Electron Microscopy News and Research

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Novel imaging method shines new light on complex coordination molecules

Coordination compounds have molecular structures which consist of either one or multiple metal atoms at the center, surrounded by non-metal atoms.

10 Aug 2021

Cardioprotective role of HIF1α in COVID-19 patients

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019, has quickly become the most urgent issue facing scientists worldwide. It has been reported that the respiratory infection causes cardiac dysfunction in 25-55% patients, including hospitalized patients and non-critical patients.

10 Aug 2021

A multi-scale cryo-correlative platform to image SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells

A new study describes the cytopathic episodes triggered by SARS-CoV-2 with virus replication processes in frozen-hydrated cells.

9 Aug 2021

New study describes SARS-CoV-2 ExoN enzyme that promotes antiviral resistance

A new study describes the structure of a crucial enzyme present in SARS-CoV-2.

8 Aug 2021

Two monoclonal antibodies broadly neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Researchers in the United States and Canada have described the structural basis and mode of action for two monoclonal antibodies that potently neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2021

Study offers molecular views on how olfactory receptors work

All senses must reckon with the richness of the world, but nothing matches the challenge faced by the olfactory system that underlies our sense of smell.

4 Aug 2021

New understanding of the brain’s relay station could change medical treatment for brain disorders

New research shows cells gather more data than once believed inside the thalamus, a relay station of sensory and motor abilities in the brain. That could change how medicine treats schizophrenia, epilepsy and other brain disorders.

30 Jul 2021

Researchers develop two complementary bladder models to study UTIs

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections. They usually require treatment with antibiotics, and almost a quarter of treated cases lead to recurrent infection.

30 Jul 2021

Large nanodiscs simulate viral entry into host cells

In a paper recently uploaded to the journal Frontiers in Biotechnology by Padmanabha Das et al. (June 12th, 2020), a method of producing significantly larger homogenous nanodiscs up to 90 nm in diameter is described, and the advantages and applications of such nanodiscs are explored: better replicating the actual curvature and membrane symmetry of a real cell membrane, and allowing much larger or multiple membrane proteins to be loaded simultaneously.

30 Jul 2021

Mass spectrometry used to develop N-glycosylation profiles for SARS-CoV-2 D614G

A new study has characterized and compared the N-glycosylation of the wild type (S-614D) and variant (S-614G) of SARS-CoV-2 S glycoproteins using MS techniques.

28 Jul 2021

Study shows inhalable nanocatchers can protect lung cells against SARS-CoV-2

Inhalable nanocatchers that contain hACE2 have been recently developed by a group of researchers, providing a plethora of potential benefits in comparison to existing treatments against COVID-19.

27 Jul 2021

Study reveals the implication of lysosomes in the spread of Parkinson’s disease

Over the last few decades, neurodegenerative diseases became one of the top 10 global causes of death. Researchers worldwide are making a strong effort to understand neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis, which is essential to develop efficient treatments against these incurable diseases.

23 Jul 2021

Protein involved in cell migration offers clues to cancer metastases

A protein involved in making cells move offers a clue to how certain types of cancer metastasize and develop into secondary tumors, according to new research from the University of Warwick.

21 Jul 2021

Pathogenic fungi find new habitat on microplastic particles in soils

Representatives of numerous pathogenic fungal species are finding new habitat on microplastic particles in the soil and could thus be one of the possible causes of an increase in fungal infections.

19 Jul 2021

Research sheds light on a new mechanism for inhibitory synapse specificity in the cortex

Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have discovered that the cell adhesion protein IgSF11 determines the layer-specific synaptic connectivity of a distinct class of cortical interneurons.

15 Jul 2021

Accelerating the design of minibinder therapeutics resilient to SARS-CoV-2 mutations

Multivalent protein-based minibinders hold great promise as potential prophylactic and treatment agents, as they can retain their activity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. This was revealed in a recent tour-de-force research study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server while the article undergoes the peer review process.

11 Jul 2021

Researchers determine the structure of nanomachine essential for functioning of mTOR

The principle that form follows function does not only apply to design and architecture. It also applies to biology

8 Jul 2021

NYU Abu Dhabi researchers use NMR spectroscopy to map the structure of specific nanobody

For the first time in the UAE, researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have used nuclear magnetic resonance techniques to determine the structure of a specific nanobody, Nb23, potentially leading to a better understanding of how this small protein derived from an antibody type, found only in camelids (i.e camels, llamas, and alpacas) and sharks, can fight diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and psoriasis to lymphoma and breast cancer.

2 Jul 2021

Ion channel conserved in coronaviruses a potential new drug target for COVID therapeutics

To this end, a recent study published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology discusses the structures of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

30 Jun 2021

Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine developed from bacterial extracellular vesicle induces robust antibody response in preclinical trials

A team of US-based scientists recently developed a novel vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of COVID-19. The vaccine is composed of extracellular vesicles of Salmonella typhimurium incorporated with the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. Upon intranasal administration in hamsters, the vaccine induces strong blood antibody titers and protects against severe COVID-19.

30 Jun 2021