Structural Biology News and Research

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Scientists solve first structure of human cotransporter protein KCC1

In work that could someday improve treatments for epilepsy, UT Southwestern scientists have published the first three-dimensional structure of a member of a large family of human proteins that carry charged particles – ions – across the cell membrane.

29 Oct 2019

Some types of proteins can stabilize damaged DNA

At the University of Copenhagen, researchers have discovered how some types of proteins stabilize damaged DNA and thereby preserve DNA function and integrity. This new finding also explains why people with inborn or acquired defects in certain proteins cannot keep their DNA stable and develop diseases such as cancer.

28 Oct 2019

SciLifeLab and AstraZeneca establish cryo-EM collaboration to advance biomedicine

The study published in Science Advances reveals the mechanism by which the receptor tyrosine kinase RET can increase neuronal survival in degenerative diseases. To understand the mechanism of this signaling complex, the researchers solved the cryo-EM structure of its extracellular region, employing a new approach for data collection.

21 Oct 2019

Understanding protein aggregation over time can help decipher early stages of Parkinson's

One of the biggest difficulties in treating Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is the understanding of when it starts.

11 Oct 2019

Structural biology reveals 3D structure of asthma-linked receptor

A new study has laid bare the structure of a protein receptor called the CysLT1 receptor that is implicated in a range of allergic and cardiovascular conditions as well as some types of cancer. Published in Science Advances, the paper shows how the researchers used structural biology techniques to accomplish this feat.

10 Oct 2019

Scientists uncover details of antibody response to Ebola virus vaccine

In the recurring, deadly Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa, today's health workers now have at least some tools to fight the disease: vaccines. Vaccines against Ebola have been administered to over 100,000 people to date, but they are barely out of the experimental stage.

10 Oct 2019

Video images offer real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly

For the first time, researchers have captured images of the formation of individual viruses, offering a real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly. The research provides new insights into how to fight viruses and engineer self-assembling particles.

4 Oct 2019

Mount Sinai researchers discover how DNA polymerase delta duplicates the genome

Mount Sinai researchers have discovered how the enzyme DNA polymerase delta works to duplicate the genome that cells hand down from one generation to the next. In a study published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, the team also reported how certain mutations can modulate the activity of this enzyme, leading to cancers and other diseases.

3 Oct 2019

Mount Sinai researchers receive NIH award to develop universal flu vaccine

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have received a contract award of up to $132 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of a new Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) program to further develop the universal flu vaccine.

1 Oct 2019

Accelerating Nanobody Production using Polyclonal Anti-VHH Antibodies

In this interview, Dr. Dave Fancy, CEO of Jackson ImmunoResearch explains how anti-VHH antibodies can be used to produce nanobodies and VHH libraries.

From Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc. 12 Sep 2019

Enzyme in plants key to developing novel pharmaceuticals

Plants have many superpowers, such as manufacturing compounds to help repel pests, protecting themselves from environmental hazards, and providing a plethora of essential oils and other compounds that can heal a multitude of infections and other diseases.

9 Sep 2019

Key plant enzyme could pave way for development of medications and other products

Plants can do many amazing things. Among their talents, they can manufacture compounds that help them repel pests, attract pollinators, cure infections and protect themselves from excess temperatures, drought and other hazards in the environment.

8 Sep 2019

Zika virus damages the adult human brain and impairs memory in mouse model

Zika virus attracted worldwide attention in recent years due to the devastating consequences of infection for pregnant women and their fetuses, many of which were born with microcephaly and other severe neurological malformations.

5 Sep 2019

Scientists reveal the structure of a key protein in Epstein-Barr virus infection

Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and the Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona have published a study in the journal Nature Communications revealing the structure of a key protein, known as a portal, in Epstein-Barr virus infection.

29 Aug 2019