Molecular & Structural Biology

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Study Identifies Five Root-Lesion Nematodes Affecting New Zealand Maize

A new study has lifted the lid on five species of root-lesion nematodes living in maize crops across New Zealand - and suggested the existence of a hitherto-unsuspected cryptic species.

15 Jan 2025

Compound from Sea Sponge Could be Used as a Chemical Probe for Research

Girolline, a compound extracted from the sea sponge Pseudaxinyssa cantharella, has been investigated for possible antitumor effects and also found to have anti-malarial effects.

15 Jan 2025

Unrepaired DNA Damage Can Persist for Years and Lead to Cancer Mutations

While most known types of DNA damage are fixed by our cells’ in-house repair mechanisms, some forms of DNA damage evade repair and can persist for many years, new research shows. This means that the damage has multiple chances to generate harmful mutations, which can lead to cancer.

15 Jan 2025

Study Reveals How Gut Bacteria and the Body Regulate Bile Acids

Our gut is a bustling hub of activity, home to trillions of microbes that work together with our bodies to keep us healthy.

15 Jan 2025

Understanding RapA's Function in E. coli R-loop Control

From a genetic perspective, it is the worst-case scenario for a bacterium: during transcription, freshly created RNA adheres to its DNA template to form a three-stranded structure called an R-loop.

15 Jan 2025

Research Shows How Sleep Clears Brain Waste

A good night's sleep does more than just help you feel rested-it might literally clear your mind. A new study published January 8 in the Cell Press journal Cell shows how deep sleep may wash away waste buildup in the brain during waking hours, an essential process for maintaining brain health.

10 Jan 2025

Illuminating RNA Function with Innovative Bioluminescent Probes

The molecule that reads the genetic data contained in DNA is called RNA. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have found a method to tag RNA with a glowing bioluminescent molecule, which enables them to track RNA in real time as it travels throughout the body.

10 Jan 2025

New Insights into How Nitrogenase Enzyme Survives Oxygen Exposure

Nitrogen is an essential component in the production of amino acids and nucleic acids - both necessary for cell growth and function.

9 Jan 2025

New Discovery Sheds Light on How Monoamines Regulate Brain Rhythms

A collaborative effort between Mount Sinai and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has shed valuable light on how monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and now histamine help regulate brain physiology and behavior through chemical bonding of these monoamines to histone proteins, the core DNA-packaging proteins of our cells.

9 Jan 2025

Identifying PRIMER Cells and their Role in Defense Signaling

A diverse population of immune cells that move from one organ to another and react to anything from cuts to colds to cancer is how human bodies protect themselves. However, this luxury is not available to plants.

9 Jan 2025

Weak Molecular Interactions Trigger Autophagy in Cells

Recycling takes place in our cells at all times: in a process called autophagy, cell components that are no longer needed are enclosed by membranes and broken down into their basic building blocks.

8 Jan 2025

New Mechanism Revealed for Immune Response to DNA Damage

A research team from the University of California, Irvine has revealed a previously unknown mechanism that triggers an inflammatory immune response in cells when their DNA is damaged.

7 Jan 2025

CryoSCAPE Enables Accurate Single-Cell Profiling in Diverse Populations

Human blood is a complex and delicate mixture, often used by researchers and clinicians to understand the body’s inner workings.

7 Jan 2025

Uncovering Key Differences Between Humans and Mice in Cancer Immunotherapy Targets

“Programmed cell death protein 1,” or PD-1, has been considered a key target in cancer therapies since its discovery in the 1990s.

6 Jan 2025

RNA on Plant Leaves May Shape Microbial Interactions

Biologists at Indiana University Bloomington have shown that the surfaces of plant leaves are coated with a diverse array of RNA molecules.

6 Jan 2025

Unveiling the Impact of Antigen History on CAR-T Cell Function

The memory of previous interactions with bacteria, viruses, and other antigens is carried by some CAR-T cells that have been engineered to fight cancer and other conditions, according to research from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

3 Jan 2025

Zebrafish Protein Promotes Cardiac Repair in Mice

Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute's Bakkers group have used a zebrafish protein to successfully repair damaged mouse hearts.

3 Jan 2025

New Study Reveals DNA’s Role in Stabilizing Cellular Structures

In a discovery that could redefine how we understand cellular resilience and adaptability, scientists at Scripps Research have unlocked the secret interactions between a primordial inorganic polymer of phosphate known as polyphosphate (polyP), and two basic building blocks of life: DNA and the element magnesium.

26 Dec 2024

Plant Research Reveals Unexpected Function for Key Cellular Protein

A cell protein previously believed only to provide a scaffolding for DNA has also been shown to directly influence DNA transcription into RNA – the first step of the process by which an organism's genetic code expresses itself. The fundamental breakthrough was discovered in apple cells but is relevant to all living organisms made of nucleus-containing cells, including humans.

24 Dec 2024

Researchers Create 3D Atlas of Brain-Spinal Cord Connections

Signals relayed to motor neurons from the brain enable muscle movement, but these signals typically pass through spinal interneurons before they reach their destination. How the brain and this highly diverse group of "switchboard operator" cells are connected is poorly understood.

24 Dec 2024