Molecular & Structural Biology

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Epigenetics May Spark Tumors Without DNA Mutations

Scientists from the CNRS are part of a research team that has found that epigenetic changes, or modifications that affect the regulation of gene expression, can be the sole cause of cancer, one of the world's leading causes of death.

25 Apr 2024

PI3K Enzyme's Dual Accelerator and Brake Mechanisms Uncovered

A group of researchers have expanded conventional knowledge on a critical enzyme that controls cell migration. In a recent publication in the journal Nature Communications, they reported that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) not only acts as an accelerator to prompt cell motility, but it also has a built-in brake mechanism that impedes migration.

25 Apr 2024

Hydrogel Therapy: A Novel Defense Against Viral Infections

Vaccines remain the gold standard of protection against dangerous pathogens, but take considerable time and vast resources to develop.

24 Apr 2024

Small RNA-Binding Protein Promotes Prime Editing Efficiency

Through years of engineering gene-editing systems, researchers have developed a suite of tools that enable the modification of genomes in living cells, akin to 'genome surgery'.

23 Apr 2024

Localized Delivery Minimizes Side Effects of Immunotherapy

Cancer is the monster of the society.. The American Cancer Society reports that over 600,000 Americans lost their lives to cancer in the previous year. Medical progress has been shaped by the unwavering quest to understand this complex disease, leading to the development of less invasive yet highly effective treatment procedures.

22 Apr 2024

Unveiling Cannabinoid’s Potential for Treating Age-Related Brain Degeneration

Scientists at the Salk Institute observed the neuroprotective effects of cannabinol in fruit flies and discovered cannabinoid analogs that may prove to be promising future treatments for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and traumatic brain injury.

18 Apr 2024

U of T Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery in DNA Repair Mechanism

Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a DNA repair mechanism that advances understanding of how human cells stay healthy, and which could lead to new treatments for cancer and premature aging.

18 Apr 2024

New Method Reveals Dynamic Protein Structures in Real Time

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a powerful, new technique to generate "movies" of changing protein structures and speeds of up to 50 frames per second.

17 Apr 2024

Placenta's Role in Gestational Diabetes Revealed

A recent study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute has discovered that a deficiency in placental expression of the gene insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGFBP1) and low circulating levels of IGFBP1 are linked to insulin resistance during pregnancy, indicating a potential risk factor for the onset of gestational diabetes.

17 Apr 2024

Visualizing the Molecular Interaction of Formins with Actin Filaments

Actin is a highly abundant protein that controls the shape and movement of all our cells. Actin achieves this by assembling into filaments, one actin molecule at a time.

17 Apr 2024

Mapping Gene Signatures Unveils How Lewy Bodies Impact Brain Cells

A new study by scientists at Van Andel Institute provides an initial glimpse into the intricate molecular changes taking place in brain cells with Lewy bodies, crucial pathological markers of Parkinson’s disease and certain dementias.

17 Apr 2024

New Delivery System Opens the Door to Gene-Silencing Therapy

The next generation of medications, known as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), works by preventing the transmission of damaging genetic messages.

16 Apr 2024

Unveiling the Neural Basis of Number Sense in Rats

The existence of discrete number sense in rats has been confirmed by research co-led by neuroscientists Professor Yung Wing-ho from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and Professor Ke Ya from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine).

16 Apr 2024

Cell's Garbage Disposal May Also Send Sensory Signals Beyond Recycling

The proteasome, the cell's garbage disposal mechanism, usually breaks down proteins into smaller pieces and recycles some of the pieces.

15 Apr 2024

Unraveling the Key to Suppressing Protein Misfolding in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Proteins known as oligomeric chaperones help suppress the formation of misshaped proteins that cause a variety of degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's.

13 Apr 2024

How Glucocorticoids Quell Inflammation

Cortisone and other related glucocorticoids are extremely effective at curbing excessive immune reactions.

13 Apr 2024

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of DNA Entanglement Resolution

Picture in your mind a traditional "landline" telephone with a coiled cord connecting the handset to the phone.

12 Apr 2024

New Method Revolutionizes Assessment of Ferroptosis-Targeting Enzymes

New research could pave the way to develop cancer drugs targeting an enzyme that inhibits ferroptosis, a type of cell death.

8 Apr 2024

RNA Modification Offers Hope for Treating Neurological Diseases

The research team led by Yongchao C. Ma, Ph.D., at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, uncovered a fundamental biological mechanism that holds promise for the development of novel treatments for neurological disorders like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and autism, as well as various types of cancer.

5 Apr 2024

Unveiling Mechanisms to Block Tau Aggregation

The buildup of aberrant, misfolded tau proteins in the brain is the cause of a variety of neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Fronto Temporal Dementia (FTD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), and Cortico Basal Degeneration (CBD).

4 Apr 2024