Enzyme News and Research

RSS

Previously Unknown Protein Reveals RNA Repair Mechanism in Humans

Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are single-stranded molecules that are found in all living organisms’ cells. As “transcripts” of human genes, mRNAs, for instance, play a role in the translation of genetic information by bearing the instructions for the production of a protein in their own sequence.

26 Apr 2023

The Function of ANKLE1 in the Prevention of DNA Damage and Autoimmunity

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) School of Biological Sciences research team led by Dr. Gary Ying Wai Chan has uncovered the function of a unique enzyme called ANKLE1.

19 Apr 2023

Entry of Aging-Associated Enzymes into Human Genetic Material

An enzyme that controls aging and other metabolic processes accesses human genetic material to modify gene expression within the cell, according to a new study. Images of a sirtuin enzyme bound to a nucleosome, a tightly packed complex of DNA and proteins called histones, have been created by a team led by Penn State researchers.

17 Apr 2023

New Peptide Blocks a Hyperactive Brain Enzyme Involved in Neurodegeneration

MIT neuroscientists have found a way to reverse neurodegeneration and other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease by interfering with an enzyme that is typically overactive in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

17 Apr 2023

Comparison of De Novo Proteins and Computer-Generated Proteins

Proteins are components of every cell. How they have changed in the course of evolution for the purpose of taking on new functions in the body, has long been a subject of research.

13 Apr 2023

Optimized Genome-Editing Method Vastly Reduces Mutations

CRISPR-Cas9 is frequently used to alter the genome by researching and editing disease-related genes. However, this approach is coupled with undesirable side effects including mutations and toxicity.

11 Apr 2023

Key Enzyme in Sugar Metabolism Plays Role in Protecting Cancer Cells

A key enzyme in sugar metabolism is inactivated particularly easily and efficiently by oxidative stress.

7 Apr 2023

Attacking the HTLV-1 Virus With the Help of Special Gene Scissors

HTLV-1 triggers aggressive forms of leukemia or an incurable spinal cord disease that leads to paralysis: the virus is the often ignored but no less insidious sibling of the HIV virus that causes AIDS and also belongs to the family of retroviruses.

6 Apr 2023

UDCA Use Associated with Reduced Odds of COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, attaches to a cellular receptor called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and activation of the farnesoid X receptor increases ACE2 expression.

6 Apr 2023

First Steps Driving Antibiotic Resistance Discovered

Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat. In 2019 alone, an estimated 1.3 million deaths were attributed to antibiotic resistant bacterial infections worldwide.

3 Apr 2023

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

Harnessing a natural bacterial system to deliver proteins in mice and human cells

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT have harnessed a natural bacterial system to develop a new protein delivery approach that works in human cells and animals.

30 Mar 2023

Study helps understand at the cellular level how physical activity contributes to fitness during aging

Regular exercise can guarantee quality of life and longevity, specialists agree. However, exactly how exercise influences the functioning of muscle cells is poorly understood.

30 Mar 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infection hijacks and damages parts of infected cells' vital RNA machinery

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hijacks parts of infected cells' vital RNA machinery, thereby blocking important functions in the cells. These damaging changes in the RNA can likely be reversed, potentially leading to new drugs against COVID-19, University of Gothenburg researchers show.

30 Mar 2023

Study reports a new target to fight against antibiotic-resistant pneumonia

Increases in multidrug-resistance in the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae have made it the fourth-leading cause of death associated with antibiotic resistance.

30 Mar 2023

Artificial cells to serve as the powerhouse of the future

Chloroplasts and mitochondria are responsible for producing energy in nature, which is essential for creating sustainable, artificial cells in the lab. In addition to being “the powerhouses of the cell,” as the adage from middle school biology goes, mitochondria are also one of the most difficult intracellular components to artificially clone.

30 Mar 2023

New inhibitor molecule disrupts the infection mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

A team of scientists led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a molecule that disrupts the infection mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and could be used to develop new treatments for COVID-19 and other viral diseases.

29 Mar 2023