Fluorophore News and Research

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Studying influenza A virus and peptide interactions with electrically controllable DNA nanoconstructs

German scientists used DNA nanolevers to target the interaction between a peptide known as PeB and influenza A.

3 Nov 2021

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 helicase by single DNA lesions

In a paper, the impact of specific DNA lesions is investigated regarding the unwinding activity of NSP13.

18 Oct 2021

Role of CRISPR-Cas12a visual biosensor in detection of SARS-CoV-2

A new study aimed to develop a novel CRISPR-Cas12a powered visual biosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

13 Oct 2021

Study sheds light on neurologic symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers in Australia and Finland have provided important insights into how infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – might affect nervous system circuitries and cause neurologic symptoms.

6 Sep 2021

Recognizing viral genomes in quick, ‘CRISP’ ways

Researchers from China recently reviewed the latest advancements, applications, and prospects of virus detection using CRISPR-Cas systems.

27 Aug 2021

New article focuses on drug discovery targeting SARS-CoV-2

The July edition of SLAS Discovery is a Special Edition featuring the cover article, "Development of a High-Throughput Screening Assay to Identify Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Guanine-N7-Methyltransferase Using RapidFire Mass Spectrometry" by Lesley-Anne Pearson, Charlotte J. Green, Ph.D., De Lin, Ph.D., Alain-Pierre Petit, Ph.D., David W. Gray, Ph.D., Victoria H. Cowling, Ph.D., and Euan A. F. Fordyce, Ph.D., (Drug Discovery Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK).

1 Jul 2021

MIT researchers develop a molecular assay to detect sub-picomolar levels of the SARS-CoV-2's receptor-binding domain

A team of researchers at MIT has developed a molecular assay to detect sub-picomolar levels of the SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) using computationally validated peptide beacons in a single-step detection through the production of a fluorescence signal.

8 Jun 2021

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Researchers developed a platform for detecting the virus directly from a patient's sample as well as the immune response through antibodies such as IgG and IgM.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 is activated for fusion by a broad range of proteases, finds study

A team of researchers from the University of Virginia, USA, used single-virus fusion experiments with exogenously controlled proteases to investigate the mechanism of activation directly. They found that the subcellular location of entry depends on the protease activity of the various components, and parallel pathways are possible.

6 May 2021

Scientists design 'smart' cellular biosensors for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike

New research led by Hana El-Samad of the University of California, San Francisco, and the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub confirmed the beneficial use of an antiviral therapeutic called SARSNotch, which uses a combination of the SynNotch platform and de-novo designed protein binders. SARSNotch uses sentinel T cells to detect and mount a genetic response toward the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein.

28 Apr 2021

Researchers use a photostabilizer to modulate fluorescence blinking in biochemical assays

Fluorescence spectroscopy is indispensable in biomedical diagnostics. One can think of turning on fluorescence as turning on a flashlight in a dark room.

13 Apr 2021

The interaction between blood clotting and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Coagulopathy - a condition in which the blood's ability to clot is impaired, is recognized as a significant aspect of morbidity in COVID-19 patients. In a recent study, Prof Lewis Cantley and a team of researchers explored the role of coagulation factors in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Their recent study is posted on the bioRxiv server.

7 Apr 2021

Visualization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by fluorescence in situ hybridization probes

A team of scientists from France has recently designed fluorescence in situ hybridization probes (CoronaFISH) to visualize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in infected cells. A detailed description of the probe design, validation, and application is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

7 Feb 2021

Researchers develop new method for charting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein glycosylation

Researchers develop a novel, simple and affordable method for N-glycan fingerprinting based on enzymatic fluorescent glycan labeling and electrophoresis. This new method may help us understand important changes in glycosylation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein – something which could inform future therapeutic research.

20 Jan 2021

Fluorescence guidance can enable surgeons to assess cancer tissues in real-time

A clinical research study published in the British Journal of Surgery shows that fluorescence guidance (where a fluorescent chemical compound re-emits light with a long wavelength) can enable a colorectal surgeon to assess cancer tissues visually and with more specificity in real-time during surgery, by utilising near-infrared (NIR) light from an administered fluorophore in conjunction with artificial intelligence (AI) methods.

17 Dec 2020

Researchers discover novel protocol to detect lipid production in microalgae

Dietary supplementation of fatty acids produced from microalgae have wide-reaching health benefits for humans, including the ability to reduce obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease, preventing hair loss, and assisting wounds to heal.

16 Oct 2020

Production of six monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

Youjia Guo et al. in a recent bioRxiv preprint paper demonstrate the robust performance of mouse anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike monoclonal antibodies in immunoassays, including western blotting, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation and also neutralizing activity in vitro against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

5 Oct 2020

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 with portable CRISPR-based mobile phone diagnostic test

A large group of researchers from the United States reported developing an amplification-free CRISPR-based mobile phone assay for direct detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from nasal swabs. Their state-of-the-art paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

Newly identified mechanism regulates the distensibility of the heart

A healthy heart beats 50 to 100 times a minute and pumps 8,000 litres of blood around our body every day. A precondition for this function is the elasticity of the cardiac walls, which dilate as blood flows in (diastole) and contract again as the blood flows out (systole).

15 Sep 2020

Rice lab's fluorescent tag project reveals new method to kill tumors

A Rice University lab's project to make better fluorescent tags has turned into a method to kill tumors. Switching one atom in the tag does the trick.

11 Jun 2020