Homologous News and Research

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Researchers employ microbes for storing and retrieving energy from renewable sources

Cornell University bioengineer Buz Barstow is trying to solve a big problem: How to build a low-cost, environmentally friendly and large-scale system for storing and retrieving energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar. Currently, there are no sustainable methods for storing green energy, as batteries are environmentally toxic.

1 Sep 2021

Computational study identifies human proteins structurally similar to SARS-CoV-2 proteins

A new study published in Scientific Reports identifies the human proteins that share structural similarities with the SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

30 Aug 2021

New study identifies novel compound as promising pan-coronavirus drug candidate

A recent study describes a novel compound with frameshifting capability against MERS-CoV, inhibiting viral propagation within infected cells.

23 Aug 2021

Primate study shows benefit of mRNA vaccine booster shot against SARS-CoV-2 variants

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint research paper, a large group of US scientists demonstrate how a booster dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine can substantially improve both the potency and range of neutralizing antibody responses and mediate protection against upper and lower airway infection by a range of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern – even those relatively resistant to in vitro neutralization.

16 Aug 2021

How replication and recombination contribute to emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been caused by the rapid outbreak of a novel coronavirus, namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has already claimed more than 4.3 million lives worldwide.

13 Aug 2021

Heterologous prime-boost vaccination induces robust mucosal and systemic immunity against SARS-CoV-2

Scientists from Germany and Italy recently demonstrated the benefits of intramuscular/intranasal heterologous prime-boost vaccination regimen against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2021

Start codon disruption with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing prevents Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy in mice

In a new study, researchers at the University of Oregon's Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact used start codon disruption with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to prevent Fuchs' corneal dystrophy in mice.

3 Aug 2021

Public and private SARS-CoV-2 T cell receptors may be crucial for pan-coronavirus vaccines

Researchers have just established a structural basis for two spike glycoprotein epitopes of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that are restricted to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A2 molecules. More specifically, they are involved in the presentation of antigenic peptides to specific T lymphocytes and recognized by public and private T cell receptors. The research is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

2 Aug 2021

CD8+ T cells show gene-dependent variation in cross-reactivity to human coronaviruses

A new study discusses how both different responses to the infection itself and to COVID-19 vaccines are likely the result of genetic differences.

25 Jul 2021

Researchers develop a transferrable and integrative type I CRISPR-based platform to edit superbugs

A research team led by Dr Aixin YAN, Associate Professor from the Research Division for Molecular & Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, in collaboration with Honorary Clinical Professor Patrick CY WOO from the Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, reported the development of a transferrable and integrative type I CRISPR-based platform.

23 Jul 2021

Efficacy of mRNA vaccine-induced memory B cells against SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new study characterizes the functional humoral immunity post-COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccination.

22 Jul 2021

Mixing COVID vaccines generates a comparable immune response

The validity and safety of mixing first and second doses of different types are explored in a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Rose et al. (July 13th, 2021), finding that robust antibody response is induced, comparable to, and perhaps even exceed that generated by homologous dosing.

16 Jul 2021

Striking increase in SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seen with prime dose AstraZeneca vaccine followed by Pfizer-BioNTech

Researchers in Germany have provided evidence that a booster shot of a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine following prime immunization with AstraZeneca’s adenoviral vector-based vaccine is sufficient to achieve high levels of neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

8 Jul 2021

Two chemoattenuated PfSPZ malaria vaccines provide strong and lasting protection

A team of researchers recently optimized regimens for CVac, wherein aseptic, purified, cryopreserved, and infectious PfSPZ were inoculated and mixed with PYR and CQ.

5 Jul 2021

A new study reveals unintended CRISPR/Cas9 editing events

A recent study by researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom shows that CRISPR/Cas9-based genomic engineering can prompt unwanted on-target effects, and highlights the complexity of human DNA repair mechanisms in the presence of the powerful prokaryotic Cas9 nuclease. The paper is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

4 Jul 2021

Novel candidate malaria vaccine confers high levels of durable protection

Two U.S. Phase 1 clinical trials of a novel candidate malaria vaccine have found that the regimen conferred unprecedentedly high levels of durable protection when volunteers were later exposed to disease-causing malaria parasites.

30 Jun 2021

Study: Odorant receptor recognizes pyrazines in both humans and domesticated animals

A team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has now discovered that the odorant receptor OR5K1 is specialized to recognize pyrazines in both humans and domesticated animals.

23 Jun 2021

Study paves the way for development of new therapeutics for C. difficile infection

A new study paves the way for the development of next generation therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), the most frequent cause of healthcare-acquired gastrointestinal infections and death in developed countries.

18 Jun 2021

A study on SARS-CoV-2 proteins for the development of COVID-19 drugs

The authors of the review have grouped the virus proteins into three categories, (a) host-entry, (b) self-acting, and (c) host-interacting. Additionally, individual SARS-CoV-2 proteins are evaluated to be either directly targeted by drugs or block virus-host interactions.

16 Jun 2021

Study shows poor antibody response in naive elderly of nursing homes after mRNA vaccination

A new study describes inadequate antibody responses to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in elderly residents of a care home with no prior history of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), compared to those with such a history. This adds to the current understanding of vaccine efficacy against infection.

13 Jun 2021