Bacteria are single celled organisms that can live together in communities called biofilms. These biofilms consist of a structural matrix consisting of polysaccharide gel secreted by the bacteria, with the bacteria living ...

In recent years, the previously neglected 3’ untranslated region (UTR) has gained recognition as a critical region in the regulation of gene expression. Numerous studies have been conducted on disease-associated 3’ UTR ...

Vernalization is the acquisition of the competence to flower upon exposure to prolonged winter cold. The physical conditions that promote vernalization have been analyzed here in the model legume, Medicago truncatula. The ...

Abstract Sea urchins fulfil a vital role as a simple scientific model organism and as such have remained a well-used tool in the study of embryonic development and immunology. Sea urchins are known to be immunologically ...

Breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer for New Zealand (NZ) women aged between 25-75 years. Breast cancer generally exhibits familial aggregation, consistent with variation in genetic susceptibility to the disease. ...

Ferric iron-chelating siderophores are produced by microorganisms to compete for and sequester iron, an essential but potentially toxic micronutrient. <i>Epichloё festucae</i>, a filamentous fungus that is mutualistically ...

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium, which is a common cause of hospital acquired infections. Numerous antibiotic resistant strains exist, emphasising the need for developing new antimicrobials. ...

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) are a group of debilitating and fatal neurodegenerative diseases of childhood resulting from progressive brain atrophy. The human and ovine variant late infantile CLN6 (ceroid lipofuscinosis ...

The formation of the ovarian follicles and the subsequent recruitment to proceed to ovulation is a complex mechanism involving both local and external signals. Early hormonal unresponsive follicles develop to a mature ...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of premature death in New Zealand and in the developed world. Numerous epidemiological studies have identified elevated plasma levels (>500 mg/l) of the cholesterol-rich ...