Molecular & Structural Biology

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Atomic-Level Analysis of Synthetic DNA to Reveal New Treatment Options

West Virginia University researchers can now see synthetic DNA at the atomic level, allowing them to learn how to tweak its structure to improve its scissor-like function.

25 Jul 2023

New Protein Found to be Key to Proper Functioning of Acinar Cells

The energy supply in the body has been regulated by the pancreas, located behind the stomach. This mechanism happens by secreting proteins (enzymes) accountable for glucose–the body’s primary fuel–reaching other organs when needed and in the exact amount.

24 Jul 2023

New Method for Building Modular Optical Sensors to Detect Bacteria and Viruses

An innovative method for building modular optical sensors that can detect viruses and bacteria has been created by an interdisciplinary research team from Bochum, Duisburg, and Zurich.

24 Jul 2023

The First Data Set Decoding RNA-Driven Phase Separations

High levels of semi-extractable RNAs are present in membraneless organelles in cells, and these RNAs could one day serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets.

19 Jul 2023

Uncovering New Insights into Virus Self-Assembly

Griffith University researchers were instrumental in controlling the way viruses are assembled by using DNA “origami” templates.

18 Jul 2023

New Study Identifies Aerobic Glycolysis Vital for Eye Development

According to a recent Northwestern Medicine study published in Nature Communications, aerobic glycolysis, the process by which cells convert glucose into lactate, is essential for eye development in mammals.

17 Jul 2023

5-ALA Opens New Avenues for Treating Mitochondrial Disorders

At the Tokyo Metropolitan University, researchers have shown that 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) aids bypass deficiencies in Complex I (CI), the first in a series of protein complexes that transport electrons and assist in powering the mitochondria.

17 Jul 2023

New Insights into the Regulatory Network of Th17 Cells

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most extensively studied RNA modification across multiple species, and its importance in the immune system has been demonstrated in a variety of contexts, including mRNA metabolism, cell differentiation, proliferation, and response to stimulation.

17 Jul 2023

New Toxin Found to Enhance Pathogen Infection and Disease Spread in Wheat

Although wheat was among the first domesticated food crops, it remains a global dietary staple several millennia later.

14 Jul 2023

New Simulations Reveal How Nuclear Pore Complex Regulates Protein Trafficking

If the human cell is a nightclub, then the nucleus is a VIP lounge. Inside are the DNA, fiercely maintained by the nuclear pore complex, which is charged with the task of protecting every strand. To do this, the NPC acts as gatekeeper against unworthy proteins.

14 Jul 2023

New P38 Inhibitors Selectively Target Cardiac Cell Death

The p38 protein regulates a wide variety of cellular functions and is related to diseases such as chronic inflammation, immunological disorders, or cancer.

14 Jul 2023

Scientists Discover How Brain's "Population Clock" Guides Behavior

From Aristotle's musings on the nature of time to Einstein's theory of relativity, humanity has long pondered: how do we perceive and understand time? The theory of relativity posits that time can stretch and contract, a phenomenon known as time dilation. Just as the cosmos warps time, our neural circuits can stretch and compress our subjective experience of time. As Einstein famously quipped, "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute".

14 Jul 2023

Novel Drug Compound Reduces Sensory Hypersensitivity in Fragile X Mice

Boosting the activity of inhibitory interneurons in Fragile X mice reduced their hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, according to a new Neuron study led by UCLA Health researchers.

14 Jul 2023

Revealing the Function of Retrotransposons

A retrotransposon, a parasitic DNA sequence that borrows the cell’s own machinery to accomplish its objectives, has been discovered.

13 Jul 2023

First 'Living Digital Camera' Stores Images in DNA

In a world first, a 'biological camera' bypasses the constraints of current DNA storage methods, harnessing living cells and their inherent biological mechanisms to encode and store data.

12 Jul 2023

New Insights Into How Genes Are Activated

Genetic information contained within DNA has to be read by specific proteins that enable the process of gene activation to begin – but in many cases, these proteins can't access their targets because DNA strands are bundled up to control what genes are used in the wide range of different cell types.

12 Jul 2023

Revolutionizing Drug Design with Light-Activated Molecular Machines

Cells “talk” to one another to coordinate crucial biological activities such as immune activation, muscle contraction, hormone release, neuronal firing, and digestion using calcium signaling as a primary mechanism.

11 Jul 2023

Scientists Develop Method to Create Artificial Allosteric Sites in Protein Complexes

According to a recently published research paper by a team of scientists, a groundbreaking approach has been developed to create artificial allosteric sites (where by binding an effector molecule, activity at the distal active site is regulated) in protein complexes.

7 Jul 2023

Cryo-EM Reveals Structure of GABA Transporter

Using Cryo-EM, a powerful microscopy technique, researchers at IISc and collaborators have decoded the molecular architecture of a transporter protein controlling the movement of a key neurotransmitter.

7 Jul 2023

Novel Peptide may be Key to Understanding Skin Aging

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 12, entitled, "A novel peptide 'T14' reflects age and photo-aging in human skin."

6 Jul 2023