Molecular & Structural Biology

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Continuous survival of neurons is intrinsically programmed during development

When our neurons -- the principle cells of the brain -- die, so do we.Most neurons are created during embryonic development and have no "backup" after birth. Researchers have generally believed that their survival is determined nearly extrinsically, or by outside forces, such as the tissues and cells that neurons supply with nerve cells.

25 Jul 2020

Researchers use new approach to unravel the mechanisms that lie behind tetraploidy

Cell division is a fundamental process that organisms need to reproduce, grow, and make repairs. But when an error disrupts this complex biological process, cellular abnormalities can lead to diseases, such as cancer, where cells are enabled to grow and divide out of control.

25 Jul 2020

Study identifies mechanisms that underlie olfactory symptoms of COVID-19

A new study of human olfactory cells has revealed that viral invasion of supportive cells in the nasal cavity might be driving the loss of smell seen in some patients with COVID-19.

25 Jul 2020

Epigenomic modifications play key role in the development of lung tumors

As cancer cells evolve, many of their genes become overactive while others are turned down. These genetic changes can help tumors grow out of control and become more aggressive, adapt to changing conditions, and eventually lead the tumor to metastasize and spread elsewhere in the body.

23 Jul 2020

People who carry the Neandertal variant of ion channel experience more pain

As several Neandertal genomes of high quality are now available researchers can identify genetic changes that were present in many or all Neandertals, investigate their physiological effects and look into their consequences when they occur in people today.

23 Jul 2020

Engineered SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is more stable and can generate larger yields in the lab

A team of scientists has engineered the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - a critical component of potential COVID-19 vaccines - to be more environmentally stable and generate larger yields in the lab.

23 Jul 2020

Study shows how mast cells regulate calcium levels to control the immune response

Instead of protecting us, the immune system can sometimes go awry, as in the case of autoimmune diseases and allergies. An Ludwig-Maximilian-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich team has dissected how mast cells regulate their calcium levels to keep the immune response under control.

23 Jul 2020

Analytik Jena Web Weeks – Analytik Jena launches new web seminar series for biomolecular applications, lab automation, and liquid handling

Analytik Jena is launching its brand new, English-language web seminar series “Analytik Jena Web Weeks” starting July 29, 2020. Until the end of the year, application specialists and product experts from Analytik Jena will present methods, technology solutions, and tips and tricks to make everyday laboratory work more efficient. Topics range from nucleic acid extraction, PCR, qPCR to liquid handling and laboratory automation.

From Analytik Jena US 23 Jul 2020

Calcium channel subunits play a crucial role in neurological disorders

The ability of the human brain to process and store information is determined to a large extent by the connectivity between nerve cells.

22 Jul 2020

Neuroscientists map brain's sensory gatekeeper in unprecedented detail

Many people with autism experience sensory hypersensitivity, attention deficits, and sleep disruption. One brain region that has been implicated in these symptoms is the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), which is believed to act as a gatekeeper for sensory information flowing to the cortex.

22 Jul 2020

New pathways that could help treat RNA viruses identified

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have identified new pathways in an RNA-based virus where inhibitors, like medical treatments, unbind.

22 Jul 2020

Researchers identify specific target sites for DNA methylases

DNA methylation performs an essential function in mammalian ontogeny. It is also known that abnormalities in this process cause the development of cancers such as leukemia.

22 Jul 2020

Researchers investigate the genetic and molecular basis of PD-L2 regulation

In immune-related disorders, therapy often involves identifying the molecules responsible for immune dysregulation and targeting them using drugs.

22 Jul 2020

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