Molecular Biology News and Research

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Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis as well as learning how these interactions are regulated.

New hexameric structure of the protein triggering antibiotic resistance discovered

All living organisms require DNA replication to ensure the genetic integrity of the following generation. On the other hand, bacteria have the ability to horizontally transfer genetic information to other bacteria.

6 Feb 2023

Structure of amyloid fibers formed by the protein hnRNPDL-2 determined

Using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), UAB researchers determined the structure of amyloid fibers formed by the protein hnRNPDL-2, which has been linked to limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 3 and concluded that the protein’s inability to form amyloid ﬁbers, rather than aggregation, would be the cause of the disease.

6 Feb 2023

Groundbreaking discovery could lead to new ways of controlling gene regulation

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have discovered a method cells use to turn genes on and off that involves portions of proteins whose function has long been a mystery.

6 Feb 2023

Study identifies genetic mutation in the SPTSSA gene as cause of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

A genetic mutation in the SPTSSA gene is identified as the cause of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, a rare disease that causes progressive weakness, stiffness and spasticity in the lower extremities, according to a study, "SPTSSA variants alter sphingolipid synthesis and cause a complex hereditary spastic paraplegia," published in Brain on on Jan. 30.

1 Feb 2023

Deletion of p16Ink4a cells does not negatively impact β-cell mass and proliferation in mice

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (listed as "Aging (Albany NY)" by Medline/PubMed and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 2, entitled, "Clearance of p16Ink4a-positive cells in a mouse transgenic model does not change β-cell mass and has limited effects on their proliferative capacity."

1 Feb 2023

Learning about cellular proteins through “snapshots” of translation

Pep-tRNAs, nascent polypeptides inside the ribosome that are covalently connected to transfer RNA, are engaged in a variety of cell processes, including gene expression, according to advances in molecular biology.

1 Feb 2023

Scientists receive $10 million from HHMI for research on using viruses as therapeutic agents

Taking a bold step into a new era of biology, a team of scientists from the University of California San Diego, the J. Craig Venter Institute and Yale University has been awarded $10 million by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support research on using viruses as new therapeutic agents.

27 Jan 2023

Researchers discover new transporter for recycling of bacterial cell wall

A transporter which some bacteria use to recycle fragments of their cell wall has been discovered by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden.

27 Jan 2023

Using fungi to transform ocean plastic waste into key pharmaceutical components

Research on fungi underway at the University of Kansas has helped transform tough-to-recycle plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean into key components for making pharmaceuticals.

18 Jan 2023

Elucidation of mitochondrial membrane pore formation

Human metabolism depends on mitochondria, which are regarded as the power plants of cells. But since 40% of the proteins in the mitochondria are dysfunctional and are linked to human diseases, mitochondria also play a significant role in medical research.

6 Jan 2023

Discovery of a new cellular element crucial to sense of smell

Researchers at Umeå University have found an organelle, a previously unidentified cellular component, inside the neurons that are responsible for the ability to smell. The finding might have repercussions for future studies on COVID-19 symptoms like impaired smell sense.

5 Jan 2023

Analyzing progenitor fate and dynamics long after embryonic development

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, they have devised a computer model called quantitative fate mapping that looks back in time to track the origin of cells in a fully grown organism.

14 Dec 2022

New 3D organoid model reveals a possible biological target for treating GEJ cancers

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have created a laboratory-grown three-dimensional "organoid" model that is derived from human tissue and designed to advance understanding about how early stages of cancer develop at the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) — the point where the digestive system's food tube meets the stomach.

2 Dec 2022

Study unravels a novel function of the gene scissors

Many years earlier, the CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors have been making a sensation in science and medicine. This new tool of molecular biology consists of its origins in an ancient bacterial immune system.

28 Nov 2022

Improving potential of cellular therapies with CAR T therapy

CAR T cells, or engineered immune cells, have demonstrated to the world the potential of customized immunotherapies to treat blood cancers. Researchers have just released highly encouraging preliminary data for CAR T therapy in a small group of lupus patients.

25 Nov 2022

Breakthrough on the way to new therapeutic strategies

As far as the field of cancer research is concerned, hollow spheres composed of MYC proteins sets the stage. Researchers from Würzburg have found them out and have reported this discovery in the Nature journal.

25 Nov 2022

Statistical methodology uncovers changes in genomic data

A novel statistical technique makes it easier to find biologically significant changes in genomic data that span multiple conditions, like cell types or tissues.

From Penn State University 15 Nov 2022

Understanding the architectures of proteins and the machinery at genes

Researchers from Cornell University have discovered a crucial mechanism in how genes are controlled thanks to yeast, a small organism that is necessary for the production of beer and bread.

1 Nov 2022

Innovative method opens myriad new avenues for understanding the biology behind COVID-19

A highly innovative method using the latest technology has generated a comprehensive list of SARS-CoV-2 viral and human proteins that interact with each other, with one such interaction showing the virus directly influencing proteins that regulate the human immune system.

18 Oct 2022

The mechanism behind the satiating effect of milk protein

Quark and cheese are primarily casein-based in terms of protein content. The stomach’s digestion of casein results in the production of protein fragments (peptides) that have an unpleasant flavor, despite casein itself not having a bitter flavor.

13 Oct 2022