Molecular & Structural Biology

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New Springer textbook provides a comprehensive overview of aging science

A new textbook provides an overview on the present understanding of aging - from the basic biology of aging to age-related diseases and to the role of lifestyle and the environment.

19 Aug 2024

Early exposure to 'forever chemicals' alters gut microbiome and increases metabolic disease risk

Early life exposure to 'forever chemicals' in the environment permanently disrupts the gut microbiome in mice, contributing to the development of metabolic disease in later life, according to new research led by Penn State.

14 Aug 2024

Study reveals how chromatin structure influences social behavior in dogs

A new study on dogs found that chromatin's spatial structure has a significant role in the evolution of social behavior.

14 Aug 2024

New findings reveal how serotonin shapes behavior in negative situations

Researchers increased synaptic serotonin through a selective serotonin-releasing agent, fenfluramine, to investigate its impact on human behavior.

14 Aug 2024

Researchers develop new method to study critical type of protein modification process

Human proteins undergo a variety of chemical modifications following their synthesis. These modifications regulate their structure, function, and stability.

12 Aug 2024

Controllable chiral switching in double-helical foldamers for advanced molecular systems

The deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA, the molecular system that carries the genetic information of living organisms, can transcribe and amplify information using its two helical strands.

9 Aug 2024

DeepPBS: A geometric AI model for accurate prediction of protein-DNA binding specificity

A new artificial intelligence model developed by USC researchers and published in Nature Methods can predict how different proteins may bind to DNA with accuracy across different types of protein, a technological advance that promises to reduce the time required to develop new drugs and other medical treatments.

9 Aug 2024

Breakthrough study uncovers TIP60’s role in DNA access and disease mechanisms

To transcribe the information contained in our genes or to repair the dozens of breaks that occur daily in our DNA, our enzymes must be able to directly access the DNA to perform their functions.

9 Aug 2024

New insights into topoisomerase I inhibition reveal potential pathways for cancer therapies

A research group at the University of Bologna has identified, for the first time, the specific location and genomic context where DNA breaks occur due to the inhibition of the topoisomerase I, a protein crucial for many biological processes in cells.

8 Aug 2024

Study reveals key brain cells help resist food temptations in favor of exercise

Hypocretin/orexin neurons (HONs) are crucial for resisting temptation and choosing exercise over highly palatable foods. This finding highlights potential targets for promoting physical activity and combating obesity.

7 Aug 2024

Breakthrough study highlights ATM activation by DNA single-strand breaks

New research from a team of genome scientists and DNA damage response experts breaks new ground in understanding the function of a protein currently limited in clinical trials for cancer treatments.

7 Aug 2024

Ribosomes in cells play a crucial role in protein folding

Scientists at UCL have discovered a novel role played by ribosomes during the folding of new proteins in cells, described in their paper in Nature.

7 Aug 2024

How machine learning is accelerating research in structural biology

For Lucas Farnung, there is no question more fascinating than how a single fertilized egg develops into a fully-functioning human.

2 Aug 2024

Using advanced CRISPR to boost efficiency of CAR-T cell therapies

CAR-T cells are highly effective in treating selected blood cancers. However, challenges remain with this new therapy, which was first approved in 2017 in the USA and a year later in Europe for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

2 Aug 2024

New discovery unveils key process in DNA repair pathway

An elegant collaboration between researchers in the UK's two core-funded Medical Research Council Research Institutes, the Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) in London and the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge, has solved a decades-old mystery which could pave the way to better cancer treatments in the future.

31 Jul 2024

Study reveals personalized brain connectivity in blind individuals

A study led by Georgetown University neuroscientists reveals that the part of the brain that receives and processes visual information in sighted people develops a unique connectivity pattern in people born blind. They say this pattern in the primary visual cortex is unique to each person -; akin to a fingerprint.

31 Jul 2024

Loss of Gα13 in B-cells linked to increased lymphoma risk due to dietary glutamine

Researchers find that the deletion of Gα13 in B-cells increases lymphoma risk by enhancing proliferation in gut-associated lymph nodes. Dietary glutamine significantly promotes these effects, highlighting a crucial link between diet and cancer.

29 Jul 2024

Study finds genetic factors key to post-stroke cardiovascular risks

Research identifies genetic and molecular risk factors for cardiovascular outcomes after an initial stroke, uncovering potential therapeutic targets to improve patient prognoses.

28 Jul 2024

Unprecedented brain cell mapping sheds light on Alzheimer's

Less than a decade ago, when Dr. Hansruedi Mathys launched an ambitious project to create an annotated library of all the gene readouts stored within 100 individual brain cells, the task felt daunting.

25 Jul 2024

Comprehensive analysis of Alzheimer’s brain tissue identifies novel biomarkers

From studying the human genome, to analyzing the way proteins are encoded, or monitoring RNA expression, researchers are rapidly gaining a far richer understanding of the complex genetic and cellular mechanisms that underpin dementia. But there's a catch: While new technologies are revealing myriad avenues for Alzheimer's research, it's impossible to know in advance which research pathways will lead to effective treatments.

25 Jul 2024