Molecular & Structural Biology

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Scientists Identify Mechanism Behind Post-Traumatic Fear Responses

Neurobiologists have discovered how stress causes the brain to become fearful in situations like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how to stop it.

15 Mar 2024

Scientists Design Proteins to Reach Hidden Cellular Targets

Drug developers have long faced challenges in reaching targets embedded within the cell membrane because of the membrane's complex biochemical properties. Chemists at Scripps Research have now shown that novel, specially made proteins are capable of effectively reaching these “intramembrane” targets.

14 Mar 2024

Study Reveals Key Role of STAP-1 in Immune Function

A recent study has illuminated the significance of the protein STAP-1 in activating specific immune cells.

13 Mar 2024

Blood-Based Markers Unveil Secrets of Biological Aging

University of Pittsburgh researchers have uncovered blood-based markers linked with healthy and rapid aging, allowing them to predict a person's biological age -; how fast a person's cells and organs age regardless of their birthdate.

11 Mar 2024

The Incredible Impact of Mass Spectrometry on Brain Imaging

Researchers Jonathan Sweedler, a professor of chemistry, and Fan Lam, a professor of bioengineering, at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, described how spatial omics technologies can unveil the molecular complexity of the brain at various scales.

6 Mar 2024

The Impact of Catalysis for Site-Specific Protein Modification

As they recently reported in the journal Nature Chemistry, Boston College researchers have developed a new tool that can be used to develop novel biotherapeutics and protein-based research tools: the ability to precisely modify proteins using a mild charge of electricity.

6 Mar 2024

Protein RAD51 Acts as Guardian Against DNA Over-Replication

Every time a cell divides, its DNA is duplicated so that the two daughter cells have the same genetic material as their parent.

5 Mar 2024

New Research Supports Concept of "RNA World"

The Salk Institute’s most recent research offers new perspectives on the beginnings of life and strong evidence in favor of the RNA World theory.

5 Mar 2024

3D Visualizations of the Copying Machinery Found in Chloroplasts

Plants have to carry out photosynthesis and ultimately synthesize oxygen and chemical energy with the assistance of sunlight to support life on Earth.

4 Mar 2024

Researchers Create Groundbreaking RNA and DNA Solutions to Shield Plants from Viral Attacks

Customized RNA or DNA molecules have been shown to effectively combat viral infections in plants, as demonstrated in a recent study conducted by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

1 Mar 2024

Breakthrough Studies Shed Light on Origins of Homochirality in Biology

Molecules often have a structural asymmetry called chirality, which means they can appear in alternative, mirror-image versions, akin to the left and right versions of human hands.

29 Feb 2024

Scientists Discover Dual Challenges in DNA Replication Process

Half a century ago, scientists Jim Watson and Alexey Olovnikov independently realized that there was a problem with how our DNA gets copied.

29 Feb 2024

Study unveils how our cells outsmart invaders without turning against us

The human immune system is a sophisticated network of cells and proteins created to defend against dangerous infections, and cells continuously repel invaders in a microscopic war raging inside human bodies.

29 Feb 2024

Study Provides Insights Into Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Healthy Aging in Drosophila

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 3, entitled, "The anti-aging effect of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor in Drosophila midgut."

28 Feb 2024

Research Reveals Conserved Neutralizing Epitope in Herpesvirus gB Protein

Human herpesviruses comprise the alpha, beta, and gamma subfamilies and are a widely prevalent group of DNA-enveloped viruses, capable of establishing lifelong latent infections in humans and causing various diseases.

27 Feb 2024

Newborn T Cells Excel in Immune Response Compared to Adults

Scientists have long believed that a newborn's immune system was an immature version of an adult's, but new research from Cornell University shows that newborns' T cells – white blood cells that protect from disease – outperform those of adults at fighting off numerous infections.

26 Feb 2024

Overlooked Sequence in Immunology Protein Holds Promise for New Autoimmune Therapies

Our immune system is remarkably powerful. It quickly assembles teams of cells to eliminate threats inside our bodies.

22 Feb 2024

A New AI Model that can Distinguish Between Male and Female Brain Activity

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a new artificial intelligence model that can distinguish between male and female brain activity scans with over 90% accuracy.

20 Feb 2024

Study Identifies Novel Enzyme Crucial for Bacterial Cell Wall Integrity

Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden, led by Professor Felipe Cava, have identified a new family of enzymes that creates a unique type of cross-linking between the building blocks of bacterial cell walls.

20 Feb 2024

The Role of Associative Memory in Spatial Navigation

Human lives revolve around spatial navigation and spatial memory. Without these skills, it would be extremely difficult to remember the past and to navigate the environment. But understanding the neural underpinnings of spatial memory is still quite incomplete.

19 Feb 2024