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Genomic research can help combat COVID-19

Next-generation sequencing of the COVID-19 virus is providing powerful metagenomic data, which, combined with clinical data, will inform the search for effective treatments, as reported in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology.

5 Jun 2020

ETH researchers uncover a complex plant-bacteria interaction

Plants need nitrogen in the form of ammonium if they are to grow. In the case of a great many cultivated plants, farmers are obliged to spread this ammonium on their fields as fertilizer.

4 Jun 2020

UCL scientists discover genes responsible for maintaining healthy hearing

Scientists at UCL have discovered sets of regulatory genes, which are responsible for maintaining healthy hearing. The finding, made in fruit flies, could potentially lead to treatments for age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in humans.

From University College London 3 Jun 2020

New method imitates how plants produce hormones

Plants produce the hormone jasmonic acid as a defense response when challenged. This is how they ensure that their predators no longer like the taste of their leaves.

1 Jun 2020

Study may help develop medical implants for diabetic patients

For the first time, a research team led by Martin Fussenegger, a professor at ETH Zurich, has successfully used electric current to directly manipulate gene expression.

1 Jun 2020

Study reveals a new method for efficient production of proteins

Researchers have studied over 30,000 variants of genetic sequences to determine which traits of mRNA can enhance translational efficiency.

1 Jun 2020

Warwick researchers discover how cells respond to fasting and activate autophagy

As modern life-styles and high-calorie diets drive the UK's obesity levels up, researchers from the University of Warwick have found how cells respond to fasting and activate the process called autophagy, which means a healthier lifestyle can be promoted to help people maintain a healthy body weight.

From The University of Warwick 28 May 2020

Breaking Down Stubborn Cellulose In Time Lapse

The plant component cellulose is an extremely resistant, water-insoluble polymer that makes them efficient and sustainable use of plant biomass.

28 May 2020

New sequencing method helps map the spatial arrangement of DNA

A sequencing technique helps to map the spatial arrangement of DNA in the cell nucleus, revealing which regions of the genome are at greater risk of mutation.

27 May 2020

Researchers design antibody to identify pathogens of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have found a way to design an antibody that can identify the toxic particles that destroy healthy brain cells - a potential advance in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.

26 May 2020

Innovative tool to speed up the drug discovery process

A better understanding of the interaction between a molecule and the organism is important to consider its therapeutic potential.

21 May 2020

Researchers use CRISPR technology to control many genes simultaneously

Researchers from UMD are using CRISPR technology in an effort to develop first-of-their-kind microelectronic devices that link with biological systems.

21 May 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

Cross-neutralization of SARS and COVID-19 coronaviruses by an antibody

An antibody first identified in a blood sample from a patient who recovered from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003 inhibits related coronaviruses, including the cause of COVID-19.

19 May 2020

Researchers develop a reliable technique for assessing the role of lncRNAs

The discovery of a huge number of long non-protein coding RNAs, aka lncRNAs, in the mammalian genome was a major surprise of the recent large-scale genomics projects.

18 May 2020

Computational methods can help design protein-based vaccines

Vaccines are regarded as an effective intervention to stop the spread of infectious diseases. They produce antibodies by activating the immune system.

18 May 2020

Study shows the dual role of amyloid proteins in Bacillus physiology

When Bacillus subtilis cells are deprived of an amyloid protein, they show a range of cytological dysfunctions and anomalies that cause their premature death.

18 May 2020

Coronavirus attacking microRNA numbers reduce with age

A group of tiny RNA that should attack the virus causing COVID-19 when it tries to infect the body are diminished with age and chronic health problems, a decrease that likely helps explain why older individuals and those with preexisting medical conditions are vulnerable populations, investigators report.

14 May 2020

Single-cell gene expression studies can shed more light on disrupted genes

Scientists can gain a better understanding of the cellular roles of the disrupted gene by disturbing the expression of a specific gene and tracking how this change has an impact on the expression of other types of genes.

13 May 2020