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Bonn researchers confirm three other genes for increased risk in addition to the known TLR7 gene Whether or not a person becomes seriously ill with COVID-19 depends, among other things, on genetic factors. With this in mind, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn, in cooperation with other research teams from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy, investigated a particularly large group of affected individuals.

Researchers at the University of Göttingen investigate consumer acceptance   Companies and institutes are currently working on biotechnological processes for the production of dairy products without the use of cows: In so-called precision fermentation, egg and milk proteins are produced with the help of bacteria, yeasts or other fungi.

Freiburg researchers develop new formal description of internal world models, thereby enabling interdisciplinary research A team of scientists led by Ilka Diester , Professor of Optophysiology and spokesperson of the BrainLinks-BrainTools research centre at the University of Freiburg, has developed a formal description of internal world models and published it in the journal Neuron .

Bonn researchers solve the hidden mystery of the role of astrocytes for learning processes and memory in the brain Star-shaped glial cells, so-called astrocytes, are more than just a supporting cell of the brain. They are actively involved in learning processes and interact with the nerve cells. But what exactly is it that astrocytes do? Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn are using a biophysical model to clarify how astrocytes interact with nerve cells to regulate rapid adaptation to new information.

A team at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Würzburg, Germany, led by RNA expert Chase Beisel, has developed a new technology for the precise detection of RNA using DNA-cutting Cas12 nucleases. CRISPR-Cas systems, defense systems in bacteria, have become a plentiful source of technologies for molecular diagnostics.

International team of evolutionary biologists investigate genomic underpinnings for the adaptive potential of spoonworts Plant cold specialists like the spoonworts have adapted well to the cold climates of the Ice Ages. As cold and warm periods alternated, they developed a number of species that also resulted in a proliferation of the genome.

Researchers have developed the first cell-free system in which genetic information and metabolism work together Metabolic processes outside living cells only continue as long as they are supplied with building blocks from the outside. A team of Max Planck researchers led by Tobias Erb has now developed the first in vitro system inspired by nature that couples genetics and metabolism and can drive itself.

The usual sites where vascular bulges form are predestined for this from the outset, even in healthy people. This is shown by a study conducted by the Bochum and Bonn medical departments. If a vascular aneurysm bursts in the aorta, it poses an acute danger to life. These so-called aortic aneurysms typically form in the same places on the large blood vessel: either on the upper arch or in the abdominal cavity.

Female mammals - including humans - are born with all'of their egg cells. Of a woman's one to two million egg cells, about 400 mature before menopause and can be fertilized. Some egg cells therefore survive for several decades - and need to remain functional over this long time. Extremely long-lived proteins in the ovary seem to play an important role in this, as teams of researchers from Göttingen have now discovered in experiments with mice.

Freiburg-Prague research collaboration achieves scientific breakthrough in understanding cell division.

An international team of researchers has investigated the mechanism that makes some types of bacteria reflect light without using pigments. The researchers were interested in the genes responsible and discovered important ecological connections. These findings were published in the current issue of the renowned journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The sites where vascular aneurysms typically form have a predilection from the outset, even in healthy people. This is shown by a study conducted by medical researchers from Bochum and Bonn. A vascular dilatation in the aorta can be life-threatening if it bursts. These so-called aortic aneurysms typically form in the same sites of the large blood vessel: either on the upper arch or in the abdominal cavity.

In an emergency, ants bite off injured limbs of fellow ants to ensure their survival. Whether they take this radical step depends on the location of the wound. They exhibit a behaviour that was previously only known in humans: Florida carpenter ants ( Camponotus floridanus ) amputate limbs as a precautionary measure to save the lives of wounded conspecifics.

A guest commentary by biologists Niklas Kästner and Tobias Zimmermann, editors of the online magazine "ETHOlogisch - Verhalten verstehen" ("ETHOlogical - Understanding Behaviour") A mouse which disappears in a hole, a bee heading for a blossom, a blackbird in full-throated song - we are surrounded by animals which interact with their environment in certain ways.

International team use 1.8 billion letters of genetic code to build ground-breaking tree of life   An international study involving researchers from the University of Göttingen investigated the evolution of flowering plants in extraordinary detail using advanced DNA sequencing technology. The researchers discovered that there was an evolutionary explosive development of flowering plants producing enormous diversity.

Researchers at the Würzburg Helmholtz Institute for Infection Research led by RNA expert Chase Beisel have developed a new approach to DNA transformation and gene mutation in bacteria. Bacteria possess unique traits with great potential for benefiting society. However, current genetic engineering methods to harness these advantages are limited to a small fraction of bacterial species.

Researchers discover a genetic switch in plants that can turn simple spoon-shaped leaves into complex leaves with leaflets The diversity of forms of living organisms is enormous. But how the individual cells together coordinate the formation of organs and tissues in complex organisms is still an open question.

Newly discovered subtypes and sex differences create new approaches for drugs Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS for short, is a mysterious neurodegenerative disease that is almost always fatal. A consortium of researchers led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has systematically investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms of ALS.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are found throughout the human body and are involved in many complex signalling pathways. Despite their importance in many biological processes, the central mechanism of G protein-coupling and the associated signal transmission is not yet understood. A team of researchers from Leipzig University has succeeded in understanding the mechanism of signal transmission through an adrenaline-binding receptor at the atomic level.

A sensor for nitrogen could be hidden behind the extension of an enzyme for the breakdown of starch. If this sensor detects a high level of nitrogen, algal growth switches into turbo mode. Living organisms consist to a large extent of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) compounds. These have to be taken in with food or, in the case of plants, produced through photosynthesis.