PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Fight or flight and the evolution of pain

Recent highlights in Molecular Biology and Evolution

2014-01-08
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Joe Caspermeyer
MBEpress@gmail.com
480-258-8972
Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press)
Fight or flight and the evolution of pain Recent highlights in Molecular Biology and Evolution Hard wired into the survival mechanisms of all animals is the perception of pain. Different stimuli, such as heat or cold, foul odors, chemicals or a blunt blow can trigger pain receptors in the body that, in the blink of an eye, jolt the body into classic fight or flight responses.

Researcher Shigeru Saito, et. al. have performed the first evolutionary analysis of pain response in chickens by isolating the genes for pain receptors called TRPA1. They were able to examine the function of the receptor using different stimuli and in comparison with other vertebrate species. They found that heat stimulation activated chicken TRPA1, sharing similar thermal properties with other cold blood animals such as frog and reptile TRPA1 rather than mammalian and human TRPA1.

In addition, they identified for the first time in chickens that methyl anthranilate (MA), a repellent chemical for birds, also activates chicken TRPA1. MA-induced activity of TRPA1 varied among diverse vertebrate species and three key amino acid residues involved in the TRPA1 activity by MA were identified. The findings add to the understanding of the functional evolution of TRPA1 and its sensitivity to heat as well as its diversification among vertebrate species.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Mega-landslide in giant Utah copper mine may have triggered earthquakes

2014-01-08
Mega-landslide in giant Utah copper mine may have triggered earthquakes January 2014 GSA Today science article Boulder, Colorado, USA – Landslides are one of the most hazardous aspects of our planet, causing billions of dollars in damage and thousands of deaths each year. ...

Of lice and men (and chimps): Study tracks pace of molecular evolution

2014-01-08
Of lice and men (and chimps): Study tracks pace of molecular evolution CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study compares the relative rate of molecular evolution between humans and chimps with that of their lice. The researchers wanted to know whether evolution ...

Is multitasking mastery in the genes?

2014-01-08
Is multitasking mastery in the genes? Human factors/ergonomics researchers have long studied the connection between cognitive function and the ability to perform well on multiple simultaneous tasks, and recently a group of neuroergonomics researchers went a ...

Childhood fractures may indicate bone-density problems

2014-01-08
Childhood fractures may indicate bone-density problems ROCHESTER, Minn. — Broken bones may seem like a normal part of an active childhood. About 1 in 3 otherwise healthy children suffers a bone fracture. Breakage of the bone running from the elbow to the thumb side of the ...

Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy

2014-01-08
Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 7, 2014 — Among cigarette smokers, combining the smoking cessation medications varenicline and bupropion, compared with varenicline alone, resulted in higher smoking ...

New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma

2014-01-08
New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma Reston, Va. (January 7, 2014) – With low survival rates for patients with metastasized melanoma, accurate staging and effective treatments are critical to extending ...

Pandora's magnifying glass

2014-01-08
Pandora's magnifying glass First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields This image of Abell 2744 is the first to come from Hubble's Frontier Fields observing programme, which is using the magnifying power of enormous galaxy clusters to peer deep ...

Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager

2014-01-08
Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager After nearly a decade of development, construction and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging and analyzing planets orbiting around other stars is pointing ...

Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies

2014-01-08
Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies UC Riverside-led research shows the galaxies are the faintest and most numerous ever seen in the early universe RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A team of scientists led by astronomers at the University ...

Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity

2014-01-08
Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity A protein directs appetite suppressor in the brain; implications for obesity treatment BOSTON (January 7, 2014, 5:00 pm ET) — A new neuroscience study sheds light on the biological underpinnings ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Idaho National Laboratory accelerates nuclear energy projects with Amazon Web Services cloud and AI technologies

Kavraki elected to European Academy of Sciences

UK teens who currently vape as likely to start smoking as their peers in the 1970s

Higher ultra processed food intake linked to increased lung cancer risk

Exercise rehab lessens severity, frequency + recurrence of irregular heart rhythm (AF)

Deep heat beneath the United States traced to ancient rift with Greenland

Animals in national parks remained wary of human footprint during 2020 COVID shutdown

Stevens INI receives prestigious contract to advance women’s brain health

Fulbright funds OU professor’s biodiversity research

Antiviral treatment fails to slow early-stage Alzheimer’s

Can African countries meet 2030 childhood immunization goals?

Low pre-pregnancy blood sugar linked with higher risk of preterm birth, other risks

AI reveals language links between Reddit groups for hate speech, psychiatric disorders

A fast daily walk could extend your life: Study

Genome sequencing of butterflies resolves centuries-old conundrum

U-M study: E-cigarettes could unravel decades of tobacco control

Blending technologies may help coral offspring blossom

Research alert: Cannabis use disorder triples risk of oral cancer

Brown University to lead national institute focused on intuitive, trustworthy AI assistants

On track to produce better lab-grown burgers

Class divided: How Aussie highschoolers are separated on ability

Polygenic architecture of dental caries: single nucleotide polymorphisms in genetic epidemiology

Interrater reliability of the Nancy Histologic Index in assessing histologic remission in treated ulcerative colitis biopsies: a multi-institutional experience among gastrointestinal pathologists in t

Physical inactivity crisis costing US $192 billion annually, new study reveals

Groundbreaking research to identify early signs of multiple sclerosis

Designing drones that can fly in air ducts

With no need for sleep or food, AI-built ‘scientists’ get the job done quickly

Blood tests show potential for colorectal cancer detection, but follow-up still falls short

A twangy timbre cuts through the noise

How does the immune system prepare for breastfeeding?

[Press-News.org] Fight or flight and the evolution of pain
Recent highlights in Molecular Biology and Evolution