Molecular & Structural Biology

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Scientists develop a new way to reactivate silenced genes

All cells in an organism are known to have the same genetic data but not all carry out the same function. This is because all the cells do not contain the same active genes.

19 May 2020

Researchers develop a reliable technique for assessing the role of lncRNAs

The discovery of a huge number of long non-protein coding RNAs, aka lncRNAs, in the mammalian genome was a major surprise of the recent large-scale genomics projects.

18 May 2020

New blood test may help track individual fat intake

McMaster University researchers have developed a precise and reliable blood test to monitor the intake of fats by individuals. This blood test may serve as a tool to guide public health policy related to healthy eating.

18 May 2020

The brain suppresses outside information during dreaming phase

Scientists from the CNRS and the ENS-PSL in France and Monash University in Australia have shown that the brain suppresses information from the outside world, such as the sound of a conversation, during the sleep phase linked to dreaming.

18 May 2020

Aging neurons build up DNA damage, study finds

MIT neuroscientists have discovered that an enzyme called HDAC1 is critical for repairing age-related DNA damage to genes involved in memory and other cognitive functions.

18 May 2020

Novel method sheds light on genomes of bacteria and viruses

According to a new study, biologists from the University of Alberta have developed a unique method for sequencing circular DNA.

18 May 2020

Computational methods can help design protein-based vaccines

Vaccines are regarded as an effective intervention to stop the spread of infectious diseases. They produce antibodies by activating the immune system.

18 May 2020

Research reveals community structure of microorganisms living around Antarctic lakes

A research group of Assistant Prof. Yuu Hirose of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science at Toyohashi University of Technology, Niigata University, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, and the National Institute of Polar Research, has revealed the community structure of microorganisms living around freshwater lakes in the Langhovde and Skarvsnes ice-free areas of Antarctica.

15 May 2020

Researchers discover group of genes with altered expression in autism

Autism has long been associated only with behavioral and environmental factors, but the role of genetics in its development is now increasingly evident. Some 100 genes have been found to play a role in autism spectrum disorder, and another thousand are being studied to the same end.

15 May 2020

Coronavirus attacking microRNA numbers reduce with age

A group of tiny RNA that should attack the virus causing COVID-19 when it tries to infect the body are diminished with age and chronic health problems, a decrease that likely helps explain why older individuals and those with preexisting medical conditions are vulnerable populations, investigators report.

14 May 2020

Study shows how plant viral protein disrupts cell division to promote its own propagation

Viruses are ever-present pathogens that lead to severe infectious diseases in humans as well as in agricultural crops.

14 May 2020

Research uncovers a novel mechanism for controlling genes

The genetic information within our cells is what makes humans unique. The cell nucleus has a complex structure that harbors this genetic information.

13 May 2020

Determining effect of drugs in pancreatic islets through single-cell RNA-seq approach

Scientists have developed a technique to assess the impact of particular drugs in pancreatic tissues by using an advanced single-cell RNA sequencing approach.

12 May 2020

Research shows how a fly’s brain learns to focus on more important odors

Quantitative biologists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSH) have discovered how the brain of a fly learns to focus on more significant odors by ignoring tremendously prevalent, ordinary ones.

12 May 2020

New technique gives reliable assessment of avocado fruit ripeness

A technique for measuring the ripeness of avocados could reduce waste by up to 10% and help fulfill consumer demand for ready-to-eat fruit.

12 May 2020

New sampling method can more accurately detect genetic alterations in tumors

A wholistic tumor sampling method that more accurately detects genetic alterations in tumors, which are critical in allowing treatment to be personalized to each and every patient, has been developed by researchers from the Crick, Roche and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and published in Cell Reports.

12 May 2020