Microscopy News and Research

Latest Microscopy News and Research

Cryo-EM Analysis Uncovers Unexpected Enzymatic Switch in Bacterial Anti-Phage System

Scientists have revealed a never-before-seen phenomenon in a protein: Alone, the enzyme processes DNA and RNA but, when bound to another protein as part of a defense system, interacts with a completely different type of compound to help bacteria commit suicide.

14 Dec 2023

Model Helps Researchers 'See' Proteins on AFM Substrates

By employing a computational-based approach, researchers from Kanazawa University have introduced a new method for predicting protein placement on AFM substrates.

13 Dec 2023

SFU-UBC Collaboration Pushes Frontiers of Cellular Biology With AI-Enhanced Super-Resolution Microscopy

In 2014, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry celebrated the breakthroughs in super-resolution microscopy, a technology that allows us to capture highly detailed images of small parts of cells using fluorescent microscopy.

11 Dec 2023

Earliest Evidence of Disease-Causing Fungus Found

A recent breakthrough has unveiled the earliest disease-causing fungus, residing within the fossil collections of the Natural History Museum.

7 Dec 2023

Mathematical Models and Biological Dynamics in Embryo Development

One of life’s enduring fundamental questions revolves around the process of development. Consider human growth—how do cells autonomously arrange themselves into structures like skin, muscles, or bones? How do they coalesce to form intricate organs such as the brain, fingers, or spine?

7 Dec 2023

Revolutionizing Fish Immunology: A Paradigm Shift in Antibody Responses

Upon infection or immunization, antibodies, produced by all jawed vertebrates, serve to bind and neutralize pathogens.

4 Dec 2023

Revolutionizing Precision in Super-Resolution Microscopy

Cutting-edge super-resolution microscopy techniques can now achieve optical resolutions within the range of a few nm, corresponding to the size of cellular molecules.

4 Dec 2023

Understanding Mitochondrial Adaptations to Cellular Metabolism

Employing advanced super-resolution microscopes, scientists from the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Pennsylvania have, for the inaugural time, witnessed the processes of electrical charge and discharge within mitochondria extracted from cells.

28 Nov 2023

A Novel Technique for Ribonucleotide Quantification

Scientists at the Folkhälsan Research Center have devised a novel technique enabling the straightforward quantification of ribonucleotides in small tissue and cell samples within a standard laboratory setting, without the need for specialized equipment.

28 Nov 2023

Fluorescence-Based Actinometers Enable Precise and Versatile Light Intensity Measurements

Accurate measurements of light intensity provide vital data for scientists and everyday applications.

28 Nov 2023

Structural Insights Into Coronavirus Spike Proteins

Coronaviruses employ protein “spikes” to latch onto and infect cells. Contrary to their name, these spikes do not have a rigid and pointed structure. Instead, they resemble chicken drumsticks, with the meaty portion facing outward.

27 Nov 2023

Where Does the Light Come From? Optical Properties Allow Plants to “See” Light

An innovative study led by Professor Christian Fankhauser at UNIL and colleagues at EPFL has combined expertise in biology and engineering to reveal that a light-sensitive plant tissue uses the optical properties of the air-water interface to create a light gradient that is ‘visible’ to the plant.

24 Nov 2023

Novel Approach Reveals Intergenerational Cooperation Among Bacteria

Bacteria collaborate and share nutrients among generations when they form communities. Using a recently invented technique, researchers at the University of Basel have been able to demonstrate this for the first time.

22 Nov 2023

Unraveling the Mystery of L-Cry: A Distinctive Cryptochrome Protein

In a recent release in Nature Communications, a collaborative research group comprising Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), the University of Cologne, and the University of Oldenburg has disclosed their discoveries regarding the operation of a distinctive cryptochrome protein (Cry).

16 Nov 2023

Dinosaur Reproductive Strategies Uncovered Through Fossil Analysis

The last three decades have witnessed the discovery of several remarkably well-preserved dinosaur specimens related to reproduction, significantly advancing the understanding of dinosaur reproductive biology.

16 Nov 2023

Revolutionizing Live Cell Imaging: Dye-Based Techniques for Rapid, Clear Insights

Researchers from CÚRAM at the University of Galway, in collaboration with their counterparts at the Centre for Molecular Nanometrology at the University of Strathclyde, have released findings that reveal the intricate mechanisms within cells.

16 Nov 2023

A Glimpse Into the World of Bacterial Metabolism Within Hosts

Researchers from Kiel University (CAU) and the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen are shedding light on the enigmatic world of bacteria that coexist or parasitize animal hosts.

9 Nov 2023

Unlocking the Secrets of Bacterial Transcription

Bacterial transcription serves as an assembly line for duplicating genetic directives from double-stranded DNA into RNA molecules.

7 Nov 2023

Exploring Z-RNA’s Role in Immune Response

Quentin Vicens, an Assistant Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston, has been granted $1.2 million by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to investigate the enigmatic Z-RNA structure found within human cells.

3 Nov 2023

Research Reveals How Gut Bacteria Influence Distant Organs Through Oxytocin Signaling

The gut microbiome, a community of trillions of microbes living in the human intestines, has an increasing reputation for affecting not only gut health but also the health of organs distant from the gut.

3 Nov 2023