Molecular & Structural Biology

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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 Innovations Ltd 3 Aug 2022

Mice study shows how working memory is maintained across interconnected brain regions

How does the brain keep in mind a phone number before dialing? Working memory is an essential component of cognition, allowing the brain to remember information temporarily and use it to guide future behavior.

3 Aug 2022

Jianhua Zhao secures $2.4 million NIGMS grant to study the molecular machinery of proteolysis

Assistant Professor Jianhua Zhao, Ph.D., has been awarded a unique and competitive grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

2 Aug 2022

Study identifies pivotal role of FIBCD1 gene in neurodevelopmental disorders

A multidisciplinary study led by Vanja Nagy (LBI-RUD/CeMM/Medical University of Vienna) and Josef Penninger (UBC/IMBA) characterized a novel gene, known as FIBCD1, to be likely causative of a new and rare neurodevelopmental disorder.

2 Aug 2022

Cross-validation of distance measurements in motile proteins reveals certain inconsistencies

The researchers from PD Dr. Gregor Hagelueken's group at the Institute of Structural Biology of the UKB used so-called PELDOR spectroscopy to study the movement of so-called substrate-binding proteins.

1 Aug 2022

CrestOptics’ DeepSIM super resolution confocal microscope module named by Microscopy Today as a top 10 best microscopy innovation of 2022

CrestOptics S.p.A., a manufacturer of high-end microscopy solutions and advanced systems for fluorescence microscopy and diagnostic applications, has been recognised as developing one of the ten best microscopy innovations in the 2022 Microscopy Today Innovation Awards, DeepSIM.

1 Aug 2022

Interactive effects of sexual dimorphism and ancestry influence development of the frontal sinus

Located between and above your eyebrows, the frontal sinuses develop in shapes that are as unique to each person as a fingerprint.

29 Jul 2022

NSF grant awarded to Zhang for producing muscle fiber with synthetic biology approach

Fuzhong Zhang, professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering, has developed a synthetic biology platform to produce muscle fibers that are strong, tough and can absorb energy in ways very similar to the real thing.

29 Jul 2022

Molecular & Structural Biology

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

Mice study shows how working memory is maintained across interconnected brain regions

Jianhua Zhao secures $2.4 million NIGMS grant to study the molecular machinery of proteolysis

Study identifies pivotal role of FIBCD1 gene in neurodevelopmental disorders

Cross-validation of distance measurements in motile proteins reveals certain inconsistencies

CrestOptics’ DeepSIM super resolution confocal microscope module named by Microscopy Today as a top 10 best microscopy innovation of 2022

Interactive effects of sexual dimorphism and ancestry influence development of the frontal sinus

NSF grant awarded to Zhang for producing muscle fiber with synthetic biology approach

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