journal PNAS, could speed the spread of desirable characteristics in livestock, and provide breeders in remote regions with better access to genetic material of 'elite animals' from other parts of the world. The advance would also allow more precision breeding in animals such as goats where using artificial insemination is difficult, the researchers said. "With this technology, we can get better dissemination of desirable traits and improve the efficiency of food production. This can have a major impact on addressing food insecurity around the world," said Jon Oatley, a reproductive biologist at Washington State University in the US. "If we can tackle this genetically, then that means less water, less feed and fewer antibiotics we have to put into the animals," Oatley said. The researchers used the gene-editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9, to knock out a gene specific to male fertility in the animal embryos that would be raised to become surrogate sires. They produced mice, pigs, goats and cattle that lacked a gene called NANOS2 which is specific to male fertility. The male animals grew up sterile but otherwise healthy, so when they received transplanted sperm-producing stem cells from other animals, they started producing sperm derived from the donor's cells, according to the researchers. The surrogate sires were confirmed to have active donor sperm, they said. The surrogate mice fathered healthy offspring who carried the genes of the donor mice, the researchers noted, adding that larger animals have not been bred yet. The team is refining the stem cell transplantation process before taking that next step. Scientists have been searching for a way to create surrogate sires for decades to overcome the limitations of selective breeding and artificial insemination, tools which require either animal proximity or strict control of their movement -- and in many cases, both. Artificial insemination is common in dairy cattle who are often confined so their reproductive behaviour is relatively easy to control, but the procedure is rarely used with beef cattle who need to roam freely to feed. For pigs, the procedure still requires the animals be nearby as pig sperm does not survive freezing well. In goats, artificial insemination is quite challenging and could require a surgical procedure, the researchers explained. The new technology could solve those problems since the surrogates deliver the donor genetic material the natural way --through normal reproduction, they said. This, the researchers said, enables ranchers and herders to let their animals interact normally on the range or field. This technology has great potential to help food supply in places in the developing world, where herders still have to rely on selective breeding to improve their stock, said Irina Polejaeva, a professor at Utah State University in the US. "Goats are the number one source of protein in a lot of developing countries. This technology could allow faster dissemination of specific traits in goats, whether it's disease resistance, greater heat tolerance or better meat quality," Polejaeva said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/apple-watch-series-6-ipad-air-ipad-8-and-apple-one-will-be-available-in-india/slidelist/78141813.cms">Apple Watch Series 6, iPad Air, iPad 8, and Apple One will be available in India — here’s how much they cost</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/amid-india-china-standoff-tencent-is-back-with-an-investment-in-flipkart/articleshow/78140794.cms">Amid India-China standoff, Tencent is back with an investment in Flipkart</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/indias-covid-19-number-crosses-5-million-mark-and-last-one-million-cases-in-just-11-days/articleshow/78139916.cms">India’s COVID-19 tally crosses 5 million mark — with an addition of one million cases in just 11 days</a>

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Did you know that genetically engineered bacteria can do math?

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