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Scientists unveil dynamic structure of protein key to vision

Scientists have for the first time looked deep into the protein structure that may determine our vision - and discovered that it is much more dynamic than previously thought.

4 Apr 2025

New structural and mechanistic understanding for cancer drug design

A University of Iowa-led study has revealed the unexpected structure adopted by the DNA repair protein RAD52 as it binds and protects replicating DNA in dividing cells. This new structural and mechanistic understanding of the RAD52-DNA complex may help researchers develop new anti-cancer drugs.

3 Apr 2025

New insights into how glutamate opens brain cell signaling channels

In an effort to understand how brain cells exchange chemical messages, scientists say they have successfully used a highly specialized microscope to capture more precise details of how one of the most common signaling molecules, glutamate, opens a channel and allows a flood of charged particles to enter.

28 Mar 2025

New phospholipids improve functional mRNA delivery via lipid nanoparticles

Researchers develop innovative phospholipids that improve the functional delivery of mRNA via lipid nanoparticles, paving the way for advanced therapeutic applications.

28 Mar 2025

Researchers develop a reverse genetics system for African swine fever virus

Researchers from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have developed a reverse genetics system for African swine fever virus (ASFV).

26 Mar 2025

Asgard archaea provide clues to the origin of complex life forms

Ten years ago, nobody knew that Asgard archaea even existed. In 2015, however, researchers examining deep-sea sediments discovered gene fragments that indicated a new and previously undiscovered form of microbes.

22 Mar 2025

Study finds a promising alternative strategy for combating H. pylori infections

This study is reported by Lizeng Gao's group from the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing. The growing issue of antibiotic resistance necessitates alternative treatments for the highly prevalent Helicobacter pylori infection.

22 Mar 2025

First molecular movie captures DNA unzipping at atomic level

Scientists at the University of Leicester have captured the first detailed "molecular movie" showing DNA being unzipped at the atomic level – revealing how cells begin the crucial process of copying their genetic material.

21 Mar 2025

Study reveals the structural underpinnings of memory formation in the mouse brain

In a study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers revealed the structural underpinnings of memory formation across a broad network of neurons in the mouse brain.

20 Mar 2025

Breakthrough study unveils mechanics of DNA unwinding

For the first time, scientists have witnessed the very moment DNA begins to unravel, revealing a necessary molecular event for DNA to be the molecule that codes all life.

19 Mar 2025

Researchers challenge the genetic paradigm of cancer

It's time for researchers to reconsider the current paradigm of cancer as a genetic disease, argued Sui Huang from the Institute for Systems Biology, USA, and colleagues in a new essay published March 18th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

19 Mar 2025

Discovery of new protein could revolutionize cancer drug delivery

A previously unknown protein in a family of bacteria found in soil and the human gut microbiome has been discovered – which could help drug delivery in cancer treatment.

17 Mar 2025

IL-12 targeting could open pathways for new Alzheimer's treatments

Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center have detailed the precise mechanism through which the inflammatory signaling molecule IL-12 contributes to Alzheimer's disease.

17 Mar 2025

Clinical trial of vaccine candidate to prevent Lassa fever begins enrollment

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored clinical trial of a candidate vaccine to prevent Lassa fever has begun enrolling participants at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.

17 Mar 2025

Breakthrough peptide inhibitor effective against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, infects cells by binding its spike protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors.

14 Mar 2025

Tecovirimat monotherapy found ineffective for treating clade II mpox in NIH-sponsored trial

NIH-sponsored trial data offer further evidence to help inform mpox treatment decisions.

12 Mar 2025

A safer and more affordable polio vaccine could soon be a reality

A more affordable, lower-risk polio vaccine is on the horizon, research led by the University of Leeds has found.

11 Mar 2025

Scientists uncover structure of key enzyme to block cancer cell energy supply

Cancer cells have an insatiable appetite for energy as they multiply more rapidly than normal cells. Greedy cancer cells hijack various cellular functions to find and exploit energy and other resources, including a group of enzymes that help normal cells maintain a balance of energy.

6 Mar 2025

Breakthrough study sheds light on Pol-theta’s role in DNA repair and cancer

DNA repair proteins act like the body's editors, constantly finding and reversing damage to our genetic code. Researchers have long struggled to understand how cancer cells hijack one of these proteins-called polymerase theta (Pol-theta)-for their own survival.

4 Mar 2025

Study unveils protein complex critical for sperm morphology

The human body is full of checks and balances that ensure correct growth, development, and function of all our different systems. Now, researchers from Japan have reported a newly discovered protein interaction that regulates sperm development.

3 Mar 2025