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Scientists unravel a new mechanism that triggers cell death and inflammation

Z-form nucleic acids are double-stranded DNA and RNA molecules with an unusual left-handed double helix structure, as opposed to the classical right-handed Watson-Crick double helix. Z-nucleic acids were discovered more than 40 years ago, but their biological function has remained poorly understood.

31 Mar 2020

Overexpression of hPCL3S could contribute to tumor progression in prostate cancer

The cover for issue 12 of Oncotarget features Figure 11, "Global analyses of the RNA-Seq data of LNCaP empty vector and LNCaP cells overexpressing hPCL3S (Clone 12)" by Abdelfettah, et al.

25 Mar 2020

Eating fish 1-3 times a week in pregnancy beneficial for the child

Pregnancy is a time when the mother’s diet becomes essential not only for reasons of proper nutrition but to avoid harm to or enhance the development of the child. Now a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open in March 2020 shows that mothers who ate one to three servings of fish a week while they were pregnant gave birth to children with a better metabolic profile compared to those mothers who ate little or no fish at this time.

16 Mar 2020

Fish consumption during pregnancy associated with improved metabolic health of children

To eat or not to eat fish is a question that has long concerned pregnant women. Now, a new USC study shows that children whose mothers ate fish from one to three times a week during pregnancy were more likely to have a better metabolic profile -- despite the risk of exposure to mercury -- than children whose mothers ate fish rarely (less than once a week).

16 Mar 2020

Biomaterials could soon create tissue like blood vessel structures

A group of researchers led by Professor Alvaro Mata from the University of Nottingham, along with others from Queen Mary University London, has successfully created a biomaterial that could be used for the creation of tissues that could form blood vessels. The study titled, “Disordered protein-graphene oxide co-assembly and supramolecular biofabrication of functional fluidic devices,” was published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Communications.

4 Mar 2020

Cancer chemical from common gut microbe

Many common gut bacteria carry cancer-causing mutations, says a new study published in the journal Nature on the 27th February 2020.

27 Feb 2020

Scientists discover novel molecular pathway involved in immunotherapy response

Scientists at The Wistar Institute discovered a novel pathway that enables detection of DNA in the cytoplasm and triggers inflammation and cellular senescence.

20 Feb 2020

Supersensitive nanomaterials hold promise for DNA analysis and next-generation drugs

In 1900, German physician Paul Ehrlich came up with the notion of a "magic bullet." The basic idea is to inject a patient with smart particles capable of finding, recognizing, and treating a disease. Medicine has pursued the magic bullet ever since.

19 Feb 2020

Researchers discover how CDK8 oncogene gets activated in healthy humans

Most cancers are caused by a large variety of factors that vary from one person to another. To unravel this complexity, genes that contribute to the development of a respective cancer must be identified. Such genes are called oncogenes. A good example of an oncogene is CDK8: Cyclin-dependent kinase 8.

28 Jan 2020

New molecular mechanism can reverse genetic defect responsible for Friedreich's ataxia

Scientists at Tufts University have identified a molecular mechanism that could reverse the genetic defect responsible for Friedreich's ataxia, a neurodegenerative disease that leaves its victims with difficulty walking, a loss of sensation in the arms and legs and impaired speech caused by degeneration of nerve tissue in the spinal cord.

6 Jan 2020

Studying Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease using Pre-Formed Fibrils

Ariel Louwrier discusses the development of pre-formed tau and alpha-synuclein fibrils for research into Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

From StressMarq Biosciences Inc. 2 Jan 2020

Start Codon and One Nucleus join hands to enable success of UK life science cluster

Start Codon, a new model of life science and healthcare business accelerator, today announced it has partnered with One Nucleus, a membership organisation for life science and healthcare companies.

13 Dec 2019

Scientists identify how damaged DNA molecules are repaired inside the human genome

A team of scientists has identified how damaged DNA molecules are repaired inside the human genome, a discovery that offers new insights into how the body works to ensure its health and how it responds to diseases that stem from impaired DNA.

5 Dec 2019

Unexpected versatility of an ancient DNA repair factor revealed

If a bone breaks or a tendon snaps, you know to seek treatment immediately. But your most fragile and precious cellular commodity, chromosomal DNA, breaks with astounding frequency- some estimate as many as 10,000 times a day per cell- usually without consequence.

2 Dec 2019

Scientists publish structural and functional keys that distinguish two similar transcription factors

Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, in collaboration with the Sloan Kettering Institute (New York, US), have published the structural and functional keys that distinguish two very similar transcription factors, namely SMAD2 and SMAD3.

12 Nov 2019

Mutated version of DNA repair protein may illuminate its role in preventing cancer

Two trillion times each day, the cells in a typical human divide to replace old, damaged or dead cells. Before a cell divides, though, it makes an exact copy of its DNA, which will be passed on to the new cells.

31 Oct 2019

Molecular mechanisms involved in Pixantrone's interactions with cancer DNA discovered

Recently, a drug named Pixantrone (PIX) was developed, which is far less damaging to the heart than previous, less advanced compounds. PIX is now used to treat cancers including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukaemia, but a detailed knowledge of the molecular processes it uses to destroy cancer cells has been lacking so far.

28 Oct 2019

Measuring development in young children: the DNA clock

Scientists have come up with a new discovery that could transform our understanding of how childhood growth and development are measured – the DNA clock. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, is the first paper to...

16 Oct 2019

The atomic-level structure of DNA polymerase delta – the enzyme behind DNA replication

A new study has revealed how the fundamental enzyme called DNA polymerase delta operates during DNA replication, making a copy of the genetic code that can be transmitted through the generations.

4 Oct 2019

Scientists use ultrasound to detect active genes in live cells

A startling new study shows that ultrasound can help scientists to understand whether specific genes are in the active or inactive state in live cells.

27 Sep 2019