Biology mindset

Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, UNC School of Medicine researchers Taghreed Al-Turki, Ph.D., and Jack Griffith, Ph.D., made the stunning discovery that telomeres contain genetic information to produce two small proteins, one of which they found is elevated in some human cancer cells, as well as cells from patients suffering from telomere-related defects.

“Based on our research, we think simple blood tests for these proteins could provide a valuable screen for certain cancers and other human diseases,” said Griffith, the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These tests also could provide a measure of ‘telomere health,’ because we know telomeres shorten with age.”

Telomeres contain a unique DNA sequence consisting of endless repeats of TTAGGG bases that somehow inhibit chromosomes from sticking to each other. Two decades ago, the Griffith laboratory showed that the end of a telomere’s DNA loops back on itself to form a tiny circle, thus hiding the end and blocking chromosome-to-chromosome fusions. When cells divide, telomeres shorten, eventually becoming so short that the cell can no longer divide properly, leading to cell death.

Salmonella is a genus of gram-negative bacteria that can cause a variety of diseases in humans, including gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, and bacteremia. Salmonella infections are typically acquired through the ingestion of contaminated food or water, or through contact with infected animals or their feces.

Key points to remember about Salmonella for the USMLE include:

Salmonella gastroenteritis is characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Symptoms typically develop within 6-72 hours of exposure and can last for several days. Antibiotic treatment is generally not required, but severe cases may require hospitalization and supportive care.

Typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by Salmonella Typhi and is characterized by fever, headache, malaise, abdominal pain, and a characteristic rose-colored rash. It is typically acquired through the ingestion of contaminated food or water and can lead to severe complications, including perforation of the intestine and sepsis. Antibiotic treatment is required, and vaccination is available for travelers to high-risk areas.

Salmonella bacteremia can occur in immunocompromised individuals or in those with underlying medical conditions, such as sickle cell disease or HIV. It can lead to serious complications, including sepsis and endocarditis. Treatment with antibiotics is required.

Olm (Proteus anguinus)

Photo from All That’s Interesting)

Conservation Status- Vulnerable

Habitat- Southern Europe

Size (Weight/Length)- 30 cm

Diet- Snails; Crustaceans; Insect larvae

Cool Facts- It’s unlikely that you’ll ever see an olm in the wild, let alone in captivity. Originally thought to be baby dragons when first discovered in 1689, the olm is perfectly adapted for life underground. Olms are found in expansive, wet caves. While you might think that a completely blind salamander wouldn’t survive, the olm is a prolific hunter, being able to both hear and smell underwater, it will eat anything it can get its mouth around. Olms don’t mature until almost 14 years old and it is believed that some can live as long as humans. These salamanders can survive up to ten years without food, going into a type of deep sleep. Being extremely vulnerable to change and only breeding every 12 years, conservationists are hard at work protecting olms from climate change and pollution of their cave systems.

Rating- 13/10 (No shoes, no shirt, no eyes, service please.)

A unique fungus survives by getting male houseflies to mate with the fungal-infected corpses of dead females, according to a new study.

After infecting a female fly with its spores, the fungus Entomophthora muscae spreads until its host has slowly been consumed alive from within.

After roughly six days, the fungus takes over the behavior of the female fly and forces it to the highest point, whether upon vegetation or a wall, where the fly then dies. When the fungus has killed the zombie female, it begins to release chemical signals known as sesquiterpenes.

“The chemical signals act as pheromones that bewitch male flies and cause an incredible urge for them to mate with lifeless female carcasses,” explains Henrik H. De Fine Licht, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen’s environment and plant sciences department, and an author of the study in the ISME Journal.

As male flies copulate with dead females, the fungal spores are showered onto the males, who then suffer the same gruesome fate. In this way, Entomophthora muscae spreads its spores to new victims and ensures for its survival.