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AI-Driven Insights into Lasso Peptide Biosynthesis

Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers have constructed and tested models for how these peptides are made and demonstrated how this information might be used to advance lasso peptide-based drugs into the clinic.

23 Sep 2024

Study Reveals How Alternative Splicing Regulates Plant Metabolite Production

A recent study highlights the pivotal role of alternative splicing in controlling plant secondary metabolism, which is crucial for producing bioactive compounds with significant medicinal and industrial value.

14 Sep 2024

Crystal Structure of i-Motif DNA Opens Doors for Targeted Drug Design

The first crystal structure of an alternative DNA shape from the insulin gene has been revealed by a UCL-led research team.

9 Sep 2024

A Landmark Study Reveals the Widespread Existence of DNA i-Motifs

Innovative study of DNA's hidden structures may open up new approaches for treatment and diagnosis of diseases, including cancer.

30 Aug 2024

High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy Reveals Cofilin Binding Patterns in Actin Filaments

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in eLife on deciphering the actin structure-dependent preferential cooperative binding of cofilin.

29 Aug 2024

Cryo-EM Reveals CDCA7's Hemimethylation Sensing in Nucleosome Core Particles

DNA methylation, a process by which methyl groups are added to DNA molecules, is essential for the maintenance of DNA and the overall health of an organism. Disruptions in the standard DNA methylation patterns can lead to immunodeficiency and diseases such as cancer.

27 Aug 2024

Shared Mechanisms in Human and Yeast DNA Replication Revealed

Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies published in the journals Science and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

5 Aug 2024

New Model Reveals Interplay Between Circadian Rhythms and Sleep-Wake Cycles in Gene Expression

A mathematical, driven, damped harmonic oscillator model to assess the varying contributions of circadian cues and sleep-wake processes on gene expression and the rhythmic transcriptome.

18 Jul 2024

Phage Protein Discovery Holds New Key to Battling Bacteria

An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria.

11 Jul 2024

Real-Time Snapshots of RNA Polymerase Illuminate Transcription Bubble Dynamics

Every living cell transcribes DNA into RNA. This process begins when an enzyme called RNA polymerase (RNAP) clamps onto DNA.

10 Jul 2024

New Gene-Editing Tool Offers More Precision and Flexibility

Researchers at the University of Sydney have created a gene-editing instrument that is more precise and adaptable than the industry standard CRISPR, which has transformed genetic engineering in biotechnology, agriculture, and medicine.

24 Jun 2024

Genetic Insights into Salt Gland Formation and Stress Responses in Sea Lavender

Basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors are essential for various plant processes, including growth, development, and stress responses.

7 Jun 2024

Structural Insights into a Novel Gene-Editing Tool

Yutaro Shuto, Ryoya Nakagawa, and Osamu Nureki of the University of Tokyo conducted collaborative research to ascertain the spatial organization of different processes within a unique gene-editing instrument known as “prime editor.”

30 May 2024

Unmasking XPD’s Mechanism in DNA Damage Detection and Repair

The way the protein XPD recognizes severe DNA damage and regulates its repair was uncovered by researchers at the University of Würzburg, under the direction of Caroline Kisker and Claudia Höbartner.

29 May 2024

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of DNA Entanglement Resolution

Picture in your mind a traditional "landline" telephone with a coiled cord connecting the handset to the phone.

12 Apr 2024

Scientists Create Lifelike Human Ear Replica with 3D Printing

Using state-of-the-art tissue engineering techniques and a 3D printer, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Engineering have assembled a replica of an adult human ear that looks and feels natural.

1 Apr 2024

Protein RAD51 Acts as Guardian Against DNA Over-Replication

Every time a cell divides, its DNA is duplicated so that the two daughter cells have the same genetic material as their parent.

5 Mar 2024

Scientists Discover Dual Challenges in DNA Replication Process

Half a century ago, scientists Jim Watson and Alexey Olovnikov independently realized that there was a problem with how our DNA gets copied.

29 Feb 2024

DNA Repair Breakthrough: Scientists Reveal RecA's Precise Helix Navigation

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have been studying DNA repair by homologous recombination, where the RecA protein repairs breaks in double-stranded DNA by incorporating a dangling single-strand end into intact double strands, and repairing the break based on the undamaged sequence.

22 Jan 2024

Computational Creation of Complex Protein All-α Structures

Based on their amino acid sequences, proteins fold into distinct three-dimensional structures that determine their function. While de novo protein design has advanced significantly, complex all-αproteins, in which α-helices are not stacked in a parallel fashion within three-dimensional structures, have not been as easily designed.

8 Jan 2024