Protein News and Research

RSS

Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Endangered marine mammals — seals, dolphins, whales, and otters — are almost as vulnerable as humans in becoming infected from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Researchers from the Dalhousie University in Canada published a study in Science of The Total Environment that found human wastewater as a potential mode of coronavirus transmission to animals.

16 Mar 2021

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

16 Mar 2021

Backtracking occurs within SARS-CoV-2 replication-transcription complex

Researchers continue to achieve a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. One such effort has been reported in a new preprint on the bioRxiv server, dealing with the phenomenon of backtracking.

16 Mar 2021

The role of RNA capping of SARS-CoV-2 in immunity evasion

The SARS-CoV-2 pathogen successfully uses multiple immune evasion mechanisms to achieve infection within its host. An intriguing new study describes one such process, which may help develop drugs to counteract the virus more effectively.

16 Mar 2021

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Using pseudoviruses with single amino acid substitutions, researchers found that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 reduce monoclonal antibody neutralization differently. However, convalescent sera samples did not lose neutralization potency many and were also effective against the B.1.1.7 (UK-derived) strain.

16 Mar 2021

New approach may lead to novel treatments for renal fibrosis

Ageing is a common factor in many diseases. So, what if it were possible to treat them by acting on the causes of ageing or, more specifically, by acting on the shortening of telomeres, the structures that protect chromosomes?

16 Mar 2021

Researchers identify a possible cause of functional neurological disorder

Researchers believe they may have discovered a possible cause of a mystery condition that can leave sufferers suddenly unable to walk, talk or see.

16 Mar 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 lineage has spread across many Brazilian states

Researchers in Brazil have identified the emergence of a new lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Brazil that has spread across multiple states in the country.

15 Mar 2021

Chimeric vaccines may provide universal protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have developed “chimeric” vaccines that provided cross-protection against different strains of sarbecovirus in mice, including the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Mar 2021

New Phase 1 study evaluates prime/boost HIV-1 vaccine formulated with combinations of adjuvants

A new Phase 1 vaccine study began today that will evaluate experimental prime/boost HIV-1 vaccine regimens formulated with combinations of different adjuvants, including one from the Army Liposome Formulation (ALF) family of adjuvants developed by scientists with the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

15 Mar 2021

UAB researchers find potential new pathway to treating radiation-resistant glioblastoma

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have identified a potential new pathway to treating radiation-resistant glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

15 Mar 2021

Chromatin-regulating enzyme found to be a key driver of common lung cancer

A chromatin-regulating enzyme has been shown by in-depth interdisciplinary investigations to be a key driver of a common type of lung cancer. Drugs that target the enzyme could improve treatment and survival rates for this particular cancer.

15 Mar 2021

New cancer immunotherapy uses engineered T cells to target a common genetic alteration

Researchers developed a prototype for a new cancer immunotherapy that uses engineered T cells to target a genetic alteration common among all cancers.

15 Mar 2021

Scientists discover how novel pathogens promote colorectal cancer development

Do BMMFs, the novel infectious agents found in dairy products and bovine sera, play a role in the development of colorectal cancer? Scientists led by Harald zur Hausen detected the pathogens in colorectal cancer patients in close proximity to tumors.

15 Mar 2021

MGH researchers uncover new clues about X chromosome inactivation

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have uncovered new clues that add to the growing understanding of how female mammals, including humans, "silence" one X chromosome.

15 Mar 2021

New machine learning technique could quicken the pace of drug discovery

Drugs can only work if they stick to their target proteins in the body. Assessing that stickiness is a key hurdle in the drug discovery and screening process. New research combining chemistry and machine learning could lower that hurdle.

15 Mar 2021

HPSE protein found to be a key regulator of cells’ innate defense mechanisms

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered that heparanase, HPSE, a poorly understood protein, is a key regulator of cells' innate defense mechanisms.

15 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant could be more lethal than others

A new study has assessed the mortality risk of patients infected with the newly emerged UK variant (Lineage B.1.1.7) of SARS-CoV-2. The findings reveal that compared to the previously circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, the UK variant significantly increases the risk of mortality in a relatively low-risk community population.

15 Mar 2021

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

A surprising new preprint, released on the medRxiv* server, suggests that the beneficial effects of convalescent plasma (CP) in this disease stem not only from the presence of neutralizing antibodies, but also the immunomodulatory effects of this plasma that shapes the host immune response.

15 Mar 2021

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

The ability to detect potentially fatal illness early on in the course of the disease would enable a swift prioritization of these high-risk individuals for treatment. A new preprint on the medRxiv* server presents an array of biomarkers that may help achieve this laudable goal.

15 Mar 2021