Uracil News and Research

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New method boosts AI-driven protein engineering with massive data

Protein engineering is a field primed for artificial intelligence research. Each protein is made up of amino acids; to optimize a protein function, researchers modify proteins by switching out one of 20 different amino acids for another.

13 Apr 2026

SARS-CoV-2 manipulates host cell's RNA to weaken the immune response

Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil have discovered that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses a sophisticated tactic to evade the human body's defense system.

17 Dec 2025

Innovative RNA editing offers hope beyond CRISPR

Genetic editing holds promise to treat incurable diseases, but the most popular method - CRISPR - sometimes does more harm than good.

18 Sep 2025

New discovery uncovers hidden drivers of DNA transcription errors

Every living cell must interpret its genetic code - a sequence of chemical letters that governs countless cellular functions.

11 Jul 2025

Understanding how base editing tools work at the molecular level

You may have seen it in the news recently: a baby in Pennsylvania with a rare genetic disorder was healed with a personalized treatment that repaired his specific genetic mutation.

4 Jun 2025

Study uncovers how HSV-1 disables the brain's antiviral defense

Infections caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can lead to HSV-1 encephalitis-a rare but deadly condition that inflames the brain.

3 Jun 2025

C. diff uses toxic compound to gain competitive advantage in the gut

The pathogen C. diff - the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea - can use a compound that kills the human gut's resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut.

25 Mar 2025

Molnupiravir influences SARS-CoV-2 evolution in immunocompromised patients

Study found that the antiviral molnupiravir affects the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in immunocompromised patients, suggesting its use modifies viral mutation patterns and may impact viral evolution.

25 Mar 2024

Study unveils previously unknown urinary biomarkers, revolutionizing early detection and treatment of viral infections like COVID-19

This recent study identifies new urinary biomarkers for detecting acute COVID-19 using spectroscopic analysis. The findings reveal that these biomarkers could offer valuable tools for early diagnosis, understanding the severity of the disease, and possibly contribute to endogenous immunological defense mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2.

29 Aug 2023

Heat-damaged DNA in food may contribute to genetic risks

Researchers have newly discovered a surprising and potentially significant reason why eating foods frequently cooked at high temperatures, such as red meat and deep-fried fare, elevates cancer risk. The alleged culprit: DNA within the food that's been damaged by the cooking process.

13 Jun 2023

Scientists unveil a metabolic Achilles' heel in pancreatic cancer

Research unveils the significance of uridine as a metabolic fuel in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells under glucose-deprived conditions. Uridine utilization, mediated by uridine phosphorylase 1 (UPP1), supports redox balance, survival, and proliferation in PDA, highlighting its potential as a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of this resistant cancer.

23 May 2023

Surviving without glucose: uridine-derived ribose as an alternative energy source

Researchers attempted to identify new genes and molecular pathways that might supply energy when the availability of glucose or other nutrients is limited.

22 May 2023

U-M researcher launches new project to identify the full range of RNA building blocks inside human cells

University of Michigan pediatric neurologist Vivian Cheung is launching an international project to identify the full range of RNA building blocks inside human cells.

18 Apr 2023

What is currently known about the mechanisms by which DNA tumor viruses evade uracil-mediated antiviral immunity?

Researchers reviewed the existing knowledge on the mechanisms through which DNA tumor viruses evade the antiviral immunity mediated through mis-incorporated uracil (U).

3 Apr 2023

Novel RNA sense-and-respond circuit harnesses the force of enzymes to develop better drugs

More than twelve billion doses of mRNA vaccines have been administered globally since the start of the COVID pandemic, saving millions of lives. But RNA-based therapies for other diseases have so far proven more challenging to develop.

20 Mar 2023

Genome editing techniques based on bacterial-artificial-chromosome in herpesvirus research

In a recent study published in the Microorganisms journal, researchers in China reviewed the uses of bacterial-artificial-chromosome (BAC)-based genome editing techniques in herpesvirus research.

28 Feb 2023

Molnupiravir-related mutational signatures among COVID-19 patients

Researchers explore a mutational signature related to molnupiravir in SARS-CoV-2 sequencing datasets.

3 Feb 2023

Mpox has been silently circulating in non-mpox-endemic nations for 20 years, according to new study

Researchers described the evolution of the mpox virus (MPXV) before the 2022 outbreak.

19 Jan 2023

Preclinical study shows the therapeutic value of kinetin against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers investigated the ability of kinetin (N6-furfurylaminopurine, MB-905) to inhibit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proliferation in vitro.

17 Jan 2023

The main source of editing of the mpox virus genome during the 2022 outbreak

Researchers investigated the main source of editing of the 2022 mpox virus genome.

11 Jan 2023