Biochemistry

RSS

Novel insight on inflammatory regulation could pave way for effective pain therapies

A novel way in which the inflammatory response to pain is regulated has been described in the open-access journal eLife.

19 Dec 2018

New compound blocks genetic cause of familial ALS and frontotemporal dementia

Since the ice bucket challenge went viral in 2014, raising awareness and funding for ALS research, scientists have learned much about a disease that disconnects muscles from nerves, leading to muscle atrophy and eventual death. Their ultimate goal is to create medications capable of stopping ALS in its tracks.

18 Dec 2018

Novel sunlight-powered microtube pump transports water droplets over long distances

Driven by natural or artificial sunlight, a novel “microtube pump” transports water droplets over long distances. As reported by Chinese researchers in the Journal Angewandte Chemie, the pump consists of a tube whose properties can be changed asymmetrically through irradiation.

18 Dec 2018

Researchers propose new model to explain how neural networks communicate

The brain is organized into a network of specialized networks of nerve cells. For such a brain architecture to function, these specialized networks - each located in a different brain area - need to be able to communicate with each other.

17 Dec 2018

New method to visualize small-molecule interactions inside cells

Like people in a large company, proteins in cells constantly interact with each other to perform various jobs. To develop new disease therapies, researchers are trying to control these interactions with small-molecule drugs that cause specific proteins to associate more or less with their "coworkers."

13 Dec 2018

Researchers develop new method to produce natural sweetener

A research group from Oulu University has developed a method capable of producing the natural sweetener brazzein. Production of brazzein as a good tasting sweetener has long been in development but until now, no solution for commercial production has been found.

12 Dec 2018

IONTAS founder and pioneer in phage display technology attends Nobel Prize Award Ceremony

Dr. John McCafferty celebrates the success of phage display technology with Nobel Prize in Chemistry Laureates.

From FairJourney Biologics 12 Dec 2018

Researchers use new technique to probe hydrogen bonds

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have used nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy to probe the hydrogen bonds that modulate the chemical reactivity of enzymes, catalysts and biomimetic complexes.

10 Dec 2018

Insights into protein-protein interactions and methods for designing small molecule inhibitors

Proteins are polymers of amino acids that are linked by peptide bonds and they are one of the major classes of bio-molecules existing in a living organism. Proteins are involved in various cellular functions and events like cell signaling, cell adhesion, metabolic reactions, in the generation of immune response and many more.

10 Dec 2018

New study solves longstanding mystery in innate immunity

UT Southwestern biochemist and Breakthrough Prize winner Dr. Zhijian "James" Chen's newest study answers a long-standing question in the field of innate immunity.

29 Nov 2018

Scientists develop new technique for identifying small molecules

A UCLA-led team of scientists has developed a new technique that will enable researchers to easily and quickly determine the structures of organic molecules using very small samples.

28 Nov 2018

Antibiotic could protect against age-related brain diseases

An antibiotic, minocycline, can increase the lifespan of roundworms by preventing the build-up of proteins during aging, a study in the open-access journal eLife reports.

28 Nov 2018

Study uncovers new chemical reaction key to cataract formation

Researchers working to understand the biochemistry of cataract formation have made a surprising finding: A protein that was long believed to be inert actually has an important chemical function that protects the lens of the eye from cataract formation.

28 Nov 2018

Scientists pinpoint protein that plays key role in synovial sarcoma tumors

Researchers have pinpointed a protein that plays a key role in a type of rare cancer often leading to tumours around joints and tendons, according to new findings in eLife.

27 Nov 2018

Researchers discover new biosynthetic pathway to antibiotics using gene editing

Scientists have discovered a new chemical process - also known as a biosynthetic pathway - in bacteria which could lead to a new generation of antibiotics being produced and manufactured.

26 Nov 2018

Scientists develop method to make radio-controlled enzymes

Scientists developed a method to enhance the activity of enzymes by using radio frequency radiation. The method requires making a special complex consisting of enzymes and magnetic nanoparticles.

22 Nov 2018

Researchers harness visible light to develop safer building block for drug discovery

When you reach for a bottle of acetaminophen, you may be looking for relief from a headache. But if you take more than what is recommended, the drug can damage your liver.

22 Nov 2018

Receptor structure could be key to developing new osteoporosis drugs

Researchers at the University of Zurich have determined the three-dimensional structure of a receptor that controls the release of calcium from bones. The receptor is now one of the main candidates for developing new drugs to treat osteoporosis.

19 Nov 2018

New approach allows pathogens to be starved by blocking important enzymes

More and more bacteria are resistant to available antibiotics. A team of chemists from the Technical University of Munich now presents a new approach: they have identified important enzymes in the metabolism of staphylococci. Blocking these enzymes in a targeted manner would allow the pathogens to be starved.

15 Nov 2018