Crystallography News and Research

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Scientists obtain detailed molecular structure of member of Tet family of enzymes

Scientists have obtained the first detailed molecular structure of a member of the Tet family of enzymes.

28 Dec 2013

Unprecedented, atom-scale simulation of G protein-coupled receptor site's transformation

Roughly 40 percent of all medications act on cells' G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). One of these receptors, beta 2 adrenergic receptor site (B2AR), naturally transforms between two base configurations; knowing the precise location of each of approximately 4,000 atoms is crucial for ensuring a snug fit between it and the drug.

28 Dec 2013

Submicrometer line focusing reduces protein crystal damage, enhances drug development

New recommendations for using X-rays promise to speed investigations aimed at understanding the structure and function of biologically important proteins - information critical to the development of new drugs.

20 Dec 2013

Researchers discover molecular "switch" in receptor that controls cell behavior

If scientists can control cellular functions such as movement and development, they can cripple cells and pathogens that are causing disease in the body.

17 Dec 2013

New research finds that H7N9 still mainly adapted for infecting birds, not humans

Avian influenza virus H7N9, which killed several dozen people in China earlier this year, has not yet acquired the changes needed to infect humans easily, according to a new study by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute. In contrast to some initial studies that had suggested that H7N9 poses an imminent risk of a global pandemic, the new research found, based on analyses of virus samples from the Chinese outbreak, that H7N9 is still mainly adapted for infecting birds, not humans.

6 Dec 2013

New research offers fresh insights to drug designers searching for better pain treatments

In a technical tour de force, UC San Francisco scientists have determined, at near-atomic resolution, the structure of a protein that plays a central role in the perception of pain and heat.

5 Dec 2013

Study brings effective hepatitis C cure closer to reality

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the most detailed picture yet of a crucial part of the hepatitis C virus, which the virus uses to infect liver cells. The new data reveal unexpected structural features of this protein and should greatly speed efforts to make an effective hepatitis C vaccine.

29 Nov 2013

Study shows X-ray lasers can generate complete 3-D model of protein from scratch

A study shows for the first time that X-ray lasers can be used to generate a complete 3-D model of a protein without any prior knowledge of its structure.

25 Nov 2013

TSRI researchers solve structure of key protein in deadly, but little known virus

What began as a summer internship project designed for an undergraduate student evolved into a one-year study of one of the deadliest, but little known viruses. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have now solved the structure of a key protein in the Nipah virus, which could pave the way for the development of a much-needed antiviral drug.

20 Nov 2013

Researchers solve structure of key protein in Nipah virus

What began as a summer internship project designed for an undergraduate student evolved into a one-year study of one of the deadliest, but little known viruses.

18 Nov 2013

ASU incorporates with seven research universities to establish Science and Technology Center

Arizona State University is teaming up with seven other research universities to establish a new Science and Technology Center (STC), sponsored by the National Science Foundation with an initial five-year, $25-million grant (extendable for another five years).

6 Nov 2013

Understanding protein evolution

Highlighting an important but unexplored area of evolution, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found evidence that, over hundreds of millions of years, an essential protein has evolved chiefly by changing how it moves, rather than by changing its basic molecular structure. The work has implications not only for the understanding of protein evolution, but also for the design of antibiotics and other drugs that target the protein in question.

30 Sep 2013

Life science products from AXT to be exhibited at ComBio 2013

AXT, Australia’s leading supplier of analytical and sample preparation equipment will be exhibiting at the ComBio 2013 conference from September 29 to October 3, at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Western Australia, organised by the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

18 Sep 2013

Research findings bring scientists one step closer to preventing HIV infections

In a long-awaited finding, a team of Chinese and US scientists has determined the high-resolution atomic structure of a cell-surface receptor that most strains of HIV use to get into human immune cells. The researchers also showed where maraviroc, an HIV drug, attaches to cells and blocks HIV’s entry.

13 Sep 2013

Scientists prove 50-year-old hypothesis of RNA 'higher-order' structure

When Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the double helical structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in 1953, it began a genetic revolution to map, study, and sequence the building blocks of living organisms.

27 Aug 2013

3-D structure of proteins show flame retardants can mimic estrogen hormones

By determining the three-dimensional structure of proteins at the atomic level, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered how some commonly used flame retardants, called brominated flame retardants (BFRs), can mimic estrogen hormones and possibly disrupt the body's endocrine system. BFRs are chemicals added or applied to materials to slow or prevent the start or growth of fire.

20 Aug 2013

TSRI scientists discover molecular mechanism by which deadly Ebola virus assembles

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered the molecular mechanism by which the deadly Ebola virus assembles, providing potential new drug targets.

16 Aug 2013

New discovery to fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs

The fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs has taken a step forward thanks to a new discovery by scientists at The University of Nottingham.

14 Aug 2013

NIH-funded study of aquaporin proteins could hold clues to cataract

Researchers have achieved dynamic, atomic-scale views of a protein needed to maintain the transparency of the lens in the human eye. The work, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, could lead to new insights and drugs for treating cataract and a variety of other health conditions.

6 Aug 2013

Researchers contribute to key step in finding cure for prion-folding diseases in humans

The work of University of Alberta researchers and their teams has contributed to an important next step in finding a cure for deadly prion-folding diseases in humans and animals.

1 Aug 2013