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.....»»
How to shift gears in a molecular motor
A study published in Chemistry—A European Journal presents a proof-of-principle design of molecular motors......»»
New simulation tool advances molecular modeling of biomolecular condensates
A University of Massachusetts Amherst team has made a major advance toward modeling and understanding how intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) undergo spontaneous phase separation, an important mechanism of subcellular organization that underlies.....»»
Deep learning reveals molecular secrets of explosive perchlorate salts
Perchlorates are a class of compounds that are notorious for their explosive nature. This raises safety concerns during experiments involving complex compounds that contain perchlorate ions, since explosions can be triggered even by the slightest sho.....»»
Team unravels activation mechanism of a protein that combats bacteria
The human immune system is constantly fending off a wide range of invaders—a feat that requires a diverse array of cellular troops and molecular weaponry. Although a great deal is already known about immune defense cells and the strategies they emp.....»»
Researchers uncover molecular mechanisms behind effects of MXene nanoparticles on muscle regeneration
Tissue engineering, which involves the use of grafts or scaffolds to aid cell regeneration, is emerging as a key medical practice for treating volumetric muscle loss (VML), a condition where a significant amount of muscle tissue is lost beyond the bo.....»»
New method for incorporating structurally unusual amino acids into proteins
A team of biochemists at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge has developed a new method to incorporate structurally unusual amino acids into proteins by using bacteria. The method is described in the journal Natu.....»»
Altered light-harvesting complex in a cyanobacterium allows low-energy light use
Researchers have isolated and determined the molecular structure of the light-harvesting antenna that helps some cyanobacteria—formerly referred to as blue-green algae—produce energy through photosynthesis even in lower-energy light......»»
Tiny worm, giant leap: Discovery of highly specific fatty acid attachment to proteins
In a world where the intricacies of molecular biology often seem as vast and mysterious as the cosmos, a new study delves into the microscopic universe of proteins, unveiling a fascinating aspect of their existence. This revelation could hold profoun.....»»
Scientists spin naturalistic silk from artificial spider gland
Researchers have succeeded in creating a device that spins artificial spider silk that closely matches what spiders naturally produce. The artificial silk gland was able to re-create the complex molecular structure of silk by mimicking the various ch.....»»
Clutch-stack-driven molecular gears in crystals could propel material innovation
Gears are an essential component of everyday machines. The ability to shift gears, like in a car, allows for control of the degree or direction of motion generated, making machines more versatile......»»
Unraveling the health benefits of tomatoes: A molecular dive
Scientists at U.S. the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and The Ohio State University (OSU) have been working to investigate how tomatoes may be imparting health benefits in a recently published study......»»
Researchers observe how the flexibility of a protein hinge is crucial to the transfer of cell proteins
Ubiquitination—the addition of the protein ubiquitin—is a key stage in many cell processes, such as protein degradation, DNA repairs, and signal transduction. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) and molecular modeling, researchers l.....»»
Molecular sensor enables water bear hardiness by triggering dormancy, study finds
Tardigrades—hardy, microscopic animals commonly known as "water bears"—use a molecular sensor that detects harmful conditions in their environment, telling them when to go dormant and when to resume normal life. A team led by Derrick R. J. Kollin.....»»
A Gel Injected Into the Scrotum Could Be the Next Male Contraceptive
Biotech company Contraline has safely implanted a sperm-blocking hydrogel in 23 men. It’s designed to be a fully reversible vasectomy......»»
Unraveling the role of supersulfides in regulating mitochondrial function and longevity
Supersulfides are gaining prominence for their occurrence as low-molecular-weight thiols or persulfidated cysteine residues, observed more frequently in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. These compounds, which are characterized by sulfur–sulfu.....»»
ALMA observations show how double, triple, quadruple and quintuple star systems form simultaneously in a molecular cloud
For humans, the chance of giving birth to multiples is less than 2%. The situation is different with stars, especially with particularly heavy stars. Astronomers observe stars that are many times heavier than the sun in more than 80% of cases in doub.....»»
Cryo-microscopy reveals nano-sized copy machine implicated in origin of life
How the intricate molecular machinery of life arose from simple beginnings has been a long-standing question. Several lines of evidence point towards a primordial "RNA world," where an "RNA copy machine" (a so-called replicase) started making copies.....»»
Researchers develop technique to synthesize water-soluble alloy nanoclusters
In recent years, ultrasmall metal nanoclusters have unlocked advances in fields ranging from bioimaging and biosensing to biotherapy, thanks to their unique molecular-like properties......»»
Efficient antibody production "wobbles," new study finds
Molecular biology's central dogma posits a simple recipe for the construction of the human body: a DNA blueprint is transcribed into an RNA message, and the RNA message is translated into the proteins that make you. Translating the mRNA message is a.....»»
A new type of plant metalloreductase maintains root growth under low phosphorus
The release of low-molecular weight carboxylates, such as malate, is used by many plant species to mine poorly available phosphorus (P) from the soil. Malate can increase the availability of phosphate, the P form taken up by plants, by chelating triv.....»»