Eukaryotes News and Research

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Researchers uncover how Atg2 drives autophagosome formation

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation mechanism in eukaryotes. The autophagosome, which encloses damaged or excess cellular material for degradation, is constructed from lipids supplied by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), via the lipid transfer protein Atg2.

4 Sep 2026

Cells share universal on switches but evolve unique strategy to silence genes

The signals that cells use to switch genes on have remained almost unchanged across two billion years of evolution, but the ones used to switch genes off vary dramatically from one branch of life to another, according to a new study from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.

3 Aug 2026

Smoking shows no major impact on the eye microbiome in small study

A small study found no evidence that smoking causes large or consistent shifts in the ocular surface microbiome or tear proteome. The authors caution that subtle smoking-related effects cannot be ruled out, given the small cohort and the ocular surface's low-biomass, contamination-sensitive microbial niche.

8 Jul 2026

Researchers discover 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections.

11 Jun 2026

NAC complex initiates early protein folding in human cells

In the earliest phase of creating human proteins, the protein complex NAC performs an essential task by starting the first steps towards folding proteins into their correct three-dimensional structures.

23 Mar 2026

Circular RNA produced by HIV boosts viral replication

For decades scientists have recognized that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a formidable viral pathogen.

13 Mar 2026

New catalog identifies dozens of plasma membrane repair proteins

In the evolutionary history of life, the ability of a cell to separate its inner world from the external environment was an important turning point.

10 Mar 2026

AI trained on 9 trillion DNA letters predicts harmful mutations and designs new genomes

Scientists developed Evo 2, a large biological foundation model trained on about 9 trillion DNA base pairs that can analyse genomic sequences across bacteria, plants, and humans. The model predicts functional effects of genetic variants and can generate genome-scale DNA sequences, enabling new approaches to studying and designing biological systems.

5 Mar 2026

Study uncovers how bacterial circadian clocks control gene expression

Our circadian clocks play a crucial role in our health and well-being, keeping our 24-hour biological cycles in sync with light and dark exposure.

10 Feb 2026

Bacteria repurpose viral injection systems to target diverse cells

New study shows how bacteria adapted a virus-derived injection system to recognize and attach to many different types of cells.

2 Feb 2026

Giant amoeba-infecting viruses offer new clues to the origin of eukaryotic life

The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses.

8 Jan 2026

Breast cancer cells use a molecular switch to survive stress

Cells are regularly faced with environmental stresses that may damage or destroy them. To survive, they quickly adjust their gene expression to protect themselves.

17 Nov 2025

AI discovers promising antibiotic compounds in Archaea microbes

They've survived for billions of years in boiling acid, deep-sea vents and salt flats. Now, some of Earth's oldest life forms - microbes called Archaea - are offering a new weapon in the fight against one of today's most urgent health threats: antibiotic resistance.

12 Aug 2025

VIRMA protein regulates brain development by controlling ribosome biogenesis

Ribosomes are tiny molecular machines inside all living cells that build proteins, and ribosome biogenesis is the complex, multi-step process by which they are made.

30 Jun 2025

Study uncovers first proof of introners jumping between species

DNA is the genetic code that provides the biological instructions for every living species, but not every bit of DNA helps the species survive. Some pieces of DNA are more like parasites, along for the ride and their own survival.

22 May 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

New function of Exportin-1 discovered in gene transcription

Researchers from Northwestern University have stumbled upon a previously unobserved function of a protein found in the cell nuclei of all flora and fauna.

20 Mar 2025

Study uncovers how transposons use telomeres for survival in bacteria

Transposons, or "jumping genes" – DNA segments that can move from one part of the genome to another – are key to bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

7 Mar 2025

Venom is everywhere: Study examines hidden toxin delivery systems across life forms

Forget snakes and spiders—a new review details venomous plants, fungi, and even bacteria, proving that nature's deadliest secret weapon is more widespread than we ever imagined.

23 Feb 2025

EMBL researchers reveal new structural insights into minor spliceosome function

In human cells, only a small proportion of the information written in genes is used to produce proteins. How does the cell select this information? A large molecular machine called the spliceosome continuously separates the coding and non-coding regions of our genes – and it's doing this even as you read these lines.

12 Feb 2025