Tryptophan News and Research

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Tryptophan is one of the 20 standard amino acids, as well as an essential amino acid in the human diet.

Immune evasion by SARS-CoV-2 facilitated by a mutational hotspot in the NTD

Researchers discuss mutations in the NTD of the spike protein, which contains an antigenic “supersite” and is the target for nAbs.

24 Oct 2021

Sleep-enhancing peptides in cow’s milk could help develop new, natural sleep remedies

According to time-honored advice, drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime will encourage a good night's rest.

13 Oct 2021

Long-held theory of cancer-induced immune suppression requires revision, study says

Many cancers produce an enzyme called IDO that suppresses immune system activity, but the long-held hypothesis of how this mechanism operates requires revision, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research.

29 Sep 2021

Drugs that mimic effects of cigarette smoke could become a potential tool to fight COVID-19

Researchers have identified two drugs that mimic the effect of chemicals in cigarette smoke to bind to a receptor in mammalian cells that inhibits production of ACE2 proteins, a process that appears to reduce the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter the cell.

12 Sep 2021

New tool will help identify the most promising protein molecules for drug development

A cutting-edge digital tool that will make it cheaper, safer and faster for pharmaceutical companies to predict protein stability - a vital step in the development of new medicines - is being rolled out by scientists from the UK's University of Bath through their spin-out company, BLOC Labs.

28 May 2021

Researchers probe intriguing interaction between sugars and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A new study posted to the bioRxiv preprint server focuses on a novel formulation of magnetization or saturation transfer. This method is developed by amalgamating theoretical and computational approaches based on a Bayesian deconvolution algorithm, which helps obtain data more accurately and determine the ligand-protein interaction.

16 Apr 2021

Novel protein transport system mediates toxin secretion by tuberculosis pathogen

Six years ago, Michael Niederweis, Ph.D., described the first toxin ever found for the deadly pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

9 Apr 2021

Can metabolic biomarkers help clinicians stratify adverse outcome risk in COVID-19 patients?

A recent study describes the alterations in lipids and other parameters that define the state of dysfunctional metabolism in acute COVID-19 illness.

20 Jan 2021

Study improves understanding of the chemistry behind potent antibiotic synthesis

Images of a protein involved in creating a potent antibiotic reveal the unusual first steps of the antibiotic's synthesis.

18 Jan 2021

Study sheds new light on immune system interactions with cancer

Cancers like melanoma are hard to treat, not least because they have a varied bag of tricks for defeating or evading treatments.

21 Dec 2020

Newly discovered brain pattern could improve the diagnosis of mental health disorders

A pattern in how the brain breaks down tryptophan, a common amino acid consumed through food, was discovered by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

18 Dec 2020

Study shows how melanomas assist T cells from identifying and killing tumor cells

Cancers like melanoma are hard to treat, not least because they have a varied bag of tricks for defeating or evading treatments.

17 Dec 2020

Normal sleep depends on bacteria in the gut

With fall and winter holidays coming up, many will be pondering the relationship between food and sleep.

27 Nov 2020

Severe COVID-19 complications linked to gut barrier breakdown

A new study claims that severe COVID-19 is caused by a positive feedback loop triggered by systemic inflammation and mediated by abnormal gut permeability. This finding could potentially help open up new avenues of treatment.

18 Nov 2020

Intestinal microbiota offers new prospects for treating celiac disease

Celiac disease is an immune disease of the intestine that affects more than 1% of the population. It is characterised by gluten intolerance that causes inflammation of the gut, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, and can lead to weight loss and deficiencies among patients.

23 Oct 2020

Tryptophan found in turkeys can accelerate intestinal healing in people with celiac disease

People with celiac disease may find themselves more comfortable with extra Thanksgiving turkey dinners.An international team of researchers led by McMaster University has found that tryptophan, an amino acid present in high amounts in turkey, along with some probiotics, may help them heal and respond better to a gluten-free diet.

22 Oct 2020

Study reveals link between composition of intestinal microbiota and cognitive performance

Since 2006, several studies have shown that morbid obesity is associated with impaired immediate and recent memory.

14 Oct 2020

Increased hydroxyproline levels may be associated with joint hypermobility in autistic children

A team of researchers found out that children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased levels of the amino acid hydroxyproline.

29 Sep 2020

Sex-differential COVID-19 responses are mediated by kynurenic acid

Now, a new study by a research team from Yale University, USA, Edith Cowan University, Australia, and the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that kynurenic acid is the underlying factor which is responsible for these differences.

9 Sep 2020

A metabolic enzyme shows great potential as target for immunotherapies

The metabolic enzyme IL4I1 (Interleukin-4-Induced-1) promotes the spread of tumor cells and suppresses the immune system.

20 Aug 2020