Molecule News and Research

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Fighting Drug-Resistant TB with a Novel Antibiotic

A novel semi-synthetic molecule that produces significant activity against strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including those that are resistant to drugs, can be generated from natural compounds according to a study published in the American Society for Microbiology journal Microbiology Spectrum.

4 Oct 2024

Harnessing Bioluminescence for Noninvasive Brain Activation

Researchers at the University of Rochester have demonstrated a noninvasive technique called bioluminescent optogenetics, or BL-OG, that uses light to stimulate brain neurons.

4 Oct 2024

Mapping the Complex Structure and Function of CRISPR-Cas Protein Scissors

CRISPR-Cas systems help to protect bacteria from viruses. Several different types of CRISPR-Cas defense systems are found in bacteria, which differ in their composition and functions.

3 Oct 2024

Discovering New Drug Targets Through Paralog Hopping

Some proteins in the human body are easy to block with a drug; they have an obvious spot in their structure where a drug can fit, like a key in a lock. But other proteins are more difficult to target, with no clear drug-binding sites.

3 Oct 2024

Mosquitoes use Salivary Protein to Aid Malaria Parasite Transmission

The study identifies AgApyrase as a key protein in mosquito saliva, enhancing Plasmodium transmission by regulating blood clot breakdown and immune response.

30 Sep 2024

Insights into the Formation of Nascent Membrane Structures in Yeast Sporulation

Sexual reproduction, a common mode of reproduction among numerous species, involves gametogenesis in which offspring are produced through fertilization, conjugation, or mating. In plants and animals, eggs and sperm differentiate from germ cells to form gametes.

30 Sep 2024

Neutron Scattering Reveals Enzyme Secrets

Scientists have uncovered amazing information about the role of an enzyme that could assist in the development of drugs for aggressive cancers in just two neutron experiments.

25 Sep 2024

Study Uncovers Cholesterol's Role in Membrane Structure and Function

A new study by Rice University researchers led by Jason Hafner could open new pathways for understanding how cholesterol influences cell membranes and their receptors, paving the way for future research on diseases linked to membrane organization.

24 Sep 2024

A New Method to Correct Misplaced Proteins in Cells

Cells are highly controlled spaces that rely on every protein being in the right place. Many diseases, including cancers and neurodegenerative disorders, are associated with misplaced proteins. In some cancers, for instance, a protein that normally stands watch over DNA replicating in the nucleus is sent far from the DNA it is meant to monitor, allowing cancers to grow.

23 Sep 2024

Novel Tool Helps Identify Snake Venom Genes Across Species

Only about ten percent of the world's roughly 4,000 snake species have venom strong enough to seriously hurt a human, but that's enough for snake bites to be an important public health concern.

20 Sep 2024

Research Shows a Causal Role of Histone Modifications in Gene Regulation

For any organism to survive and thrive, its cells must strictly control which genes are active when and where.

19 Sep 2024

Ribose-Water Interactions Stabilize RNA Structures

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biological molecule that plays an important part in organismal genetics as well as the creation and development of life.

11 Sep 2024

A New Approach to Engineering Complex Organoids

A novel molecular engineering technology can precisely control the formation of organoids. Microbeads composed of precisely folded DNA are utilized to deliver growth factors or other signal molecules into tissue structures.

11 Sep 2024

Revolutionizing Protein Analysis with Enhanced Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is a sophisticated technology that allows scientists to break down and identify the constituents of almost anything by measuring the mass of the microscopic particles that make it up.

11 Sep 2024

Developing Techniques for Imaging Biomolecules

Scientists are working to create quicker, more quantitative, and more publicly available methods of seeing biomolecules in living cells to speed up biotechnology discoveries, such as the production of lifesaving drugs.

11 Sep 2024

New Advances in DEL Technology Facilitate Synthesis of Large, Complex Molecules

These days, remarkable new medical treatments are all the rage. One such treatment is personalized cancer therapy, which uses antibodies or immune cells that have been altered.

4 Sep 2024

Beta Cells Alone Can Maintain Glycemic Balance Without Other Pancreatic Cells

Our glycemic balance is based on the ability of the pancreatic beta cells to detect glucose and secrete insulin to maintain our blood sugar levels.

4 Sep 2024

Arctic Actinobacteria Yield Novel Antivirulence Compounds Against E. coli

A novel set of techniques was created by researchers in Finland and Norway to screen unknown substances with bacterial origin for antivirulence activity.

2 Sep 2024

Unexpected RNA Mechanism Controls Black Pigment in Butterfly Wings

A team of international researchers has uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings.

2 Sep 2024

Illuminating Plant Defense Mechanisms Through Light-Activated Ion Channels

When it comes to survival, plants have a huge disadvantage compared to many other living organisms: they cannot simply change their location if predators or pathogens attack them or the environmental conditions change to their disadvantage.

29 Aug 2024