Molecular & Structural Biology

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LUC7 proteins play crucial role in efficient RNA splicing

RNA splicing is a cellular process that is critical for gene expression. After genes are copied from DNA into messenger RNA, portions of the RNA that don't code for proteins, called introns, are cut out and the coding portions are spliced back together.

21 Feb 2025

Scientists use Zwitterions to prevent blood clotting in medical devices

Zwitterions sound likes a distant cousin of Twitter (X), but in fact they are a common macromolecule found in human cells. Scientists at the University of Sydney are also now using Zwitterions to create materials that could stop blood clots from forming in medical devices and implants.

19 Feb 2025

Direct connection found between memory and sensory processing centers in brain

A newly identified part of a brain circuit mixes sensory information, memories, and emotions to tell whether things are familiar or new—and important or just "background noise."

19 Feb 2025

Scientists pinpoint metabolic failure as the cause of muscle loss in aging

A multi-omics study reveals that impaired branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism is a key driver of sarcopenia, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target.

17 Feb 2025

Chronic stress rewires the brain, dulling sound perception

Repeated stress disrupts auditory processing, making sounds seem quieter over time, as shown in a new study on mice.

17 Feb 2025

A step toward precision medicine: New drug targets for heart failure

Researchers identify several promising drug targets for heart failure and its clinical subtypes.

14 Feb 2025

EMBL researchers reveal new structural insights into minor spliceosome function

In human cells, only a small proportion of the information written in genes is used to produce proteins. How does the cell select this information? A large molecular machine called the spliceosome continuously separates the coding and non-coding regions of our genes – and it's doing this even as you read these lines.

12 Feb 2025

New immune map uncovers key pancreatic cancer insights

Researchers determine a complex immune infiltrate pattern based on a newly constructed immune map developed using pancreatic cancer cells.

12 Feb 2025

Adrenomedullin hormone as key driver of insulin resistance in obesity-linked type 2 diabetes

Researchers investigate the underlying mechanisms of endothelial insulin resistance involved in obesity-associated diabetes.

11 Feb 2025

Gut bacteria influence brain protein modifications via glycosylation

Our guts are home to trillions of bacteria, and research over the last few decades has established how essential they are to our physiology – in health and disease.

10 Feb 2025

Collagen's structural diversity may be greater than previously believed, study suggests

Collagen, the body's most abundant protein, has long been viewed as a predictable structural component of tissues.

7 Feb 2025

Gut microbiome shifts from sugary drinks tied to higher diabetes risk

Researchers examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and gut microbiota-mediated changes that may mitigate the risk of diabetes.

7 Feb 2025

How lymphoid tissues protect against viral infections

Researchers explore the cellular and molecular adaptations associated with human secondary lymphoid tissue in adults during viral infection.

7 Feb 2025

Study unlocks structural secrets of ApoB100 protein linked to heart disease

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) - commonly known as bad cholesterol - have long been on scientists' radar as a major contributor to heart disease.

3 Feb 2025

Genetic fingerprint could help predict antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is a global public health crisis responsible for more than a million deaths annually. By 2050, the World Health Organization estimates it could surpass cancer and heart disease as the leading cause of death as more bacteria develop defenses to the drugs designed to combat them.

29 Jan 2025

Chickpea germination offers insights into protein breakdown and nutrients

It's well known that sprouting seeds increases their nutritional value. Researchers led by Professor Denis Shields from University College Dublin in partnership with the health food company, The Happy Pear have uncovered some surprising facts about how the sprouting process varies over time and strain of seed.

28 Jan 2025