Structural Biology News and Research

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Breakthrough Small Molecule Offers New Hope for Diabetes Treatment

Researchers from the University at Albany and NYU Grossman School of Medicine have found a way to block a key cellular pathway known to drive chronic inflammation and impaired wound healing in people with diabetes.

31 Oct 2025

Mapping the Molecular Choreography of Nuclear Pore Transport

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are tiny but sophisticated gatekeepers that control the flow of materials between a cell's nucleus and its cytoplasm by quickly selecting which molecules to transport across the nuclear membrane.

22 Oct 2025

Task-Specific Machine Learning Architecture Enhances Drug Discovery Accuracy

The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds-those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties-at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path to clinical trials.

17 Oct 2025

Structural Insights into Heat Shock Chaperone Complex and Protein Handoffs

The first full-length structures of two heat shock chaperone proteins in a complex reveal the key structural region regulating their function, according to a new study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

15 Oct 2025

New Insights Into How Pathogens Build Protein Machinery for Survival in the Gut

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Liverpool, has revealed how pathogenic bacteria construct tiny protein-based compartments, known as Eut microcompartments, which enable them to digest ethanolamine - a nutrient commonly found in the gut.

3 Oct 2025

Protein Networks Expose New Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's

A recent study conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai provides one of the most thorough insights to date regarding the interactions of brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease, illustrating protein networks that expose communication breakdowns and highlight potential new therapeutic avenues for treatment.

26 Sep 2025

Enhancing Genome Editing Through Systematic CAST Optimization

Natural systems such as CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) offer a targetable, one-step way to edit genomes.

25 Sep 2025

Study Uncovers the Molecular Basis of Synapse Development

A team of scientists from the University of Cologne’s Institute of Biochemistry has discovered a significant finding about the molecular basis of synapse development in the central nervous system.

22 Sep 2025

Discovery of R-Loops Reveals Key Vulnerability in HIV-1 Life Cycle

Researchers at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Heidelberg University Hospital have decoded a previously unknown mechanism by which HIV-1 selects its integration targets in the human genome.

17 Sep 2025

Tracing Origins of Wnt Signaling Through the Lipocone Superfamily

Researchers have described a large set of previously unrecognized enzymatic domains – named the Lipocone superfamily – and outlined their evolutionary pathway from bacterial defense molecules to key players in human development.

10 Sep 2025

Simple Peptides Mimic Natural Protein Protection to Revolutionize Biomolecule Stability

A new study from researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) reveals that extremely simple peptides can mimic a biological process that protects sensitive proteins from environmental stress.

6 Aug 2025

Scientists Uncover New Activation Mechanism of the Human Sweet Taste Receptor

Sweet taste receptors are proteins in taste buds that detect sugar and other sweeteners, but the mechanism underlying how they elicit a sweet response has been unclear.

5 Aug 2025

New Method Enables Precise Fatty Acid Delivery Without Albumin

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential to cell membrane formation, energy storage, and lipid metabolism. Yet, delivering them for research remains a challenge due to their insolubility in water and the reliance on albumin to facilitate transport.

23 Jul 2025

Researchers Combine AI and CRISPR to Rejuvenate Ovarian Function

Ovarian aging, characterized by diminishing egg reserves and quality, affects millions of women worldwide, often leading to infertility.

21 Jul 2025

New Chordata Olfactory Receptor Database Offers Insight into the Genetics of Scent

Olfactory receptors (ORs) are key to how animals perceive their surroundings, guiding behaviors like foraging, mating, and avoiding danger.

1 Jul 2025

Novel Strategy for Combating High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction

Research on receptor FFA2 reveals how different activators influence metabolic processes, paving the way for innovative treatments for diabetes and obesity.

20 Jun 2025

Histone Variant H2AZ1 Identified as Key Driver of Stem Cell Aging

Cellular senescence-a state of irreversible growth arrest accompanied by chronic inflammation-is a major contributor to aging and tissue degeneration.

18 Jun 2025

Targeting iRhom2 to Control ADAM17-Related Diseases

The atomic structures of ADAM17 and iRhom2, revealed by UC researchers, offer new avenues for developing precise treatments for chronic inflammatory conditions.

16 Jun 2025

Cryo-EM Structures Reveal How IVD Mutations Cause Isovaleric Acidemia

IVD is a key enzyme in leucine catabolism, catalyzing the conversion of isovaleryl-CoA to 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA.

10 Jun 2025

Cryo-EM/ET Reveals Dynamic Architecture of Key Metabolic Enzyme

Recent cryo-EM research reveals the dynamic architecture of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, enhancing understanding of its role in metabolism and disease.

2 Jun 2025