NME’s weekly science dose (March 22-28)

This week, it’s genome-sequencing galore, and first up is the falcon.

So, who’s evolving faster: the falcon or the chicken?

In the game of hunter versus hunted, researchers sequencing the genomes of two species of falcon suggest that top predators need to adapt quickly if they are to stay at the top of their game and not risk being ousted from their predatory position.

In the case of the falcons – including the peregrine (the fastest creature on the planet capable of zipping at 320 kilometers per hour) and the saker – their genomes suggest that they are evolving at an accelerated rated when compared to birds such as turkey, chicken and zebra finch.

The finding, contributed to by Jun Wang from Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz University, supports earlier observations of a rapid rate of new species forming within the falcon lineage.

Another report on a genome sequenced this week features the red seaweed known as the Irish moss. While completely removed from the high speed predatory world of the falcon, this multicellular red algae seems to have quite a unique genome: it only has 9,606 genes, significantly less than even some unicellular algae.

To make sense of such a compact genome, the researchers, including Ahmed Mostafa from the American University in Cairo, hypothesise that more than a billion years ago, red algae experienced a massive loss of genetic material due to extreme environmental conditions. Had this loss not occurred, red algae might have gone on to colonize the terrestrial world – just like green algae, the ancestor of all land plants, did.

A third report highlights the draft sequencing of the genomes of two progenitor wheat species that played important roles in the evolution of modern wheat: Ae. tauschii and the wild einkorn wheat T. urartu.

The Ae. tauschii genome was found to contain a hefty 43,150 protein-coding genes. The data predicted the presence of genes encoding 159 previously unknown microRNAs, some of which may contribute to the ability of bread wheat to grow in low-nutrient soils.

The draft for T. urartu predicted 34,879 protein-coding genes. Its genome also had a slight expansion of the genes associated with disease resistance — containing nearly 600 such genes, compared to 460 in rice and just 106 in maize.

Beyond the hood

Hooked on caffeine? Scientists have just reported on genetically engineered E.Coli bacteria that literally live off of it. The researchers transferred the genetic gear for breaking down caffeine from a natural soil bacterium called Pseudomonas putida – which can actually live solely on caffeine – into E.coli, which is easy to handle and grow.

These can be used to then decaffeinate a drink or even measure the caffeine content of a beverage. Caffeine is already a common water pollutant thanks to its abundance in many drinks and medicines – these bacteria can help decaffeinate our water.

So how would you feel about some decaffeinating E.coli in your next drink?

While you think about that, consider this study just published in the journal Neuron on the nature of decision-making: it suggests that being given time to make a decision does not necessarily lead to making better decisions at all. That, at least, is the case among rats – who according to the study’s author have “surprisingly similar” decision-making processes to humans. Hmm.

In context of this study, when rats were challenged by a series of perceptual decision problems, they fared just as well whether they decided rapidly or took time to respond.

According to the lead author, neuroscientist Zachery Mainen, “There are many kinds of decisions, and for some, having more time appears to be of no help. In these cases, you’d better go with your intuition, and that’s what our subjects did.”