Biochemistry

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Scents regulate fat metabolism without affecting feeding habits

Dr. Ayse Sena Mutlu, a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor's Huffington Center On Aging, had an intriguing question. Is it possible to change the body's fat storage without changing eating habits?

17 Apr 2020

Sensitive technique makes it possible to study the delivery of RNA drugs

In recent years, RNA molecules, with the ability to affect or turn off pathogenic genes, have become promising drug candidates in several areas.

17 Apr 2020

Synapses of the human nervous system

The glutamate receptors do not actually adhere to “distance keeping.” Now, high-resolution microscopic studies have revealed that the receptors often appear in small groups at the synapses and remain in contact with other proteins.

17 Apr 2020

Why do artificial sweeteners fail to satisfy sugar cravings?

A small quantity of extra sugar would be enough to make people crave for almost everything, from coffee covered in whipped cream to condiments and cookies.

16 Apr 2020

Genetic architecture of life span is context dependent, study finds

Scientists believe about 25 percent of the differences in human life span is determined by genetics -- with the rest determined by environmental and lifestyle factors. But they don't yet know all the genes that contribute to a long life.

15 Apr 2020

Research provides new insights into building blocks of gum disease

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major bacterial pathogen which leads to periodontitis also known as gum disease. In Japan, 80% of adults aged 35 and over suffer from this disease. What's more, P. gingivalis has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, pancreatic cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease.

15 Apr 2020

Metals can affect the formation of harmful misfolded peptide clusters in various diseases

Revealing the interactions between metal ions and peptides in the body could help develop enhanced treatments for Alzheimer’s diabetes, and other diseases.

14 Apr 2020

Role of VRAC ion channel in fight against virus infections

VRAC/LRRC8 chloride channels play a crucial role in the transport of neurotransmitters, amino acids, and cytostatics.

14 Apr 2020

Researchers develop new tool to study how lipids interact with proteins in plants

Harvesting sunlight to make energy is a complex reaction that plants do naturally, but isn't well understood.

13 Apr 2020

Novel isomer separation technique has major implications in biological processes

Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids, and a majority of these proteins have one or more methionine—a sulfur-containing amino acid.

From University of California Santa Cruz 13 Apr 2020

Study finds how sweet taste perception is fine-tuned in response to different diets

At the University of Sydney, researchers have identified the fundamental science behind the fine-tuning of sweet taste perception in response to different diets.

13 Apr 2020

Rice chemist receives NIH grant to speed up drug design

Rice University chemist László Kürti and his lab have received a prestigious Maximizing Investigators' Research grant from the National Institutes of Health to speed up drug design by simplifying the synthesis of essential precursors.

9 Apr 2020

Study reveals shape-shifting enzyme dihydrofolate reductase is associated with catalysis

Researchers from the University of Groningen have visualized the characteristics of a single enzyme within a nanopore.

8 Apr 2020

Scientists discover unexpected pathway by which brown fat can burn energy

When we are exposed to sufficient cold or exercise, small clusters of brown fat cells in our bodies begin to burn up energy.

7 Apr 2020

Researchers gain insight into synthesis and functions of lipids found in tears

New understandings of how lipids function within tears could lead to better drugs for treating dry eye disease.

7 Apr 2020

Cookie brands use banana powder to provide new taste experience for consumers

Brands in the cookies category are using banana powder to provide a new sensory experience for consumers, according to GlobalData a leading data and analytics company.

6 Apr 2020

Making plant-based, protein-rich food to resemble meat

A team of University of Massachusetts Amherst food scientists has been awarded a grant from the Good Food Institute to create tasty, plant-based, protein-rich food that's similar in texture to whole chicken, pork or beef.

6 Apr 2020

Exposing the difference between hot- and cold-brew coffee

Cold-brew might be a popular trend in coffee-making, but little is known about the way this process changes the chemical characteristics of the drink.

6 Apr 2020

Study designs artificial proteins that function as molecular logic gates

Researchers are currently using the same fundamental tools that enable the working of computers to manipulate life at the molecular level.

6 Apr 2020

Study reveals coconut oil reduces metabolic syndrome associated with obesity

An animal study has found that obese females who consumed a small amount of coconut oil every day, in spite of having a high-fat diet, exhibited reduced metabolic syndrome—several risk factors that increase the possibilities of developing heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

1 Apr 2020