Molecular & Structural Biology

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New model describes the enormous range of DNA in nature

Why neutral sequences, frequently referred to as “junk DNA,” are not removed from the genomes of living things in nature and persist there even millions of years later is a scientific mystery that could have a possible answer according to a new model created at Tel Aviv University.

23 Feb 2023

Monitoring bovine meat and milk factor protein expression could enable colorectal cancer detection

Bovine meat and milk factors (BMMFs)-; initially identified by de Villiers et al. in 2014-; represent a class of infectious agents in beef and cow's milk that have been linked to the development of cancer.

23 Feb 2023

New insights into the mechanism underlying the immunomodulatory effects of polyphenols

PCB2DG, a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory properties, works by targeting and directly interacting with the major glutamine transporter protein, alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2), to inhibit the uptake of glutamine, an important amino acid found in the blood.

22 Feb 2023

DNA methylation for precise gene expression regulation

If the genome is viewed as a guidebook for how a cell should operate, then annotations, highlights, and bookmarks are included on every page.

21 Feb 2023

Analyzing the existence of unknown miniproteins

Evolutionarily young miniproteins are unique in humans, and scientists have recently found thousands of them.

21 Feb 2023

Accelerating the structure-guided discovery of chemogenetic tools

In order to more fully understand how diseases arise in the brain, scientists must unravel the intricate way neurons relay messages (either chemical or electrical) along a complex web of nerve cells. One way is by using a tool called DREADDs, which stands for Designer Receptors Activated by Designer Drugs.

21 Feb 2023

Revealing a novel form of ferroptosis that may be implicated in diseases caused by acute injury

This study is led by Dr. Anjian Xu (Beijing Clinical Research Institute, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University), Dr. Min Cong (Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University) and Dr. Junying Ding (Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University).

20 Feb 2023

Scientists unravel the secrets of polydopamine coatings

Dopamine is best known as a neurotransmitter. What is rather unknown, however, the underwater glue used by mussels contains large amounts of L-Dopa molecules, an analog of dopamine.

17 Feb 2023

Reimagining FDA-approved drugs for spinocerebellar ataxia type 5

A team of researchers has developed a new method to screen FDA-approved drugs to determine if they could be repurposed or improved to help patients with a rare, debilitating disease of the nervous system.

17 Feb 2023

New approach to better target cellular proteins

By studying how enzymes move from one membrane compartment to another inside a cell, scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have figured out a way to better target cellular proteins, which play a role in many diseases.

16 Feb 2023

Study: Platelets likely to perform a protective function in AD

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging entitled, "Immune-mediated platelet depletion augments Alzheimer's disease neuropathological hallmarks in APP-PS1 mice."

16 Feb 2023

LJI receives funding from NIAID to lead the biggest human immunoprofiling effort

A new grant of over $17 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has established La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) as the leading institute for human immunology data curation, analysis, and dissemination. With this funding, LJI has taken the helm of the Human Immunology Project Consortium Data Coordinating Center, a critical tool in the effort to fuel scientific collaboration in immunoprofiling and highlight findings from the overall Human Immunology Project Consortium (HIPC).

16 Feb 2023

Pungent ginger constituent puts white blood cells on heightened alert

Ginger has a reputation for stimulating the immune system. New results from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (Leibniz-LSB@TUM) now support this thesis.

15 Feb 2023

IGSF3-mediated potassium dysregulation drives glioma-related epilepsy

Glioma is one of the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumors. A common feature of glioma is the presence of localized, intermittent seizures referred to as glioma-related epilepsy, which is known to promote tumor growth. However, the mechanism involved at the molecular level is still not clear.

15 Feb 2023

Study reveals important role of Secretin receptor in regulating drinking behavior under thirst

Animals instinctively find and consume water when feeling thirsty in order to restore body fluid osmolality and plasma volume to their set points.

15 Feb 2023

New method triggers and analyzes the dynamics of brain protein linked to Alzheimer’s

Scientists are not yet clear on how the tau protein changes from a benign protein essential for normal function in our brains into the toxic neurofibrillary tangles that are a signature of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

15 Feb 2023

New family of pharmaceutical compounds that target RNA

In Jennifer Hines’ lab, a group of graduate and undergraduate chemistry students recently discovered a new family of compounds that can target RNA and interfere with its function. In the future, RNA-targeted treatments to treat cancer and metabolic diseases, together with bacterial and viral infections, could be developed using the chemical scaffold found in this research.

15 Feb 2023

Molecular & Structural Biology

New model describes the enormous range of DNA in nature

Monitoring bovine meat and milk factor protein expression could enable colorectal cancer detection

New insights into the mechanism underlying the immunomodulatory effects of polyphenols

DNA methylation for precise gene expression regulation

Analyzing the existence of unknown miniproteins

Accelerating the structure-guided discovery of chemogenetic tools

Revealing a novel form of ferroptosis that may be implicated in diseases caused by acute injury

Scientists unravel the secrets of polydopamine coatings

Reimagining FDA-approved drugs for spinocerebellar ataxia type 5

New approach to better target cellular proteins

Study: Platelets likely to perform a protective function in AD

LJI receives funding from NIAID to lead the biggest human immunoprofiling effort

Pungent ginger constituent puts white blood cells on heightened alert

IGSF3-mediated potassium dysregulation drives glioma-related epilepsy

Study reveals important role of Secretin receptor in regulating drinking behavior under thirst

New method triggers and analyzes the dynamics of brain protein linked to Alzheimer’s

New family of pharmaceutical compounds that target RNA

3D structure of a major protein complex in cilia revealed

WashU researcher receives NIH grant to study a poorly understood protein linked to ALS

Study finds similar levels of DNA damage in vapers and smokers

Driving Support for Pharmaceutical Testing Through Continuous Innovation

From Memory to Metaplasticity: Unraveling the Brain's Secrets

Revolutionizing Mass Spectrometry: A Deep Dive into Plasmion’s SICRIT® Technology

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