Intra-molecular distances in biomolecules measured optically with Ångström precision
A team led by physicists Steffen Sahl and Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen and the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg has succeeded in measuring distances within biomolecules using a light.....»»
Victorian London was a city in flux: Architectural models helped the public visualize the changes
In 1848, the British government decided to draw up a precisely measured map of London. Imperial expansion had seen the city develop quickly, particularly around the docks and the City of London......»»
Decoding the language of cells: Profiling the proteins behind cellular organelle communication
In cellular biology, unraveling the complexities of cellular function at the molecular level remains a paramount endeavor. Significant scientific focus has been placed on understanding the interactions at organelle contact sites, especially between m.....»»
A molecular moon lander: Insight into molecular motion on surfaces at the nanoscale
For years, scientists have been intrigued by how molecules move across surfaces. The process is critical to numerous applications, including catalysis and the manufacturing of nanoscale devices......»»
Discovery of the first fractal molecule in nature
An international team of researchers led by groups from the Max Planck Institute in Marburg and the Philipps University in Marburg has stumbled upon the first regular molecular fractal in nature. They discovered a microbial enzyme—citrate synthase.....»»
Keys to the genome: Unlocking the package with "pioneer transcription factors"
Scientists at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute have discovered the molecular mechanisms responsible for opening up the human genome and expressing new genes......»»
Precision agriculture research identifies gene that controls production of flowers and fruits in pea plants
The end of the reproductive period, when flowers and fruits are produced, is a crucial moment in plants' life cycles. However, the factors that control this process must be better understood......»»
New molecular device unlocks potential for targeted drug delivery and self-healing materials
In a new breakthrough that could revolutionize medical and material engineering, scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind molecular device that controls the release of multiple small molecules using force......»»
Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race
One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria an.....»»
Turning camels into cows: Megafarms are being set up to produce camel milk on industrial scales
The camel may be the next cow. An animal that once grazed and browsed over huge distances is increasingly being enclosed in vast Middle Eastern dairy farms, where thousands of camels are milked by machine. This is the model of sedentary farming that.....»»
Scientists report that buffer and pH strongly affect the phase separation of SARS-CoV-2 N protein
In a new paper published in Molecular Biology of the Cell, the Allain lab (IBC) reported that the phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein strongly depends on the chosen buffer and pH. For example, the protonation of a single histidine side chain.....»»
First-of-its-kind integrated dataset enables genes-to-ecosystems research
A team of Department of Energy scientists led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has released the first-ever dataset bridging molecular information about the poplar tree microbiome to ecosystem-level processes. The project aims to inform research regar.....»»
Click chemistry: Research team creates 150 new compounds
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) chemists have created a new collection of molecular compounds and begun testing them as potential leads in the search for new drugs. Among these molecules, they found several that show promise for development as a.....»»
Pacific rock samples offer glimpse of active Earth 2.5 billion years ago
In Earth science, small details can help explain massive events. Rita Parai, an assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, uses precision equipment to measure trace lev.....»»
Team develops portable swept-source Raman spectrometer for chemical and biomedical applications
In 1928, Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman and his colleague K. S. Krishnan discovered that when light interacts with matter, parts of the scattered light undergo changes in energy due to interaction with molecular vibrations, resulting in what is kno.....»»
New research shows key molecules within nerve cells persist throughout life
After two decades in the United States, Martin Hetzer returned home to Austria in 2023 to become the 2nd President of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). A year into his new role, the molecular biologist remains engaged in the rea.....»»
Self-assembly of complex systems: Hexagonal building blocks are better
Complex systems in nature, like their synthetic counterparts in technology, comprise a large number of small components that assemble of their own accord through molecular interactions. Gaining a better understanding of the principles and mechanisms.....»»
New study paves the way for precision drugs to treat blood cancers
The Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) protein mediates signaling from several cytokine receptors in the regulation of hematopoiesis and immune responses. Somatic mutations in human JAK2 lead to constitutive activation and cytokine-independent signaling and under.....»»
Molecular biology technique allows for discovery of novel targets for candidate vaccines against schistosomiasis
Researchers in Brazil have used an innovative technique in molecular biology to identify targets for candidate vaccines against Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite that causes schistosomiasis......»»
Team creates cooperative exciton-polariton condensate
Superfluorescence (SF), as a cooperative radiation effect originating from vacuum quantum fluctuations, is an ideal platform for studying many-body correlation mechanisms in an exciton ensemble, and for developing optically ultrafast techniques on br.....»»
JWST observations explore molecular outflows of a nearby merging galaxy
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has observed a nearby merging galaxy known as NGC 3256. Results of the observational campaign, presented March 21 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield essential informa.....»»