PHOTO: TUFTS UNIVERSITY, ISTOCK
Flatworms grow heads of other species
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGYWhen it comes to healing, Marvel’s Wolverine has
nothing on flatworms: the unassuming invertebrates
are able to regenerate any part of their bodes after
amputation. But now a team at Tufts University has
taught them a new trick: growing the heads and
brains of other species.
The researchers were able to induce the growth
of different head and brain shapes in Girardia
dororocephala flatworms by manipulating protein
channels that enable their cells to communicate
via electrical signals. The changes altered the
distribution of the worms’ adult stem cells but
left their genome untouched, suggesting that
differences in species could be determined by
the activity of bioelectrical networks. The more
closely related the two species, the more readily the
change occurred, suggesting the process may be
exploited by evolution to alter animal body plans.
The research could lead to new treatments for birth
defects or for those who’ve lost a limb.
“We’ve demonstrated that the electrical
connections between cells provide important
information for species-specific patterning of the
head during regeneration in planarian flatworms,”
said researcher Maya Emmons-Bell. “This kind
of information will be crucial for advances
in regenerative medicine, as well as a better
understanding of evolutionary biology.”Now this really is green energy.
Researchers at Concordia
University, Canada have designed
a battery that harnesses electrical
energy from the photosynthesis
and respiration of blue-green algae.
Also known as cyanobacteria,
blue-green algae are among the
most abundant microorganisms
on Earth, occupying a broad
range of habitats from hot
springs to Antarctic rocks and
deserts. “By taking advantage of
a process that occurs constantly
all over the world, we’ve created
a new and scalable technology
that could lead to cheaper ways of
generating carbon-free energy,”said Muthukumaran Packirisamy,
lead author of the study.
Like regular batteries, the
cells have an anode, or negative
terminal, and a cathode, or positive
terminal. Algae in the anode
chamber undergo photosynthesis,
releasing electrons on the
electrode’s surface, and when an
external device is connected to the
cell these electrons are extracted,
producing an electrical current.
“By trapping the electrons
released during photosynthesis
and respiration, we can harness the
electrical energy algae produce
naturally,” said Packirisamy. “But we
have a lot of work to do in terms
of scaling the power cell to make
the project commercial.”
The team hope the technology
may eventually be used to replace
conventional batteries in tablets,
smartphones and other devices.BIOTECHNOLOGYBatteries
made of algae
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