Molecular & Structural Biology

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Sweat Peptide Dermcidin Prevents Flu Virus Entry Into Cells

A research team led by the Fisabio Foundation has demonstrated that dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide produced constitutively by the human body, also exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus. The study also shows that people who do not develop flu-like symptoms have higher baseline levels of this molecule, which could be associated with lower susceptibility to infection.

31 Mar 2026

Study Highlights the Vast Untapped Potential Within the Global Protein Universe

The number of known proteins is infinitely small in comparison to the universe of possible proteins which could in theory be realized. Yet these known proteins are the only major training ground for future protein design. Understanding how representative these proteins are of the overall potential diversity can therefore help inform strategies for a wide range of applications, including therapeutic, biocatalysis, or biomaterials development.

31 Mar 2026

Identifying the Cellular Origin of MS-Related Neuroinflammation

Signals from the gut have been linked to autoimmune inflammation, but fundamental cellular processes remain poorly understood.

30 Mar 2026

Study Reveals How STING Protein Migrates to Trigger Immune Responses

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified how the quintessential immune protein known as stimulator of interferon genes (STING) migrates from one cellular organelle to another, a necessary step in its activation.

27 Mar 2026

SLIT3 Protein Drives Brown Fat Activation Through Dual Signaling

Researchers have determined how a key protein activates brown fat by expanding blood vessels and nerves in the heat-generating tissue.

26 Mar 2026

Study Reveals Molecular Basis of Reduced Cold Sensitivity in Salamanders

The ability to sense environmental temperature, which helps animals move away from sub-optimal locations and find those with ideal temperatures, involves various channels on sensory neurons that open at specific temperature ranges.

26 Mar 2026

Synthetic Plasmid Design Enables Precise Control of DNA Replication

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," goes the old adage, which Rice University professor James Chappell completely ignored in a recent Nature Communications publication.

26 Mar 2026

NAC Complex Triggers Protein Folding at Earliest Stage of Synthesis

In the earliest phase of creating human proteins, the protein complex NAC performs an essential task by starting the first steps towards folding proteins into their correct three-dimensional structures.

24 Mar 2026

SHP Protein Slows Cartilage Degeneration in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, a condition that causes pain and reduced mobility in joints such as the knees and fingers, is one of the most common joint disorders worldwide, particularly among aging populations.

24 Mar 2026

How Toxic Protein Spreads in Huntington’s Disease

Huntington's disease is a debilitating brain disorder that gradually robs people of mobility, memory, and personality.

23 Mar 2026

Scientists Develop Method to Sequence Proteins Using DNA Technology

Proteins, one of the smallest building blocks of life on Earth, hold promise for answering some of biology's biggest questions.

19 Mar 2026

New Ring Structure Guides Precise Cell Death and Immunity

Researchers at the University of Michigan have revealed that cells use a previously unknown feat of molecular craftsmanship to help protect their larger host organisms.

16 Mar 2026

NuSAP Protein Safeguards Centriole Structure During Cell Division

Biologists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have uncovered how the protein NuSAP safeguards tiny structures inside cells called centrioles, revealing a mechanism linked to developmental disorders such as microcephaly and mosaic variegated aneuploidy (MVA) syndrome.

13 Mar 2026