alleliola – BioQuakes

The term “long COVID ” has been thrown around frequently without a clear definition. In fact, it has no straight definition and is just as foggy as its symptoms suggest. New research on long COVID has revealed just why this syndrome is so nebulous and how to effectively avoid it.

The definition of long Covid varies between different public health bodies. Still, overall, it shares the idea that it is a condition characterized by unexplainable symptoms well after an initial COVID-19 infection. Such symptoms can commonly include memory issues (“brain fog”), cough, headaches, problems with taste and/or smell, and chronic fatigue. While the pathological mechanisms for long COVID aren’t entirely understood, research has pointed to the virus’s ability to disregulate the immune response. A dysregulation in the immune response would allow the virus to remain inside the body’s tissues long after the initial infection and prevent it from being adequately dealt with.

In AP Biology, we learned about the exact biochemical and cellular pathways essential to the immune response. Helper-T cells carry the information of an infection into the lymph and signal B-cells and other T-cells to divide. Cytotoxic-T cells destroy infected cells, and cytokines are biochemical transmitters that allow cells to communicate with each other. Long COVID attacks these basic functions by exhausting the Helper-T cells and preventing them from effectively signaling other cells. The virus also elevates the number of cytokines and cytotoxic-T cells, overwhelming the immune system with unneeded information and expending more energy on unnecessary cytotoxic-T cells that may start attacking uninfected cells. These attacks therefore weaken the immune system and allow for the effects of long COVID.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for long Covid, but there is a way to prevent it altogether. Avoiding infection by COVID-19 means that the effects of long COVID can never set in, so the best way to prevent these terrible symptoms is to stay as vigilant as possible and keep ourselves healthy. Do you know anyone with long COVID? If so, what have they done to cope with their symptoms? Let me know!

From Predator to Pollinator: How Ethiopian Wolves Supplement Their Diet

By alleliola

On January 12, 2025

In Student Post

Ethiopian Wolves, also known as Red Jackals, are among the most endangered canid species in the world. They inhabit the mountains of Southern Ethiopia, primarily feeding on rodents like Giant Mole Rats and a few other small mammals. However, a recent paper reveals that these predators also supplement their diet with something unexpected: nectar.

The specific plant that these canids enjoy is called the Ethiopian Red Hot Poker, named for its vibrant color and spear-like shape. The flowers of this plant produce an abundance of sugar-rich nectar to attract pollinators such as insects, birds, and small mammals. While various plants employ similar strategies, what sets the Ethiopian Red Hot Poker apart is the role of Ethiopian Wolves in the pollination cycle. This discovery makes Ethiopian Wolves one of the few large carnivores known to consume nectar and significantly contribute to pollination. Observations have shown that large amounts of pollen accumulate on the muzzles of these canids, which aids in the pollination of Red Hot Pokers when the wolves feed from different flowers.

In our AP Biology class, we have been working on a pollination project throughout the school year. In this project, we collect pollen from flowers and manually transfer it to other flowers to facilitate fertilization. This practice is a form of artificial selection, as humans determine which plants reproduce based on specific characteristics. Nonetheless, it mirrors natural instances such as those involving Ethiopian Wolves. Have any of you observed pollination assisted by mammals before? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Breaking It Down: Solutions in the ER

By alleliola

On December 16, 2024

In Student Post

New research on the digestion of the ER inside the cell has led researchers even closer to discovering how to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Using high-tech supercomputers, scientists were able to simulate ER-phagy more precisely than ever before.

It had been understood for a while that ER-phagy occurred when sections of the ER pinched off into vesicles, which were then destroyed by specialized enzymes. ER-phagy receptor proteins, attached to the ER membrane, help to guide these enzymes to the digestion sites and aid in the curvature of the ER. However, new research has shown the exact importance of these ER-phagy receptor proteins. These proteins, which form long chains referred to as “tentacles,” are made up of amino acids called IDRs. These IDRs were observed to act as a kind of scaffolding essential for the ER-phagy receptors to function, something that wasn’t fully understood before the recent computer simulations.

With this research, scientists can better understand the vital role IDRs play in ER-phagy, which many scientists believe will help them understand and treat certain types of congenital neurological diseases associated with the rough ER.

This research is directly related to our unit on cellular function in AP Biology. The ER, or Endoplasmic Reticulum, is an essential part of the cell that synthesizes lipids and proteins. The rough ER is used specifically for the synthesis of proteins. Unlike the smooth ER, the rough ER has ribosomes attached to its membrane, which allows for the proteins to be moved to the Golgi Apparatus. In a malfunction of the IDRs essential for recycling, damaged ERs can cause waste to build up in the cells, ultimately causing many diseases. Not only this, but without a regularly functioning rough ER, the cell can not make the proteins and lipids needed to function. Do you all think this research will lead to any kind of treatment for these diseases? Let me know!

BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Author: alleliola

Long Covid: a Hazy Mind, and a Hazier Definition.

From Predator to Pollinator: How Ethiopian Wolves Supplement Their Diet

Breaking It Down: Solutions in the ER

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