Tag Archives: genetics

York U study: European ancestry plays role in ‘killer’ honey bees’ aggressiveness

TORONTO, July 7, 2020 – What causes African hybrid honey bees (AHB), also known as killer bees, to be highly defensive and aggressive? York University researchers have found it was the mixing of African and European genetics that led to hyper-aggression in this invasive strain of honey bees. AHBs are a genetics experiment gone wrong. […]

Inbreeding and disease are factors in decline of yellow-banded bumblebee, York U study

TORONTO, ON, Aug. 13, 2018 – By sequencing the genome of the yellow-banded bumblebee, York University researchers have found that inbreeding and disease are likely culprits in their rapid decline in North America. This is believed to be the first time the genome of an at-risk bumblebee has been sequenced and it allows researchers to […]

Popular class of drugs reverses potentially harmful genetic changes from heart disease

TORONTO, Tuesday, July 4, 2017 – Beta blockers are commonly used world-wide to treat a variety of cardiovascular conditions, such as arrhythmias and heart failure. Scientists have known for decades that the medications work by slowing the heart rate and reducing the force of contraction – lessening the burden of work carried out by the […]