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Researchers discover new gene involved in regulating the body's cholesterol

Precision medicine has the potential to tailor treatments to a patient's unique genetic sequence. But achieving this precision -- or developing new drugs -- requires knowing which genes are involved in disease.

4 May 2020

New information on viral antigens could improve COVID-19 testing

Researchers in France and China have characterized antibody responses to a wide range of antigens present on severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 May 2020

ASU team identifies new, unique SARS-CoV-2 mutation

As the coronavirus pandemic has swept across the U.S., in addition to tracking the number of COVID daily cases, there is a worldwide scientific community engaged in tracking the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself.

4 May 2020

Wyss Institute and Cytosurge collaborate to improve CRISPR multiplexing

Today, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Cytosurge AG, a company manufacturing unique high-precision nanotechnology instruments, announced that they will collaboratively investigate CRISPR-based approaches to more effectively introduce multiple edits into the genome of single cells, while minimizing CRISPR-related toxicity.

4 May 2020

Study defines new starting points for therapy and vaccine research on coronavirus

The SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects lung cells and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The viral spike protein mediates entry of the virus into host cells and harbors an unusual activation sequence.

4 May 2020

SARS-CoV-2 receptor ‘mimic' could prevent COVID-19

Researchers from Italy have developed an exciting new peptide drug that could potentially prevent the coronavirus from infecting people’s cells. The paper, published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in April 2020, describes a small molecule that can bind to and block the attachment site on the virus spike protein, preventing its entry into the host cell.

4 May 2020

Research detects a more dangerous SARS-CoV-2 mutation

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in May 2020 reports the setting up of a system to help track new mutations in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that is behind the current COVID-19 pandemic. This will help analyze mutations to find and track the spread of those that are most likely to increase the pathogenicity of the virus, either by making it easier to transmit or by enhancing its resistance to treatment.

4 May 2020

Study reports cryo-EM structure of Remdesivir-bound RNA replicase complex from SARS-CoV-2

A team of Chinese scientists have reported the high-resolution cryo-EM structure of Remdesivir-bound RNA replicase complex from SARS-CoV-2, the infective virus of COVID-19.

3 May 2020

DNA damage and inaccurate repair mechanisms jointly cause mutational signatures

Researchers at EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute, the University of Dundee and the Wellcome Sanger Institute analysed over 2700 genomes from C. elegans worms in order to better understand the causes of mutations.

2 May 2020

Spike protein analysis from India's first SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv analyzes viral spike protein sequences from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in West Bengal, India, comparing them with sequences from other Indian states and Wuhan, China.

30 Apr 2020

Scientists link undiagnosed human disease with rare mutation in PHETA1 gene

Virginia Tech scientists with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have manipulated genes to link an undiagnosed human disease with a rare mutation in the PHETA1 gene.

30 Apr 2020

Testing sewage could be useful in monitoring COVID-19 circulation in the population

Researchers in Italy have demonstrated the potential value of sewage system monitoring for studying trends in the circulation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

30 Apr 2020

Coronaviruses represent a source of pandemic viruses

In a new paper published on the preprint journal bioRxiv in April 2020, researcher T. Konishi argues that the coronavirus family is a constellation of pandemic pathogens, that includes the currently spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

29 Apr 2020