Molecular & Structural Biology

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Study Unveils Molecular Mechanism Behind Synapse Maturation

Researchers from the lab led by Prof. Joris De Wit (VIB-KU Leuven) have discovered an important clue to how connections between brain cells, known as synapses, mature.

21 May 2025

TEAD Proteins Switch Partners to Drive Neural Cell Maturation

The basic mechanisms that control neural development are intricate, and as research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital shows, the underlying motivations may even seem contradictory.

21 May 2025

Tracing the Evolution of Cyanobacterial Circadian Clocks Through Earth's History

Investigating ancient cyanobacterial timekeeping systems sheds light on the evolution of circadian rhythms and their significance in Earth's ecosystems.

21 May 2025

Study Resolves Longstanding Mystery of Ashwell-Morell Receptor

Study applies new techniques to reexamine a receptor linked to sepsis and resolve contradictions regarding its binding interactions with other proteins.

19 May 2025

Novel Bacterial Immune Weapon that Starves Viral Invaders

The discovery of Cat1 reveals how CARF effectors use complex structures to inhibit viral replication, advancing our understanding of bacterial immune responses.

19 May 2025

Real Time RNA Tracking in Plants Using Fluorescent Biosensors

RNA acts as a messenger inside cells, carrying instructions from DNA that are translated into proteins that are essential for how cells function.

15 May 2025

Novel Role for Disordered Protein in Coordinating Key Stages of Gene Expression

Research reveals TAF2's disordered region links transcription and RNA editing, highlighting its role in gene expression regulation and nuclear organization.

15 May 2025

Microscopy Study Uncovers Dynamic Brain Remodeling During Hormonal Cycles

Hormone levels fluctuate like the tides, ebbing and flowing according to carefully orchestrated cycles.

14 May 2025

How RNA-Binding Proteins and Circular RNAs Shape Tumor Biology

The interaction between RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) has emerged as a key area of interest in understanding cancer biology.

13 May 2025

Lipid-Rich Ascites Weakens Immunity in Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Recent research conducted by scientists in Ireland has revealed the significant role of lipid-rich fluid in the abdomen, referred to as ascites, in diminishing the body’s immune response in advanced ovarian cancer.

12 May 2025

Cryo-EM Reveals Protein-Free RNA Structures in Bacterial Cells

Cryogenic electron microscopy showed for the first time that large RNA complexes can assemble without the help of proteins, expanding our understanding of RNA folding and function.

10 May 2025

Unlocking the Molecular Secrets of Sweet Taste Perception

Our enjoyment of sweets can be traced to one subset of taste receptor cells – specialized sweet-sensing cells found in our taste buds – that initiate the chain of reactions driving our strong attraction and appetite for sugar.

8 May 2025

Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Healthy Aging and Longevity

An international study led by the Institut de Neurociències at the UAB (INc-UAB) found that raising levels of the Klotho protein in mice extends lifespan and improves both physical and cognitive health as they age.

8 May 2025

Study Unlocks Molecular Mechanisms Behind Tea Plant Defenses

Plants face constant threats from herbivores, prompting complex defense mechanisms. While grasses like rice and Arabidopsis have well-studied defense systems, woody plants like tea remain poorly understood.

7 May 2025

Grapevine Cells Reveal Epigenetic Response to Sugar Starvation

Plants face constant challenges from fluctuating nutrient availability, which disrupts their growth and survival.

6 May 2025

Key Regulators of Mutant Huntingtin Protein in Neuronal Transport

Ten years ago, researchers from the University at Buffalo provided some insight into a long-standing neuroscience conundrum: How precisely does Huntington's disease result from a mutation in the huntingtin protein (HTT)?

6 May 2025

Single DNA Mutation Dysregulates Key Tumor-Suppressing Pathways in Blood Cancer

Australian researchers have discovered that a single mutation in the DNA sequence for a methylation enzyme dysregulates key tumor-suppressing pathways, opening up new avenues for blood cancer treatment.

30 Apr 2025

ORNL Scientists Develop Fluorescent Biosensor to Track RNA in Plants

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a first-ever method of detecting ribonucleic acid, or RNA, inside plant cells using a technique that results in a visible fluorescent signal.

16 Apr 2025

Novel Microscopy Reveals Two-Stage T-Cell Activation During Viral Infection

The research teams led by Wolfgang Kastenmüller and Georg Gasteiger utilized advanced microscopy techniques to investigate the activation and proliferation of specific immune cells, known as T-cells, during viral infections.

11 Apr 2025

Unraveling the Interaction Between Mitochondrial Proteins HAX1 and CLPB

A recent study published in Magnetic Resonance Letters has revealed for the first time the interaction mechanism between the mitochondrial proteins HAX1 and CLPB, filling the research gap between these two key proteins in the field of structural dynamics and functional association.

10 Apr 2025