Electron Microscopy News and Research

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Structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein offers clues about the virus' evolution

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have characterized the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as well as its most similar relative in a bat coronavirus. The structures provide clues about how the spike evolved and could help inform vaccine design.

10 Jul 2020

Understanding the role of a cyanobacterial protein in photosynthesis

Cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae, are the first organisms on earth that learned to extract electrons from water and convert sunlight to usable energy through photosynthesis.

7 Jul 2020

Researchers identify protective antibodies for rare, polio-like disease in children

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have isolated human monoclonal antibodies that potentially can prevent a rare but devastating polio-like illness in children linked to a respiratory viral infection.

6 Jul 2020

Princeton researcher solves long-standing mysteries of membrane protein structure

Ion channels and membrane transporters are in the business of moving ions and small molecules across cellular membranes. They are essential for metabolic and cellular homeostasis, and for a host of biological signaling pathways.

30 Jun 2020

High-throughput super-resolution microscope shows organelle in unparalleled detail

The centriole is the organelle of interest if individuals want to learn the fundamental mechanisms of cellular division and motility.

23 Jun 2020

Study sheds light on DNA sculpting properties of enigmatic protein

Sometimes, when something is broken, the first step to fixing it is to break it even more. In a recent example, scientists seeking to understand the mechanism of a DNA-repairing enzyme have discovered that the molecule performs its functions by first marking and then further breaking damaged DNA.

22 Jun 2020

cryo-EM images reveal proteins involved in brain activity

When the body continues to perform its daily biological processes neurotransmitters, regulate the level of electrical activity inside the brain.

18 Jun 2020

Solving A Parkinson's Disease Puzzle Through Protein Design

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in everything and the receptors have been a longstanding target for treating disorders like Parkinson's disease.

17 Jun 2020

New protein design could help in drug discovery for Parkinson’s disease

The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a vital role in everything, starting from motor control to higher cognitive functions, arousal, motivation, sexual gratification, and reinforcement.

12 Jun 2020

Study reveals structure of an activated dopamine receptor

Dopamine, a chemical that sends messages between different parts of the brain and body, plays a key role in a variety of diseases and behaviors by interacting with receptors on cells.

11 Jun 2020

Cryo-electron microscopy helps visualize PANX1 protein at near-atomic level

For the first time, researchers from Van Andel Institute have explained the near-atomic level structure of a molecular route that has crucial roles to play in the regulation of blood pressure, cell death, inflammation, and human development.

4 Jun 2020

Research team discovers proteins that regulate interorganelle communication

Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI headed by Suh Pann-ghill) announced on the 2nd that the joint research team of KBRI (team led by Dr. Mun Ji-young), Seoul National University, and Pohang University of Science and Technology discovered the proteins that engage in the formation of MAM, which is the cellular signaling hub.

4 Jun 2020

X-ray experiments reveal antibody to block entry of SARS-CoV-2

As scientists across the globe race to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, an international team led by Davide Corti at Vir Biotechnology and David Veesler at the University of Washington has been working around the clock on a complementary approach - identifying neutralizing antibodies that could be used as a preventative treatment or as a post-exposure therapy.

20 May 2020

New technique reveals the proliferation and genetic exchange of bacteria

Researchers have made a breakthrough interpretation of the way bacteria move and carry out genetic exchange—that may possibly result in the development of novel antimicrobial drugs.

From University of Exeter 7 May 2020

Researchers design novel cell culture model of human intestine to study COVID-19

Scientists have identified that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, known to cause COVID-19, infects intestinal cells and undergo proliferation there.

4 May 2020

Study reveals the mechanism used by tuberculosis bacteria for their growth

The structure of a protein that plays a role in importing vitamin B12 into the cells of a tuberculosis (TB)-causing bacterium has been revealed by scientists from the Netherlands, Russia, the United States, and Sweden.

23 Apr 2020

Biophysicists uncover new features of molecular elevator

Biophysicists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have visualized a nearly complete transport cycle of the mammalian glutamate transporter homolog from archaea.

21 Apr 2020

Discovery marks a critical step toward developing new anti-cancer drugs

A team of scientists led by the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has identified the binding site where drug compounds could activate a key braking mechanism against the runaway growth of many types of cancer.

21 Apr 2020

UTSW researchers solve structure of key protein involved in muscle contraction

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have uncovered the detailed shape of a key protein involved in muscle contraction.

16 Apr 2020

New method images proteins in 3D with nanoscale resolution

A research team, which also included scientists from the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), has reported a novel method for imaging proteins in three dimensions (3D) with nanoscale resolution.

16 Apr 2020