Molecular & Structural Biology

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A theoretical model may help better understand how blood circulates in the brain

Research carried out by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) may help us better understand oscillations in blood flow that occur in the cerebrovascular network, thanks to a theoretical model that allows the flow and accumulation of fluid (in this case, blood) to be taken into account.

4 Feb 2022

Molecular simulations provide insight into SARS-CoV-2 variant RBD interactions with ACE2 and mAbs

Researchers aimed to understand the relationship between the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain and both human receptors and therapeutic targets.

3 Feb 2022

New method may be effective at quantifying DNA adenine methylation in complex organisms

For decades, a small group of cutting-edge medical researchers have been studying a biochemical, DNA tagging system, which switches genes on or off. Many have studied it in bacteria and now some have seen signs of it in, plants, flies, and even human brain tumors.

3 Feb 2022

Researchers elucidate first 3D structure of regulator protein complex

Proteins are indispensable components in living organisms. They are not only "building material" for the body – they also make molecular communication between cells possible, they are needed for nerve impulses to occur, and they control chemical reactions.

2 Feb 2022

Rolling brain wave patterns can provide clue to understanding sleep, anesthesia, and attention

While sleeping, the entire brain rolls through long, slow waves of electrical activity, like waves on a calm ocean. Researchers call that state of consciousness "slow wave sleep".

2 Feb 2022

Study finds minimal genetic difference between healthy sea stars and those with wasting syndrome

Healthy-looking ochre sea stars have minimal genetic difference from those displaying symptoms of sea star wasting syndrome, say Oregon State University researchers who examined whether genetic variation was the reason some animals went unaffected during an epidemic of the deadly disease.

2 Feb 2022

SARS-CoV-2 entry at the cell surface facilitated by trypsin

Exogenous trypsin treatment boosts SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 cells and promotes viral multiplication in cultured cells.

1 Feb 2022

New machine-learning model could speed up the process of developing new medicines

Antibodies, small proteins produced by the immune system, can attach to specific parts of a virus to neutralize it.

1 Feb 2022

Researchers visualize protein machinery of respiration for the first time

Oxygen and sugar are the basis of life for animals, plants, fungi and many bacteria. The metabolic process called respiration makes it possible to convert food into energy for the cells.

31 Jan 2022

Researchers use microscopic strands of DNA to assemble hydrogel blocks

Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have used microscopic strands of DNA to guide the assembly of gel blocks that are visible to the naked eye.

31 Jan 2022

Researchers investigate functional advantages of traveling brain waves during working memory

After more than a century of study, the significance of brain waves – the coordinated, rhythmic electrical activity of groups of brain cells – is still not fully known. An especially underappreciated aspect of the phenomenon is that waves spatially propagate, or "travel," through brain regions over time.

31 Jan 2022

Study reveals potential mechanism for iron accumulation in the aging brain

Breakdowns in regulatory mechanisms cause iron to build up in the brain as organisms grow older, increasing oxidative stress and causing cellular damage, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the journal eLife.

31 Jan 2022

Imaging microscopy shows killer T-cells targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

Researchers demonstrate how cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) with specificity for SARS-CoV-2 eliminate multiple infected targets.

30 Jan 2022

Study provides atomistic level insight into target residence time of small molecule kinase inhibitors

When a drug molecule binds to its target protein, it stays bound for some time before eventually unbinding the target. The actual time how long a drug molecule resides bound to its target varies among compounds.

29 Jan 2022

New model can localize sounds in the real world

The human brain is finely tuned not only to recognize particular sounds, but also to determine which direction they came from. By comparing differences in sounds that reach the right and left ear, the brain can estimate the location of a barking dog, wailing fire engine, or approaching car.

28 Jan 2022

New approach using RNA therapeutic can fix protein problems in cystic fibrosis

The process of generating proteins from genes is akin to a factory, where workers follow a set of instructions that, ideally, are effective and clear.

27 Jan 2022

Structural proteomics approaches can help in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Two researchers from Skoltech and McGill University have published a review of the promising research field known as structural proteomics in the influential journal Chemical Reviews.

27 Jan 2022

New imaging method reveals the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules

Using an innovative new imaging technique, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have revealed the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules in unprecedented detail and speed. The work could inform new strategies in the burgeoning field of optogenetics, which uses light pulses to alter the activity of individual neurons and other cells.

27 Jan 2022

Omicron RBD mutations increase ACE2 binding and reduce antibody sensitivity

In a study conducted at the Florida International University, USA, scientists have investigated the impact of spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) mutations of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant on its interaction with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

26 Jan 2022

New study holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses

New research, led by Washington State University scientists, into how viral proteins interact and can be disabled holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses - and ultimately prevent crop losses.

25 Jan 2022

Molecular & Structural Biology

A theoretical model may help better understand how blood circulates in the brain

Molecular simulations provide insight into SARS-CoV-2 variant RBD interactions with ACE2 and mAbs

New method may be effective at quantifying DNA adenine methylation in complex organisms

Researchers elucidate first 3D structure of regulator protein complex

Rolling brain wave patterns can provide clue to understanding sleep, anesthesia, and attention

Study finds minimal genetic difference between healthy sea stars and those with wasting syndrome

SARS-CoV-2 entry at the cell surface facilitated by trypsin

New machine-learning model could speed up the process of developing new medicines

Researchers visualize protein machinery of respiration for the first time

Researchers use microscopic strands of DNA to assemble hydrogel blocks

Researchers investigate functional advantages of traveling brain waves during working memory

Study reveals potential mechanism for iron accumulation in the aging brain

Imaging microscopy shows killer T-cells targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

Study provides atomistic level insight into target residence time of small molecule kinase inhibitors

New model can localize sounds in the real world

New approach using RNA therapeutic can fix protein problems in cystic fibrosis

Structural proteomics approaches can help in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

New imaging method reveals the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules

Omicron RBD mutations increase ACE2 binding and reduce antibody sensitivity

New study holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses

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