Biochemistry News and Research

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Atomic Structure of Kinesin-2 Reveals the Molecular Logic of Cargo Recognition

For decades, scientists have known that motor proteins like kinesin-2 ferry vital cargo along microtubule "highways" inside cells.

7 Nov 2025

Hidden Role of Biliverdin Reductase A in Fighting Oxidative Damage

According to a new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, the enzyme biliverdin reductase A (BVRA) protects neurons directly from oxidative stress, regardless of whether it produces the yellow pigment bilirubin.

5 Nov 2025

Scientists Uncover How "P Bodies" Guide Stem Cells to Their Destinies

How do stem cells know what to become? Nearly three decades after scientists isolated the first human embryonic stem cells, researchers are still working hard to understand precisely how a single, undifferentiated cell can become any one of the roughly 200 cell types that make up the human body.

4 Nov 2025

Enzyme BVRA Found to Shield Neurons from Oxidative Stress

New research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that the enzyme biliverdin reductase A (BVRA) plays a direct protective role against oxidative stress in neurons, independent of its role producing the yellow pigment bilirubin.

4 Nov 2025

TUM Researchers Discover Molecular Switch Controlling Programmed Cell Death

In the fight against disease, programmed cell death – also known as apoptosis – is a key protective function of the body.

4 Nov 2025

Cross-Ancestry Genomic Study Identifies Thirteen Genes Linked to Obesity

Obesity is a global epidemic affecting millions of people every day and is associated with comorbidities ranging from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes to osteoarthritis and social stigma.

31 Oct 2025

Protein Dysfunction Could be the Cause of Diseases Resulting From Shortened Telomeres

New research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison reveals that dysfunction in a protein essential to maintaining stability in our chromosomes may be responsible for serious - and sometimes deadly - diseases.

31 Oct 2025

How Gut Bacteria Influence Mammalian Cell Physiology

The microbiome-the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live quietly in our body-plays a crucial role in shaping human health by providing a variety of micronutrients necessary for vital functions.

30 Oct 2025

Researchers Uncover How Pseudomonas Bacteria Sense and Build Biofilms

The bacterium known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an unwelcome visitor in the human body. Serious infections can result when a bunch of these bugs settle together on a surface to form a biofilm - a community of microbes like the slime on spoiled food, but in this case residing inside a person.

29 Oct 2025

Discovery of Glucocorticoid Receptor Multimerization Opens Path to Safer Therapies

Drugs to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases - such as asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis or Chrousos syndrome - act mainly through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR).

28 Oct 2025

Innovative Fluorescent Technique Sheds Light on Cellular Lipid Transport

Lipids are fatty molecules that play critical roles in cell function, including membrane structure, energy storage and nutrient absorption.

17 Oct 2025

Rare Spacecraft Bacterium Could Possibly Evade Detection by Entering Dormancy

A rare microorganism found in an unexpected environment may be evading detection by "playing dead," according to microbiologists at the University of Houston.

10 Oct 2025

Multiple Genetic Changes Play Key Role in the Development of Complex Disorders

The genetic roots of a disease or disorder do not always grow into clear cut, easily diagnosed clinical features.

8 Oct 2025

Comprehensive Proteomic Analysis with COOKIE-Pro Reveals Drug Affinity and Reactivity

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a powerful new data analysis method named COOKIE-Pro (Covalent Occupancy Kinetic Enrichment via Proteomics) that provides a comprehensive, unbiased view of how a class of drugs, called covalent inhibitors, interacts with proteins throughout the cell.

30 Sep 2025

Study Reveals How Lymphatic Cells Preserve Immune Memory

A study published today in Nature Communications describes how lymphatic endothelial cells assist in generating robust immune memory, offering new insights into how the immune system functions.

26 Sep 2025

Cryo-EM Study Uncovers Hidden Steps in NMDA Receptor Activation

When it comes to brain proteins, small changes can make a dramatic difference. Researchers studying NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, which are essential for learning, memory and moment-by-moment consciousness, know that even slight changes in their activity level can mean the difference between normal function and serious neurological disorders.

25 Sep 2025