Crystallography News and Research

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First atomic-level structure of 'oil-eating' enzyme paves way for bioengineered catalysts

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have produced the first atomic-level structure of an enzyme that selectively cuts carbon-hydrogen bonds-;the first and most challenging step in turning simple hydrocarbons into more useful chemicals.

31 Mar 2023

New insights into how different countries' research establishments respond to disease outbreaks

In a new study, researchers examined how a country's number of published 3D protein structures for coronaviruses, including the one responsible for COVID-19, correlated with its economic output and population.

27 Mar 2023

New antibody "cocktail" may help counter the Lassa virus

The finding, made with the use of the Advanced Photon Source, shows a new way to exploit monoclonal antibodies to subvert the "shield" of the virus, potentially paving the way for new therapies.

20 Mar 2023

Novel framework provides solutions to evade detoxification networks

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have demonstrated how drug makers can avoid two key problems: toxicity and resistance. The researchers made slight changes to a small molecule to reduce its metabolism and elimination by the cellular detoxification network regulated by the pregnane X receptor (PXR). This research provides a framework to develop solutions to the long-standing issue of how to evade detoxification networks using medicinal chemistry. The findings were published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1 Mar 2023

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

Newly discovered enzyme tells specific molecules precisely how to arrange themselves

Just as a choreographer's notation tells a dancer to strike a particular pose, an enzyme newly discovered by Rice University scientists is able to tell specific molecules precisely how to arrange themselves, down to the angle of single hydrogen bonds.

30 Jan 2023

AI develops first-ever functional artificial protein

Scientists have developed an AI system that can produce artificial enzymes from scratch. Even though several of these enzymes’ artificially generated amino acid sequences differed noticeably from those of any known natural protein, they nonetheless performed as well in laboratory testing as those found in nature.

27 Jan 2023

Ubiquigent collaborates with University of Glasgow on translational structural biology to accelerate drug discovery within the (de)ubiquitylation field

Ubiquigent Limited (Ubiquigent), a drug discovery and development company harnessing novel deubiquitinase (DUB) modulators as new therapeutics for areas of high unmet medical need, today announced it is supporting a Master’s student at the University of Glasgow (UoG) to undertake a research project on USP30, a DUB implicated in neurodegenerative, renal, and cardiovascular diseases.

From Ubiquigent Limited 23 Jan 2023

Providing structural understanding of the influenza virus

The structure of the influenza replication machinery and how it interacts with cellular proteins have been solved by a team of Oxford University scientists using a variety of techniques at Diamond Light Source.

8 Nov 2022

Resistance against Epstein-Barr virus from experimental monoclonal antibodies

When tested in a lab setting using human cells, a panel of experimental monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target various Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) sites prevented infection.

1 Nov 2022

New study supports bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19's viral pathogenesis

A new paper published in Nature Communications adds further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19's viral pathogenesis -; a theory that was posited two years ago by a team of researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

19 Sep 2022

Understanding protein structures can be more complicated than thought

When you think of proteins – the enzymes, signaling molecules, and structural components in every living thing – you might think of single strands of amino acids, organized like beads on a string.

29 Aug 2022

Scientists discover the first structures of angiotensin-converting enzyme using cryo-EM

University of Cape Town (UCT) researchers have used cryo-electron microscopy to identify the first complete structures of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (cryo-EM). A protein that controls blood pressure, ACE, is essential for maintaining good heart health.

14 Jul 2022

Researchers discover the atomic structure of the nuclear pore complex

Nearly 100 trillion cells make up the human body, which is what keeps people healthy and alive. The mechanisms of life are maintained by the billions of pieces that each cell has on its own.

14 Jul 2022

Researchers utilize AI to reveal hitherto unknown 3D structures in rotavirus spike protein

The three types of rotavirus that cause gastroenteritis in individuals, known as groups A, B, and C, are the most well-known and afflict predominantly youngsters.

10 Jun 2022

Sharks may be key to developing effective COVID-19 treatments

To combat viruses, one of humankind's oldest threats, researchers are studying predators with the oldest adaptive immune system in the animal kingdom: sharks.

1 Jun 2022

Scientists discover a new left-handed Z-DNA technique to kill hard-to-treat tumors

An international collaboration of scientists has discovered a new technique to kill cancers that are difficult to treat, according to an article published in Nature.

30 May 2022

$Access to the Rigaku’s Electron Diffraction Technology without the Capital Outlay$

Access to the Rigaku’s Electron Diffraction Technology without the Capital Outlay

With convenient and economical access to Rigaku’s state-of-the-art electron diffraction capabilities and applications experts, crystallization trials on samples smaller than 1 micron no longer need to delay your structural analysis programs.

From Rigaku Corporation 25 May 2022

Researchers finally discover the structure of plant protein NPR1

A phone call, according to biologist Xinnian Dong, was her “best Christmas gift ever.” Pei Zhou, a longstanding friend, and partner at Duke University called with some exciting news: they had finally discovered the structure of the plant protein NPR1.

18 May 2022

Study shows how nanotechnology may help for structural research of RNA molecules

Humans live in a world created and managed by RNA—the genetic molecule DNA’s equally important sibling.

3 May 2022