Molecular & Structural Biology

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Study finds utrophin-based therapy could be used to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy

If an actor is not in a position to perform in the theatre, an understudy—preferably one with some practice in the role—can take that role on stage.

27 Apr 2020

Study identifies role of interferon-stimulated genes in defense against hepatitis C viruses

The immune system responds immediately when a virus enters the cell, producing interferon—the signaling protein.

27 Apr 2020

Novel protein sensor controls the pathway of fat and sugar conversion in humans

Researchers in Pennsylvania and Texas have discovered a novel protein sensor that limits the amounts of fat and sugar that are converted into energy by human cells, during the starvation periods.

27 Apr 2020

Scientists elucidate precise shape of a key player in human metabolism

A USC-led international team of scientists has found the precise shape of a key player in human metabolism, which could lead the way to better treatments for obesity and other metabolic disease.

24 Apr 2020

Study sheds light on the regulation of microRNAs

In all the organisms, including humans, proteins are encoded by genes and these proteins, in turn, control the body’s diverse specific cellular functions.

24 Apr 2020

Understanding evolution of early life may be trickier than previously thought

Biologists have long hoped to understand the nature of the earliest living organisms on Earth. If they could, they might then be able to say something about how, when, and where life arose on Earth, and perhaps by extension, whether life is common in the Universe.

23 Apr 2020

Researchers develop new molecular workflow to study single-cell genomics of diseases

Although advances in genetics and genomics reveal numerous disease-associated gene mutations, physicians and researchers still wrestle with the tricky challenge of linking those mutations to actual disease-causing processes.

23 Apr 2020

Developing novel compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease

A research team from China has now created two novel compounds that block the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro).

23 Apr 2020

Preventing viral infections by protein shell misassembly

A study published recently in eLife reports new understanding of conditions that govern self-assembly in the protective shell of viruses.

23 Apr 2020

New database of 14,000 known macrolactones could aid future drug discovery

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Collaborations Pharmaceuticals have created a free-to-use database of 14,000 known macrolactones - large molecules used in drug development - which contains information about the molecular characteristics, chemical diversity and biological activities of this structural class.

22 Apr 2020

Biophysicists uncover new features of molecular elevator

Biophysicists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have visualized a nearly complete transport cycle of the mammalian glutamate transporter homolog from archaea.

21 Apr 2020

A novel prediction method for promising antiviral drug or vaccine targets

A novel method to predict the most promising targets for antiviral drugs or vaccines is based on the conformational changes viral glycoproteins go through during the process of recognition and binding to the host cell.

21 Apr 2020

Glycomimetics can prevent viruses from infecting cells

Viruses are responsible for causing many different diseases, with the present coronavirus pandemic being one such example. Hence, these infectious agents are part of the human experience all through their lives.

21 Apr 2020

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy offers first molecular view inside cells

Medical scientists from UNSW Sydney have successfully detected the interactions that occur between individual molecules located inside intact cells, thus achieving unparalleled resolution capabilities in single-molecule microscopy.

From The University of New South Wales (UNSW) 21 Apr 2020

Researchers work on developing COVID-19 vaccine using plant virus

At the University of California San Diego, nanoengineers are making efforts to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 using a plant virus—an unconventional candidate.

21 Apr 2020

Chemical tools can regulate lipid concentration in living cells

Lipids have several crucial functions in the human body: They serve as messengers, which mediate the growth of cells and regulate the release of hormones.

20 Apr 2020

Advanced simulations show how to improve efficiency of gene therapy

Diseases with a genetic cause could, in theory, be treated by supplying a correct version of the faulty gene.

20 Apr 2020

Study pinpoints a key brain region for controlling binge drinking

A team of National Institutes of Health-funded researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina has found that deactivating a stress-signaling system in a brain area known for motivation and emotion-related behaviors decreases binge drinking.

20 Apr 2020

Specialized proteins could help combat severe cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients

One of the defining features of COVID-19 is the excessive immune response that can occur in severe cases. This burst of immune overreaction, also called a cytokine storm, damages the lungs and can be fatal.

17 Apr 2020

Novel protein facilitates a critical event in mammalian fertilization

Fertilization is a fundamental process in sexual reproduction when the combination of male and female gametes blends genetic material to create a new unique individual. Now, researchers from Japan have identified a new factor that may help orchestrate this vitally complex life event.

From Osaka University 17 Apr 2020