Discovered just two decades ago, tiny molecules called microRNAs are now known to be powerful agents in regulating gene expression. Yet they aren’t well understood. A team of UNL biologists has uncovered important clues about how plant cells regulate microRNAs, a step toward better understanding how crops respond to stress, such as droughts.
The Nebraska Center for Virology will hold its 13th annual Symposium in Virology on Oct. 11 in the Nebraska Union. The daylong, free symposium begins with a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and concludes with a poster session/wine and cheese reception during which attendees will have the opportunity to visit with presenters. Registration for participants and poster presenters is Oct. 4.
In recent weeks, UNL’s Paul Johnsgard has published three new books. The ornithologist and emeritus professor of biological sciences has now published 61 books. Johnsgard's three recent publications are, "Yellowstone Wildlife: Ecology and Natural History of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem," "Bird and Birding in the Bighorn Mountains Region of Wyoming," and "The Birds of Nebraska."
UNL ecologist John DeLong has helped confirm that birds' migratory speeds and pathways are largely affected by body size rather than physical limitations. The study, which featured 102 bird species in the lower 48 states, was published in the journal Ecology.