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RNA capping mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 unveiled

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers elucidated the mechanism of ribonucleic acid (RNA) capping in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

14 Feb 2022

SARS-CoV-2 levels decrease when human SIRT5 is deleted or inhibited

Researchers examine the role of human sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

10 Jan 2022

Genomic study of furin cleavage sites validates the natural evolutionary origin of SARS-CoV-2 in bats

A team of researchers describes the genomic region encompassing the furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2.

20 Dec 2021

Epigenetic clocks have potential as biomarkers of COVID-19 vaccine responses

New findings have important implications for research into the impact of COVID-19 and the mRNA vaccination on epigenetic aging in the immune system.

7 Dec 2021

Impact of ultraviolet disinfection on nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases

A new review article determines the role of UV disinfection for nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

22 Nov 2021

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 helicase by single DNA lesions

In a paper, the impact of specific DNA lesions is investigated regarding the unwinding activity of NSP13.

18 Oct 2021

Researchers describe a novel role for hnRNP E1 protein in binding DNA in the nucleus

Cancer is a devastating disease and is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. One of the hallmarks of cancer is genomic instability, or the tendency to accumulate mutations and damage to the DNA that leads to genome alterations during cell division.

25 Sep 2021

Scientists characterize new genetic variants that cause nonsyndromic neurodevelopmental disorder

Northwestern Medicine scientists have characterized several variants of the gene GRIK2 that cause nonsyndromic neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD), according to a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

23 Sep 2021

Early clinical trial data in for whole virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate

In a study uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv*, the efficacy of a whole virion Coronavirus vaccine was determined by giving the vaccine to healthy adult volunteers, which generated a robust immune response with evidence of T-cell activation.

19 Aug 2021

Melanoma mutations result from a chemical conversion in DNA fueled by sunlight, study reports

The mutations that give rise to melanoma result from a chemical conversion in DNA fueled by sunlight -; not just a DNA copying error as previously believed, reports a study by Van Andel Institute scientists published today in Science Advances.

30 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 interacts with unusual RNA structures in human cells

The study, published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, demonstrated that G4 ligands, the chemical that binds with G4s, prevent this interaction. The results could pave the way for developing inhibitors of these interactions as potential antiviral compounds.

26 Jul 2021

New article focuses on drug discovery targeting SARS-CoV-2

The July edition of SLAS Discovery is a Special Edition featuring the cover article, "Development of a High-Throughput Screening Assay to Identify Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Guanine-N7-Methyltransferase Using RapidFire Mass Spectrometry" by Lesley-Anne Pearson, Charlotte J. Green, Ph.D., De Lin, Ph.D., Alain-Pierre Petit, Ph.D., David W. Gray, Ph.D., Victoria H. Cowling, Ph.D., and Euan A. F. Fordyce, Ph.D., (Drug Discovery Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK).

1 Jul 2021

How bacterial cells have been engineered to produce virus-resistant synthetic polymers

A recent Science paper discusses the utilization of a previously reported synthetic Escherichia coli to produce virus-resistant synthetic polymers.

3 Jun 2021

Could a mathematical application of information theory identify and predict SARS-CoV-2 mutations?

An interesting new study by researchers at the University of Portsmouth, UK, describes the use of a mathematical method to sequence genomes based on information theory. The method offers an alternative to clinical techniques, allowing mutations to be detected and possibly even predicted. In this way, it opens new research opportunities in bioinformatics and genetics.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 induces potent inflammation via NF-κB pathways, finds study

SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded RNA genome encoding both structural and non-structural proteins. Of these, the latter is known to play a variety of roles in viral replication and the assembly of new viral particles, as well as in suppressing cellular immune responses. A new study reports the activity of one such protein, the non-structural protein 14 (NSP14), which activates the inflammatory mediator NF-κB to trigger intense inflammation.

31 May 2021

Novel natural compounds may help treat COVID-19, study suggests

A new study in the journal Chemistry Europe reports two natural compounds identified by virtual screening and computational modeling as having great promise for the development of drugs against SARS-CoV-2.

24 May 2021

Researchers use base editing to sustainably lower high LDL cholesterol levels

Base editing is a novel gene editing approach that can precisely change individual building blocks in a DNA sequence.

19 May 2021

High-throughput system can regulate gene expression for treating sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have developed an integrated, high-throughput system to better understand and possibly manipulate gene expression for treatment of disorders such as sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. The research appears today in the journal Nature Genetics.

7 May 2021

Unique system detects small changes in DNA structures

Small changes in the structure of DNA have been implicated in breast cancer and other diseases, but they've been extremely difficult to detect -- until now.

4 May 2021

Ebola virus's key protein uses molecular triggers in the human cell to change shape

The human genome contains the instructions to make tens of thousands of proteins. Each protein folds into a precise shape-;and biologists are taught that defined shape dictates the protein's destined function.

15 Apr 2021