Structural Biology News and Research

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Unveiling the Molecular Structure of the Ssp Toxin from Serratia marcescens

A multinational research group has uncovered how the bacterial toxin Ssp may penetrate and kill a wide variety of living cells, including human cells.

21 Apr 2023

Study brings into sharper focus the structural details of SARS-COV-2 virus

A new study led by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) brings into sharper focus the structural details of the COVID-19 virus, revealing an elliptical shape that "breathes," or changes shape, as it moves in the body.

31 Mar 2023

Chloride ions evoke taste sensation by binding to sweet taste receptors

Humans perceive five basic taste sensations: sweet, umami, bitter, salty, and sour. Specific foods trigger taste recognition of these sensations through the activation of different receptors in our taste buds.

24 Mar 2023

New center offers electron microscope services to the scientific community

The Joint Electron Microscopy Center at ALBA (JEMCA) was established through the collaboration of various research agencies to open a new center within the ALBA Synchrotron building that provides electron microscope assistance to the scientific community.

27 Feb 2023

Accelerating the structure-guided discovery of chemogenetic tools

In order to more fully understand how diseases arise in the brain, scientists must unravel the intricate way neurons relay messages (either chemical or electrical) along a complex web of nerve cells. One way is by using a tool called DREADDs, which stands for Designer Receptors Activated by Designer Drugs.

21 Feb 2023

3D structure of a major protein complex in cilia revealed

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have solved the 3D structure of an important protein complex in cilia, which are signaling appendages found on cells. The structure was pictured at the highest resolution available at the time.

15 Feb 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

A 3D explanation of SPOP’s role in cancer

The protein SPOP, which also plays a role in endometrial, uterine, and other cancers, is the most mutated in prostate cancer. Despite its significance, it is still unclear how SPOP mutations cause cancer.

26 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

Study unravels a novel function of the gene scissors

Many years earlier, the CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors have been making a sensation in science and medicine. This new tool of molecular biology consists of its origins in an ancient bacterial immune system.

28 Nov 2022

Tankyrase protein plays an important role in helping drive bowel cancer

The inner workings of the main protein involved in an extensive range of cellular processes have been disclosed by researchers. This possibly sets the stage for improved and less toxic cancer drugs.

25 Nov 2022

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

Conserved vacuolar sorting hub regulates autophagic flux in plants

A “hub and spoke” system allows plant cells to effectively coordinate cellular trafficking, especially for cellular recycling, also known as autophagy. Autophagosomes are specialized vesicles that capture hazardous molecules and transport them to the vacuole, where they are destroyed.

21 Oct 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