Molecular & Structural Biology

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Researchers demonstrate the production of viral parts within artificial cells

Scientists searching for better diagnostic tests, drugs or vaccines against a virus must all begin by deciphering the structure of that virus.

21 Jul 2020

Silver-plated gold nanostars could be used to identify early biomarkers of cancer

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have engineered a method for simultaneously detecting the presence of multiple specific microRNAs in RNA extracted from tissue samples without the need for labeling or target amplification.

21 Jul 2020

Proximity of mutated cells guides the initiation of tumor

Scientists have revealed a key factor that influences whether malignant cells will grow to form a tumor, in a new study published today in eLife.

21 Jul 2020

Advanced cryo-EM imaging reveals high-resolution structure of viral RNA replication complex

For the first time, scientists at the Morgridge Institute for Research have generated near atomic resolution images of a major viral protein complex responsible for replicating the RNA genome of a member of the positive-strand RNA viruses, the large class of viruses that includes coronaviruses and many other pathogens.

20 Jul 2020

Brains of all mammals exhibit equal connectivity, study finds

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Yaniv Assaf of the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Sagol School of Neuroscience and Prof. Yossi Yovel of the School of Zoology, the Sagol School of Neuroscience, and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, conducted a first-of-its-kind study designed to investigate brain connectivity in 130 mammalian species.

20 Jul 2020

'Smart nanosheets' can help quickly isolate new types of proteins from mixtures

An interdisciplinary team from Frankfurt and Jena has developed a kind of bait with which to fish protein complexes out of mixtures.

20 Jul 2020

McGill researchers discover bacterial organelles involved in gene expression

Researchers at McGill University have discovered bacterial organelles involved in gene expression, suggesting that bacteria may not be as simple as once thought.

20 Jul 2020

Mutant zebrafish opens a window into evolutionary history of human spine

A chance mutation that led to spinal defects in a zebrafish has opened a little window into our own fishy past.

20 Jul 2020

Researchers determine how SARS-CoV-2 inhibits protein synthesis

Researchers from Munich and Ulm have determined how the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 inhibits the synthesis of proteins in infected cells and shown that it effectively disarms the body's innate immune system.

19 Jul 2020

UNH scientists identify quicker and less expensive way to count sperm in lobsters

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have identified a quicker and less expensive way to count sperm in lobsters that could help scientists looking at any animal better understand mating, a key aspect of species survival.

19 Jul 2020

Study reveals intricate details about the biology of huntingtin protein

A new study reveals intricate details about the biology of the huntingtin protein (HTT), which is responsible for Huntington's disease.

17 Jul 2020

Groundbreaking technology could enhance therapeutic efficiency of nanomedicines

Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and their colleagues from Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a breakthrough technology to resolve a key problem that has prevented the introduction of novel drugs into clinical practice for decades.

17 Jul 2020

Researchers unravel key mechanisms behind the mysteries of aging

Molecular biologists and bioengineers at the University of California San Diego have unraveled key mechanisms behind the mysteries of aging. They isolated two distinct paths that cells travel during aging and engineered a new way to genetically program these processes to extend lifespan.

16 Jul 2020

Pioneering method reveals the dynamics of HIV Gag lattice structure

Viruses are scary. They invade our cells like invisible armies, and each type brings its own strategy of attack. While viruses devastate communities of humans and animals, scientists scramble to fight back.

16 Jul 2020

A new strategy to combat treatment resistance in choroidal neovascularization

An international team of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Methodist has discovered a strategy that can potentially address a major challenge to the current treatment for choroidal neovascularization (CNV), an aggressive form of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly.

16 Jul 2020

RNA editing may repair the underlying cause of Rett Syndrome in mouse model

A genomic error that causes Rett Syndrome, a serious lifelong neurological disorder, can be corrected in the brains of mice by rewriting the genetic instructions carried by the RNA.

15 Jul 2020

Researchers characterize how changes in glioblastoma cells influence different drug effects

Therapies for treating glioblastoma brain cancer can be delivered with greater precision and existing drugs can be used in new ways.

14 Jul 2020

Study reveals how two key neural circuits control social preference

Some individuals love meeting new people, while others abhor the idea. For individuals with conditions such as autism, unfamiliar social interactions can produce negative emotions such as fear and anxiety. A new study from Scripps Research reveals how two key neural circuits dictate the choice between social approach and avoidance.

14 Jul 2020

Your biology may play a role in feeling insecure about romantic relationships

Imagine tracking your feelings during daily interactions with your romantic partner. What would you learn? That's what approximately 100 heterosexual couples in Montreal did each day for 3 weeks during a study run by researchers from McGill University.

14 Jul 2020

Novel drug could enable the immune system to attack ovarian cancer

A drug known as SP-2577 could help enable the body's own immune system to attack ovarian cancer, according to a study led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute, an affiliate of City of Hope.

13 Jul 2020