Biochemistry

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Mass spectrometry imaging may one day aid in diagnosing brain diseases

Medical professionals all want to be able to quickly and correctly diagnose diseases. Their future ability to do so will depend on identifying what biochemicals are present in tissue sections, where the biomolecules are, and at what concentrations.

7 Jan 2021

Study reveals molecular machinery that regulates membrane association of Arf proteins

The small GTPases of the ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) family are key initiators of various physiological processes including secretion, endocytosis, phagocytosis, and signal transduction. Arf family proteins function to mediate the recruitment of cytosolic effectors to specific subcellular compartments.

7 Jan 2021

First steps toward uncovering CRISPR/Cas gene doping in plasma

All athletes want to be at the top of their game when they compete, but some resort to nefarious approaches to achieve peak muscle growth, speed and agility. Recent developments in gene editing technology could tempt athletes to change their DNA to get an edge.

6 Jan 2021

Groundbreaking technology could revolutionize the dairy industry

Might a new technological development of researchers from Tel Aviv University soon revolutionize the dairy products we consume?

6 Jan 2021

Researchers identify natural products with potential to disrupt viral spread

Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego have broken down the genomic and life history traits of three classes of viruses that have caused endemic and global pandemics in the past and identify natural products - compounds produced in nature - with the potential to disrupt their spread.

5 Jan 2021

Scientist receives $1.37 million grant to advance metabolomics data

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded University of Massachusetts Amherst biostatistician Raji Balasubramanian a four-year, $1.37 million grant to advance the analysis of data from metabolomics research.

5 Jan 2021

Study captures high bodily emissions during workouts

One sweaty, huffing, exercising person emits as many chemicals from their body as up to five sedentary people, according to a new University of Colorado Boulder study.

5 Jan 2021

Danes are not as good as Chinese at discerning bitter tastes, studies show

Two studies from the University of Copenhagen show that Danes aren't quite as good as Chinese at discerning bitter tastes. The research suggests that this is related to anatomical differences upon the tongues of Danish and Chinese people.

5 Jan 2021

$Loss of critical enzymatic processes can increase bone fracture risk$

Loss of critical enzymatic processes can increase bone fracture risk

A loss of enzymatic processes within the body can increase a person's risk of bone fracture. This new insight was recently published in eLife by an international team of scientists and engineers led by Deepak Vashishth, the director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

5 Jan 2021

Researchers discover protein crucial to T cell metabolism and anti-tumor immune response

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a protein called NF-kappa B-inducing kinase (NIK) is essential for the shift in metabolic activity that occurs with T cell activation, making it a critical factor in regulating the anti-tumor immune response.

4 Jan 2021

Few organisms in the gut microbiome found to play a key role in type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Oregon State University have found that a few organisms in the gut microbiome play a key role in type 2 diabetes, opening the door to possible probiotic treatments for a serious metabolic disease affecting roughly one in 10 Americans.

4 Jan 2021

Protein employs twist‐and‐squeeze mechanism to expel chemotherapeutics from cancer cells

In 1986, cellular biochemist Kazumitsu Ueda, currently at Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, discovered that a protein called ABCB1 could transport multiple chemotherapeutics out of some cancer cells, making them resistant to treatment. How it did this has remained a mystery for the past 35 years.

29 Dec 2020

Toxic pesticide turned into treatment against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

N-Aryl-C-nitroazoles are an important class of heterocyclic compounds. They are used as pesticides and fungicides. However, these substances could be toxic to humans and cause mutations.

29 Dec 2020

Large transporter protein dysfunction associated with schizophrenia

Scientists have suspected mutations in a cellular cholesterol transport protein are associated with psychiatric disorders, but have found it difficult to prove this and to pinpoint how it happens.

29 Dec 2020

Researchers develop new drug discovery method targeting membrane proteins on live cells

A research team led by Dr Xiaoyu LI from the Research Division for Chemistry, Faculty of Science, in collaboration with Professor Yizhou LI from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University and Professor Yan CAO from School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University in Shanghai has developed a new drug discovery method targeting membrane proteins on live cells.

28 Dec 2020

A handy reference on pollution

Pollution is one among the serious cases which needs to be taken care of. Pollution is broadly classified as air, land, water and earth pollution.

28 Dec 2020

New device for investigating intrinsic extracellular pH dynamics in the brain

Researchers at Tohoku University have developed the first all-in-one miniature pH probe for real-time investigations of intrinsic extracellular pH dynamics in the deep brain structures.

24 Dec 2020

New drug starves cancer cells by attacking mitochondria

A newly developed compound starves cancer cells by attacking their "power plants" - the so-called mitochondria.

22 Dec 2020

New drug combination improves blood glucose control and weight loss in mice

Scientists have shown that adding an experimental cancer drug to a widely used diabetes treatment improves blood glucose control and weight loss in mice, according to a study published today in eLife.

22 Dec 2020

Discovery reveals new type of brain cell sensitive to distance and direction of objects

The existence of GPS-like brain cells, which can store maps of the places we've been, like our kitchen or holiday destination, was already widely known, but this discovery shows there is also a type of brain cell sensitive to the distance and direction of objects that can store their locations on these maps.

21 Dec 2020