Molecular & Structural Biology

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Innovative technology revels the impact of environmental conditions on RNA structures in living cells

The impact of environmental conditions on the dynamic structures of RNAs in living cells has been revealed by innovative technology developed by researchers at the John Innes Centre.

17 Aug 2022

Scientists elucidate the structure of Type IV secretion system involved in antibiotic resistance

With antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the rise, scientists have been searching for ways to shut down the Type IV secretion system (T4SS), a protein complex on the outer envelope of bacterial cells that helps them to exchange DNA with neighboring bacteria and resist antibiotics.

17 Aug 2022

KAUST bioscientists develop new method to study the bone marrow microenvironment in greater detail

Deep molecular analysis of the bone marrow microenvironment reveals that the cells regulating blood stem cell maintenance are more diverse than expected and have features likely to be conserved between species.

16 Aug 2022

Intestinal tissue-resident lymphocytes regulate their activity depending on glucose availability

A new study led by Marc Veldhoen, group leader at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM; Portugal) and Associate Professor at Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa (FMUL) and published today in the scientific journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) discovered that white blood cells that reside in the intestines, a specific group of immune cells called tissue-resident lymphocytes, use sugar as an energy source and have a faster metabolism than lymphocytes that circulate in the blood.

15 Aug 2022

Study paves new way to develop a predictive biomarker for TRAIL therapy

A cytokine named TRAIL binds to TRAIL receptors and kills cancer cells, but not normal cells. Therefore, various anticancer drugs targeting TRAIL receptors have been developed and gained great attention as a promising cancer therapeutics, but a certain population of cancer patients does not respond to the therapy.

15 Aug 2022

In monkeys, spike-based vaccines produce some immunity based on CD8 T-cells

Scientists evaluate the role of CD8+ T-cells in vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in rhesus macaques.

14 Aug 2022

Why is COVID-19 more severe in people older than 50?

A new study reports that the reduced efficiency of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 could be due to the reduced diversity of both B- and T-cells.

14 Aug 2022

Men exposed to industrial air pollution exhibit sperm mitochondrial DNA deletions

Researchers compare the length spectra of sperm mitochondrial DNA deletions in two seasons with varied air pollution levels.

14 Aug 2022

Recombination most often occurs on the COVID-19 phylogenetic tree in the form of 'long branches'

An analysis of millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes finds that recombination of the virus is uncommon, but when it occurs, it is most often in the spike protein region, the area which allows the virus to attach to and infect host cells.

11 Aug 2022

UTSW scientists discover mechanism of RNA capping by SARS-CoV-2 virus

A team led by UT Southwestern researchers has identified how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, builds a structure called the RNA cap that's critical for successful viral replication.

10 Aug 2022

IRB scientists identify critical spots on the genome where gene editing could cause an unwanted response

CRISPR/Cas9 is a commonly used, very precise, gene editing technique whose development, by Jennifer A. Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, was recognised with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Commonly known as "genetic scissors", CRISPR allows the introduction of the desired DNA sequence into (virtually) any spot of the genome, thus modifying or inactivating a gene. This technique is widely used in biomedical research and some CRISPR-based therapies are in clinical trials for the treatment of human blood disorders, some types of cancer and HIV, among other conditions.

10 Aug 2022

Rice University researchers model a key mechanism by which DNA replicates

Knowing the structure of a complex biological system isn't nearly enough to understand how it works. It helps to know how the system moves.

10 Aug 2022

Scripps, UCLA chemists develop a 'molecular editing' toolkit for modifying bicyclic aza-arenes

Chemists from Scripps Research and the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed methods for the precise, flexible modification of a broad class of chemical compounds called bicyclic aza-arenes, which are commonly used to build drug molecules.

9 Aug 2022

Pathogens in ancient DNA could explain how two civilizations collapsed

The current study has strongly indicated the presence of Y. pestis and S. enterica on the island of Crete that contributed to societal changes during 2,000 BCE.

9 Aug 2022

The eyes of mutant zebrafish help understand the role of a protein in preventing cell death

Around 15 years ago, a group of researchers discovered mutant zebrafish. The eyes of these zebrafish did not develop correctly, resulting in them being significantly smaller than the eyes of wild zebrafish.

9 Aug 2022

Novel AI tools accurately predict the role of DNA’s regulatory elements

Newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) programs accurately predicted the role of DNA's regulatory elements and three-dimensional (3D) structure based solely on its raw sequence, according to two recent studies in Nature Genetics.

9 Aug 2022

Researchers unravel a novel molecular target of eicosapentaenoic acid

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an essential nutrient belonging to the omega-3 group of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). As the human body cannot synthesize PUFAs, dietary supplements containing EPA are required for normal physiological functions. Found abundantly in natural sources like fish, hemp oil, and linseed oil, EPA is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective activities.

9 Aug 2022

NIH researchers develop three-dimensional structure of twinkle protein

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have developed a three-dimensional structure that allows them to see how and where disease mutations on the twinkle protein can lead to mitochondrial diseases.

5 Aug 2022

New study uncovers a likely proteome signature for reductive stress cardiomyopathy

Two years ago, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues reported that reductive stress -; an imbalance in the normal oxidation/reduction, or redox, homeostasis -; caused pathological changes associated with heart failure in a mouse model.

3 Aug 2022

Turning to Organ-on-a-Chip Studies for the Future of Drug Discovery

In this interview, we speak to Tom Kostrzewski, VP of Science and Technology at CN Bio, about their organ-on-a-chip product and the future of drug discovery.

From CN-Bio 3 Aug 2022

Molecular & Structural Biology

Innovative technology revels the impact of environmental conditions on RNA structures in living cells

Scientists elucidate the structure of Type IV secretion system involved in antibiotic resistance

KAUST bioscientists develop new method to study the bone marrow microenvironment in greater detail

Intestinal tissue-resident lymphocytes regulate their activity depending on glucose availability

Study paves new way to develop a predictive biomarker for TRAIL therapy

In monkeys, spike-based vaccines produce some immunity based on CD8 T-cells

Why is COVID-19 more severe in people older than 50?

Men exposed to industrial air pollution exhibit sperm mitochondrial DNA deletions

Recombination most often occurs on the COVID-19 phylogenetic tree in the form of 'long branches'

UTSW scientists discover mechanism of RNA capping by SARS-CoV-2 virus

IRB scientists identify critical spots on the genome where gene editing could cause an unwanted response

Rice University researchers model a key mechanism by which DNA replicates

Scripps, UCLA chemists develop a 'molecular editing' toolkit for modifying bicyclic aza-arenes

Pathogens in ancient DNA could explain how two civilizations collapsed

The eyes of mutant zebrafish help understand the role of a protein in preventing cell death

Novel AI tools accurately predict the role of DNA’s regulatory elements

Researchers unravel a novel molecular target of eicosapentaenoic acid

NIH researchers develop three-dimensional structure of twinkle protein

New study uncovers a likely proteome signature for reductive stress cardiomyopathy

Turning to Organ-on-a-Chip Studies for the Future of Drug Discovery

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

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