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U of T researcher discovers key protein involved in DNA repair

*Discovery gives insight into the way cells protect their own genetic material* 

In a groundbreaking study, U of T researchers including Professors Daniel Durocher, AnneClaude Gingras and Frank Sicheri have uncovered a protein called OTUB1 that blocks DNA damage in the cell—a discovery that may lead to the development of strategies to improve some cancer therapies.

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The Natural World of the Human Mouth

According to scientists, the number of species of microorganisms that permanently reside in the human oral cavity amounts to 200-500. Of those, only fifty are named and studied. They have various looks: balloons, ovoids, bacilli, those that look like corn on the cob, bottle brushes, spirals, zippers, etc. What of the inhabitants of the mouth are our enemies, and what are friends?

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Deep Plumes of Oil Could Cause Dead Zones in the Gulf

WASHINGTON — A new simulation of oil and methane leaked into the Gulf of Mexico suggests that deep hypoxic zones or “dead zones” could form near the source of the pollution.  

The research investigates five scenarios of oil and methane plumes at different depths and incorporates an estimated rate of flow from the Deepwater Horizon spill, which released oil and methane gas into the Gulf from April to mid July of this year.

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Asteroid Found in Gravitational “Dead Zone”

Washington, D.C.—There are places in space where the gravitational tug between a planet and the Sun balance out, allowing other smaller bodies to remain stable. These places are called Lagrangian points. So-called Trojan asteroids have been found in some of these stable spots near Jupiter and Neptune. Trojans share their planet’s orbit and help astronomers understand how the planets formed and how the solar system evolved.

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