Molecular & Structural Biology

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UIC researchers discover unique organ-specific signatures for endothelial cells

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered that endothelial cells -; those that create the inner lining of blood vessels -; have unique genetic signatures based on their location in the body.

14 Feb 2020

A simple, straightforward approach to protein modification

Proteins are essential parts of organisms; thus, they are widely used in medicine, biology and chemistry. Enhancing their inherent properties by adding functional molecules to their structures is a common and important step in many fields.

14 Feb 2020

Unusually large, bacteria-killing viruses discovered

Scientists have discovered hundreds of unusually large, bacteria-killing viruses with capabilities normally associated with living organisms.

13 Feb 2020

Molecular study defines the contributions of key genes, proteins to endometrial cancer

The most comprehensive molecular study of endometrial cancer to date has further defined the contributions of key genes and proteins to the disease, say its authors.

13 Feb 2020

New study may lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a long-term (chronic) neurological condition that affects around 12,000 people in Ireland and between 7 and 10 million people worldwide. The disease affects the way the brain co-ordinates body movements like walking and talking, but cognitive abilities are also affected.

13 Feb 2020

Study explains how certain mutations can shorten biological clock timing

A new study of molecular interactions central to the functioning of biological clocks explains how certain mutations can shorten clock timing, making some people extreme "morning larks" because their internal clocks operate on a 20-hour cycle instead of being synchronized with the 24-hour cycle of day and night.

13 Feb 2020

New mathematical technique describes the behavior of cellular enzymes

Everything a cell does, from dividing in two to migrating to a different part of the body, is controlled by enzymes that chemically modify other proteins in the cell.

13 Feb 2020

New method to measure mutations in father's sperm may reveal ASD risk in future children

While the causes of autism spectrum disorder are not fully understood, researchers believe both genetics and environment play a role.

13 Feb 2020

Cellular and molecular view of intact transparent human organs

For the first time, researchers managed to make intact human organs transparent. Using microscopic imaging they could revealed underlying complex structures of the see-through organs at the cellular level.

13 Feb 2020

Study reveals molecular pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy

In a study recently published in Nature Communications scientists at Okayama University describe the detailed molecular pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy in mice lacking the fukutin gene (Fktn), the causative gene for Fukuyama muscular dystrophy.

13 Feb 2020

Light-activated protein restores mitochondrion function in fruit fly model of Parkinson’s disease

A light-sensitive protein can restore mitochondria function in fruit flies bearing a gene mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease and relieve its symptoms, report researchers at Juntendo University in the journal Communications Biology.

13 Feb 2020

New insights may guide design of light-sensitive proteins with desired properties

A team of scientists from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University has gained insight into how electric fields affect the way energy from light drives molecular motion and transformation in a protein commonly used in biological imaging.

13 Feb 2020

Bacterial DNA promotes tau protein misfolding and aggregation, study shows

Researchers from Human Microbiology Institute and Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s disease at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston have discovered that bacterial extracellular DNA can trigger Tau protein misfolding into neurotoxic aggregates, a key process in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis.

12 Feb 2020

Unexpected findings could lead to new therapeutic intervention for ALS

A therapeutic intervention for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, could be on the horizon thanks to unexpected findings by University of Arizona researchers.

11 Feb 2020

DNA misfolding linked to heightened risk for Type 1 diabetes

It's known that genetics, or an inherited genome, is a major determinant of one's risk for autoimmune diseases, like Type 1 diabetes. In human cells, a person's genome--about six feet of DNA--is compressed into the micrometer space of the nucleus via a three-dimensional folding process.

11 Feb 2020

Pioneering project on genomic edition through CRISPR/Cas9 to study early embryonic development

Characterization studies of early embryonic development are limited, mainly due to the lack of samples and the obvious legal and ethical limitations.

11 Feb 2020

Scientists measure how sensory stimuli are processed in the brain

If we cross a road with our smartphone in view, a car horn or engine noise will startle us. In everyday life we can easily combine information from different senses and shift our attention from one sensory input to another - for example, from seeing to hearing.

10 Feb 2020

New mechanism for repair of chromosomal breaks

Chromosomal breaks are the most harmful damage for cells. If they are not repaired, they block the duplication and segregation of chromosomes, stop the growth cycle and cause cell death. These breaks appear frequently in tumor cells and are produced spontaneously during the replication of genetic material.

10 Feb 2020

Researchers identify involvement of certain cortical areas in the loss of control over food intake

Researchers at UPF, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Mainz (Germany), the Center for Genomic Regulation, Instituto Cajal, Johannes Gutenberg University (Germany), the Autonomous University Barcelona and Hospital del Mar have identified for the first time the involvement of certain cortical areas in the brain in the loss of control over food intake.

9 Feb 2020

Study provides new insight into the regenerative capacity of mammalian embryos

A calf was born from an embryo lacking cells which form a large part of the placenta, providing new insight into the regenerative capacity of mammalian embryos.

9 Feb 2020