national institute for basic biology japan

How The Venus Flytrap Remembers Without A Brain

No brain? No problem! Through changes in calcium ion concentration, the Venus flytrap can store ‘memories’ of its prey.

Supercharging Seed Oil Production

By extending the length of time that oil synthesis-related genes are active, researchers have increased seed oil production by 140-170 percent.

To Be A Sperm Or An Egg?

Female fish without the foxl3 gene produce fully functional sperm instead of eggs in their ovaries.

Keeping Mammalian Sperm Production Flowing

The maintainance of stem cells during mouse spermatogenesis depends on hierarchical differences in response to retinoic acid, study says.

The Role Of Hormones In Fishy Love Triangles

Male medaka unable to produce the hormone vasotocin lose out in love triangles, research shows.

New Route From Shoot To Root In Legumes

Scientists have uncovered how legumes transport cytokinins from the shoots to the roots to balance between nodulation and growth.

How Salmon Sense Seasons

Japanese researchers have identified an area in the salmon brain that functions as an internal clock to sense seasonal changes in day length.

Turtle Shells Evolved By Recruiting Genes Involved In Limb Development

An international team of scientists has analyzed the genomes of two turtle species, shedding light on how the turtle’s shell may have evolved.

KNOX2 Gene Helps Plants Become Diploid, Study

Researchers have identified a particular gene that regulates the transition between stages of the life cycle in land plants.