All wound up: A reversible molecular whirligig
Over the last few decades, researchers have built minuscule molecular machines that rotate or shuttle other molecules. However, it's difficult to determine the mechanical work and forces that these tiny contraptions produce, which is important when u.....»»
Scientists reveal molecular mysteries to control silica scaling in water treatment
Collaborative research that combined experiments at Yale University and molecular dynamics simulations at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory provides new insights into solving a major technical obstacle to efficient and sustaina.....»»
Microalgae with unusual cell biology could lead to improved understanding of harmful algal blooms
What are the molecular processes in a unicellular marine algae species that can cause harmful algal blooms? A research team led by microbiologist Prof. Dr. Ralf Rabus from the University of Oldenburg (Germany) has conducted the first detailed analyse.....»»
Communication between rotors in molecular motor observed for the first time
A pair of chemists at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, has observed communication between rotors in a molecular motor. In their study, reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Carlijn van Beek and Ben Feringa conducted.....»»
Ballistic transport in long molecular wires: Porphyrin nanoribbons
The conductance of classical electric components typically decays with increasing length. In general, this is also the same behavior found at the nanoscale with 1D molecular wires. Now, researchers have demonstrated that, once more, things are differ.....»»
A new type of metallacrown ether based on polyoxometalate opens research opportunities
Crown ethers were discovered in 1967. They were then modified by adding a metal-containing unit, creating metallacrown ethers. These metallacrown ethers have been the subject of intensive research. Depending on the molecular makeup of the metallacrow.....»»
Novel RNA- or DNA-based substances can protect plants from viruses, scientists show
Individually tailored RNA or DNA-based molecules are able to reliably fight off viral infections in plants, according to a new study by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences......»»
Research team reveals cellular and molecular basis of spur development in Impatiens uliginosa
As an important reproductive organ of angiosperms, flowers have a clear purpose and adaptive significance in their various characteristics. As a typical floral evolutionary feature, the floral spur is a tubular structure extending from the petal, whi.....»»
Molecular mechanism of transmembrane bilirubin transport by human ABCC2 transporter revealed
The metabolic process of bilirubin has been a focus of medical research since the abnormal accumulation of bilirubin has been found to be associated with a variety of diseases. Bilirubin is a substance produced by the breakdown of aging or damaged re.....»»
Scientists discover why ripe fruit is more susceptible to necrotrophic pathogens than unripe fruit
In a recent study published in Molecular Plant, researchers have elucidated the mechanism underlying the increased susceptibility to necrotrophs during fruit ripening and have developed a rapid strategy to improve tomato fruit resistance to necrotrop.....»»
How molecular "handedness" emerged in early biology
Molecules often have a structural asymmetry called chirality, which means they can appear in alternative, mirror-image versions akin to the left and right versions of human hands. One of the great mysteries about the origins of life on Earth is that.....»»
Light stimulates a new twist for synthetic chemistry
Molecules that are induced by light to rotate bulky groups around central bonds could be developed into photo-activated bioactive systems, molecular switches, and more......»»
Controlling the microenvironment to promote wound healing and regeneration
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has unveiled a new principle for controlling the microenvironment of biological tissues to promote wound healing and regeneration. This discovery holds significant promise for the development of w.....»»
Scientists develop rapid gene-screening platform to boost disease resistance in crops
Scientists at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have achieved a breakthrough in molecular plant pathology, marking a technological leap forward for breeding durable disease-resistant crops......»»
Research provides insight into constructing gene regulatory networks
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) depict the regulatory mechanisms of genes within cellular systems as a network, offering vital insights for understanding cell processes and molecular interactions that determine cellular phenotypes. Transcriptional re.....»»
Chemical labeling method provides new approach for recording cellular activities
In living cells, a vast number of transient events occur simultaneously, each of them important for a given cell in carrying out its function. The faithful recording of these transient activities is a prerequisite for a molecular understanding of lif.....»»
A fruit fly"s wing offers clues into how wounds heal
How long it takes for cells to close a fruit fly's wound can tell us a lot about the healing process in the early developmental stages of humans, and potentially treatments that prevent long-term damage......»»
New class of "intramolecular bivalent glue" could transform cancer drug discovery
A breakthrough class of molecular glue identified at the University of Dundee could pave the way for a new generation of drugs to target cancers and neurodegenerative diseases......»»
Spinning, magnetic micro-robots help researchers probe immune cell recognition
Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago have engineered tiny, spinning micro-robots that bind to immune cells to probe their function. The robot, or "hexapod," gives sci.....»»
Study reveals molecular mechanisms behind hibernation in mammals
Researchers have shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying hibernation, publishing their findings today as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife......»»
Scientists create method to bond hydrogels and other polymeric materials using chitosan
Hydrogels are versatile biomaterials conquering an increasing number of biomedical areas. Consisting of water-swollen molecular networks that can be tailored to mimic the mechanical and chemical features of various organs and tissues, they can interf.....»»