Helicase News and Research

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New Research Sheds Light on Divergent Roles of Paralogous RNA Helicases

Genetic expression, often leading to protein synthesis, requires a complex coordination of molecular machinery across several stages.

9 Feb 2024

Zika's Enzyme Cascade Holds the Key to Viral Replication

Viruses operate with limited genetic material and a sparse protein repertoire, requiring efficient utilization of their components. The Zika virus serves as an illustrative case, producing only 10 proteins.

11 Dec 2023

New Insights into MCM8/9 Enzyme Could Lead to Treatments for Infertility and Cancer

Scientific research requires patience. The rewards are not always immediate, and the technology needed does not always exist. Michael A. Trakselis, Ph.D., professor and director of graduate affairs for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Baylor University, understands this.

30 Aug 2023

New insights into cell health and disease

Scientists from Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered a protein that not only prepares DNA for replication but also controls the replication process. The research, which was published on January 5th, 2023, in the journal Molecular Cell, resolves a puzzle that has long-baffled biologists.

26 Jan 2023

Effective anticancer strategy for selective killing of cancer cells

A study team headed by Dr Yuanliang Zhai from The University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) School of Biological Sciences and his associates from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Institut Curie in France discovered a new mechanism of the human MCM2-7 complex in controlling replication initiation, which can be employed as a unique and effective anticancer method with the potential for selective death of cancer cells.

11 Jan 2023

Genetic cause behind novel DEE syndrome discovered

Autism and epilepsy are two highly prevalent conditions that fall under the umbrella of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), which affect 1–3% of the world’s population just in terms of cognitive disabilities.

20 Dec 2022

Revealing the functional significance of DDX41 in great detail

The DDX41 gene encodes the nuclear enzyme DEAD-box-type RNA helicase. Hematopoietic malignancies are caused by DDX41 mutations. However, the mechanism behind the development of this malignancy remains unknown.

21 Nov 2022

Enzymes hold the answer to understanding how DNA mutates

According to recent research from the University of Surrey, enzymes, which are essential for regulating how cells replicate in the human body, could be the very component that encourages DNA to spontaneously mutate, leading to potentially permanent genetic errors.

From University of Surrey 17 Nov 2022

SLFN11’s surveillance part in protein homeostasis

On July 25th, 2022, a new study perspective called “SLFN11’s surveillance role in protein homeostasis” was published in Volume 9 of Oncoscience.

8 Aug 2022

Research identifies the main gene that causes developmental disability syndrome

A single gene that was previously discovered to be the main factor in a rare disease associated with epilepsy, autism, and developmental delay has been named as a key player in the development of healthy neurons.

1 Jul 2022

Novel protein Atossa regulates cell invasion

Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria have found a novel protein that stimulates energy generation inside immune cells, allowing them to penetrate more effectively.

24 Mar 2022

Study provides insight into replication and transcription machinery of ranaviruses

Nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) of the genus Ranavirus (family iridoviridae) have been isolated from aquatic species such as reptiles, amphibians, and bony fish. Poikilotherms are at risk from these promiscuous infections.

21 Jan 2022

Toward an antiviral drug that works against all coronaviruses

Safe and effective vaccines offer hope for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the possible emergence of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as novel coronaviruses, make finding treatments that work against all coronaviruses as important as ever.

22 Jul 2021