Objects with similar functions are judged to be similar "kinds of things," even when they have few directly-observable properties in common. How do people learn such "functional" similarity? One possibility is that objects ...

Cytokinesis is the final phase of cell division in which a single cell is physically separated into two daughter cells. This is accomplished by constricting the acto-myosin contractile ring and inserting new membrane along ...

DNA synthesis is a complex process that is regulated at the stage of initiation of DNA replication. In bacteria, replication initiation occurs at the origin of replication (ori), where multiple molecular interactions occur. ...

Iron is an important micronutrient that is necessary for multiple cellular functions. However, iron levels must be tightly regulated in order to prevent iron-deficiency and iron-toxicity. There are many proteins involved ...

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is the preferred turfgrass species for golf course putting greens because of its high shoot density and tolerance for low mowing which results in a smooth, fast playing surface. ...

Within the past century, the copepod Eurytemora affinis have invaded freshwater from saline sources throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Two genetically divergent clades (Atlantic and North Atlantic) of E. affinis coexist ...

Community ecologists frequently assume that impacts of invasive species are negative, but this assertion is poorly supported in the literature. To test this, we surveyed 10 sites invaded with the biennial herb Alliaria ...

Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein Delta9 desaturase (Delta9D) from Ricinus communis converts stearic acid into monounsaturated oleic acid and functions to maintain the lipid composition of the cell membrane. While the desaturase ...

Pathogenic fungi have a major impact on human health. There is a lack of good therapies and some pathogenic fungi are resistant to the existing treatments. One possible target for treatment is covalently bonded cell wall ...