Molecular & Structural Biology

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Breakthrough in Understanding Connexin-Drug Interactions

Researchers have gained new knowledge of how drugs bind to connexin molecules. These molecules form channels that allow neighboring cells to send direct messages to one another.

27 Jun 2024

Study Uncovers a Biological Explanation for Long-Term Memories

Whether it's a first-time visit to a zoo or when we learned to ride a bicycle, we have memories from our childhoods kept well into adult years.

27 Jun 2024

Histone H3K9 Methylation Found to Act as a Dimmer Switch for Gene Regulation

Researchers led by Kannosuke Yabe, Asuka Kamio, and Soichi Inagaki of the University of Tokyo have discovered that in thale cresses histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9) methylation, conventionally thought to be a mark of turning off gene transcription, can also turn on gene expression via the interactions of two other proteins and histone marks.

27 Jun 2024

Mapping Gene Targets of HNF4A and HNF1A in Human Pancreatic Beta Cells and Liver Cells

Scientists have generated a comprehensive map of the gene targets regulated by the transcription factors HNF4A and HNF1A in human pancreatic beta cells and liver cells.

26 Jun 2024

New Insights into How Cells Fine-Tune Protein Assembly

Imagine the body as a bustling factory constantly assembling proteins, the building blocks that keep everything running smoothly.

26 Jun 2024

CRISPR-Derived Protein Controls Exon Inclusion and Exclusion

The University of Toronto researchers have successfully and precisely controlled the process of RNA splicing by using CRISPR, a bacterial immune defense system.

25 Jun 2024

AI-Driven Design of Soluble Protein Analogs for Drug Discovery and Antibody Development

Many drug and antibody discovery pathways focus on intricately folded cell membrane proteins: when molecules of a drug candidate bind to these proteins, like a key going into a lock, they trigger chemical cascades that alter cellular behavior.

24 Jun 2024

Genomic Insights into Glucosinolate Biosynthesis in Broccoli

A detailed genomic study of broccoli has revealed the genetic foundations for the production of glucosinolates (GSLs), compounds celebrated for their health benefits, including anti-carcinogenic properties.

24 Jun 2024

New Cold-Sensing Protein Discovery Could Revolutionize Pain Management

The only available treatments for millions of people with chronic pain worldwide frequently involve the use of opioids, which pose the risk of addiction and overdose.

24 Jun 2024

Detecting Auto-Antibodies for Early Identification of High-Risk COVID-19 Cases

Researchers recently discovered that auto-antibodies against their type 1 interferons, crucial immunological signaling proteins, were present in some COVID-19 patients.

20 Jun 2024

Tabulae Paralytica: Mapping Cellular Dynamics in Spinal Cord Injuries

Scientists at EPFL have achieved a significant research milestone in the field of spinal cord injuries-;mapping out the cellular and molecular dynamics of paralysis in unprecedented detail with their open-source project 'Tabulae Paralytica'.

20 Jun 2024

Multimodal Imaging Reveals Heterogeneity in Amyloid Plaques

Alzheimer's disease (AD), which affects millions of people globally, is still one of the most difficult and common neurodegenerative conditions.

19 Jun 2024

Breakthrough Imaging Reveals the Dynamics of the Brain's Fast-Acting Kainate Receptor

New groundbreaking images of one of the brain's fastest-acting proteins are providing critical clues that may lead to the development of targeted therapies to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders.

18 Jun 2024

Scientists Achieve Autonomous Control of Microscopic Machines

Tohoku and Kyoto University researchers have successfully created a DNA-based molecular controller that controls molecular robot building and disassembly autonomously.

17 Jun 2024

Human Antibodies Offer Hope for Improved Black Widow Antivenom

Sera produced from horses can be used to treat serious illnesses caused by black widow bites. But this approach is not totally secure. To address this, scientists have produced entirely human antibodies that are capable of neutralizing the European black widow's alpha-latrotoxin.

13 Jun 2024

Exploring the Use of Weakened Viruses for Cancer Treatment

Scientists at Northwestern Medicine have found that an attenuated virus can aid in the elimination of cancer in mice. Furthermore, mice given this virus treatment had a higher lifetime tumor-prevention rate.

12 Jun 2024

Super-Cooled Brain Cell Molecules Shed Light on Epilepsy Drug Action

By super cooling a molecule on the surface of brain cells down to about minus 180 degrees Celsius -; nearly twice as cold as the coldest places in Antarctica -; scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have determined how a widely-used epilepsy drug works to dampen the excitability of brain cells and help to control, although not cure, seizures.

11 Jun 2024

Water-Soluble Bacterial Enzyme Could Enable Rapid Screening of Potential Antibiotics

A bacterial enzyme called histidine kinase is a promising target for new classes of antibiotics. However, it has been difficult to develop drugs that target this enzyme, because it is a "hydrophobic" protein that loses its structure once removed from its normal location in the cell membrane.

11 Jun 2024

CSHL Researchers Reveal New Protein Networks in RNA Splicing Regulation

Bodybuilders and cellular mechanisms agree generating protein is a heavy lift. To complete the task, cells rely on complexes called spliceosomes.

11 Jun 2024

Epitope Binning-Seq: Revolutionizing Antibody Drug Discovery

Monoclonal antibodies are powerful tools in medicine due to their remarkable ability to target specific sites on antigens (foreign invaders) called epitopes.

11 Jun 2024