Structural Biology News and Research

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Programming DNA Robots to Prod Cell Membranes

In this interview, we speak to Dr. Matthew Baker about his latest research that led to the programming of DNA 'robots' that are able to prod cell membranes.

From The University of New South Wales (UNSW) 14 Feb 2022

Study suggests Cx43 hemichannels as potential new target for osteoporosis treatments

Channels on the surface of bone cells called osteocytes help build stronger bones in response to mechanical stress, shows a study published today in eLife.

9 Feb 2022

Researchers discover a sustainable approach for drug development

Although several people think of medicines as purely synthetic compounds, nature is an important element of most of the medications humans depend on.

4 Feb 2022

Cryo-ET reveals mechanisms underlying gene mutations that lead to blindness

Researchers have discovered the structural determinants of the highly specialized rod outer segments membrane architecture of the eye, which plays a crucial role in vision.

7 Jan 2022

Unraveling how DNAzymes work in real time

DNAzymes are precision biocatalysts that destroy unwanted RNA molecules. However, major obstacles to their use in medicine remain.

23 Dec 2021

Scientists unravel the structure of octopus-like Lassa viral polymerase

Endemic in Western African countries, Lassa virus is transmitted to humans through food or household items that are contaminated with the urine or faeces of Mastomys rats.

7 Dec 2021

Creating a Biological Clock in a Test Tube

We speak to researchers from the UC San Diego Center for Circadian Biology about their latest research that led to the development of a biological clock in a test tube.

From UC San Diego 6 Dec 2021

UD biochemist explores how mRNA eraser enzymes work in our cells

University of Delaware biochemist Jeff Mugridge is trying to figure out how so-called mRNA eraser enzymes work in our cells, why those erasers can sometimes misbehave and lead to cancer, and how science can pave the way for possible solutions to this problem.

25 Nov 2021

Research demonstrates how diet affects immunity through the gut microbiome

The cliché "you are what you eat" has been used for hundreds of years to illustrate the link between diet and health. Now, an international team of researchers has found the molecular proof of this concept, demonstrating how diet ultimately affects immunity through the gut microbiome.

From Harvard Medical School 17 Nov 2021

Scientists use AI and evolutionary analysis to produce 3D models of eukaryotic protein interactions

UT Southwestern and University of Washington researchers led an international team that used artificial intelligence (AI) and evolutionary analysis to produce 3D models of eukaryotic protein interactions.

17 Nov 2021

Horse hyperimmune antibody may be an efficient approach to combat SARS-CoV-2

A study conducted by a consortium of Brazilian researchers has demonstrated that a hyperimmune serum consisting of purified antibody fragments produced in horses may be an efficient approach to combat covid-19.

27 Oct 2021

Scientists use DNA to create what may be the world's tiniest ruler for measuring proteins

As scientists have probed the mysteries of life down to smaller and smaller scales, they have invented tools to help them understand what they observe.

22 Oct 2021

Researchers refine cryogenic electron microscopy technique

In the late 1600s, the Dutch tradesman Anthoni van Leeuwenhoek began investigating the world of the very small using the first microscope, discovering a riotous world of protists, bacteria, and other previously unseen organisms.

18 Oct 2021

Researchers reconstitute the biological clock to better understand circadian rhythms

Daily cycles in virtually every aspect of our physiology are driven by biological clocks (also called circadian clocks) in our cells.

From University of California Santa Cruz 8 Oct 2021

Study pinpoints means to restore the efficacy of drugs for acute myeloid leukemia

Researchers elucidate why certain drugs, in clinical trials, for treating a kind of acute myeloid leukemia often fail and revealed a means to restore their efficacy.

1 Oct 2021

New map provides a reference to predict which antibodies are effective against SARS-CoV-2

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have published a detailed map of where human antibodies bind to SARS-CoV-2, a map that was generated by a global collaboration comparing nearly all leading clinical candidates.

24 Sep 2021

ASU receives $12.5 million for the development of new Biological Integration Institute

The National Science Foundation has announced the award of $12.5 million to Arizona State University for the development of a new Biological Integration Institute.

17 Sep 2021

Stanford researchers use machine learning approach to solve structural biology challenges

Determining the 3D shapes of biological molecules is one of the hardest problems in modern biology and medical discovery. Companies and research institutions often spend millions of dollars to determine a molecular structure – and even such massive efforts are frequently unsuccessful.

27 Aug 2021

Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins create antibody-resistant variants

Researchers have identified how mutations on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein separately create variants that are potentially resistant to antibodies.

1 Jul 2021

Study decodes the activation mechanism of immune cells

Chemokines are small proteins that adhere to these chemokine receptors and regulate the behavior and movement of white blood cells.

17 Jun 2021