Mimicking a molecule found in poppies
A Rice University undergraduate student's grit and talent paid off in a big way when she introduced the first synthesis of a rare and potentially potent molecule drawn from poppies. .....»»
DNA structure itself is involved in genome regulation
The (when stretched) two-meter-long DNA molecule in each human cell is continuously being unpacked and packed again to enable the expression of genetic information. When genes must be accessed for transcription, the DNA double helix unwinds and the s.....»»
When FRETing over cancer biomarkers won"t work, focus on blinking instead
Fluorescence spectroscopy is indispensable in biomedical diagnostics. One can think of turning on fluorescence as turning on a flashlight in a dark room. A diagnostic assay can be designed to label, for example, a specific molecule of DNA with a fluo.....»»
A novel light-spin interface with europium(III) molecule advances development of quantum computers
Light can be used to operate quantum information processing systems, e.g. quantum computers, quickly and efficiently. Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Chimie ParisTech/CNRS have now significantly advanced the development of.....»»
What is mRNA? What you should know about the key ingredient in some COVID-19 vaccines
One surprising star of the coronavirus pandemic response has been the molecule called mRNA. It's the key ingredient in the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. But mRNA itself is not a new invention from the lab. It evolved billions of years ago and.....»»
Molecule could beat antibiotic-resistant infections
By using their knowledge of how bacteria co-exist and compete with one another in nature, Western University researchers have discovered a compound that can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a deadly bacterium that can cause pneumonia and.....»»
Glass nanopore pulls DNA like spaghetti through a needle
DNA sequencing has become so common, few realize how hard it is to even extract a single molecule of DNA from a biological sample......»»
Researchers extend the life of a dipolar molecule
In 2018, Kang-Kuen Ni and her lab earned the cover of Science with an impressive feat: They took two individual atoms, a sodium and a cesium, and forged them into a single dipolar molecule, sodium cesium......»»
Small-molecule therapeutics: Big data dreams for tiny technologies
Small-molecule therapeutics treat a wide variety of diseases, but their effectiveness is often diminished because of their pharmacokinetics—what the body does to a drug. After administration, the body dictates how much of the drug is absorbed, whic.....»»
Molecule attacks coronavirus in a novel way
Scientists at the University of Bonn and the caesar research center have isolated a molecule that might open new avenues in the fight against SARS coronavirus 2. The active ingredient binds to the spike protein that the virus uses to dock to the cell.....»»
Scientist discovers a new type of "bi-molecule" with applications for quantum sensors
Dr. Rosario González-Férez, a researcher at the Department of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics and the Carlos I Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics of the University of Granada, has published an article titled "Ultralong-Range R.....»»
"Silencing" protein to weaken COVID-19
When invaded by a virus, our body cells launch an alert to neighboring cells to increase their antiviral defenses to prevent the infection from spreading. Some viruses, however, manage to bypass this system by mimicking the host's RNA, preventing the.....»»
First 3D images of a giant molecule
Capturing the structure of large molecular complexes with variable shape is an extremely difficult task. Scientists from Würzburg and Montpellier now have been able to do it—thanks to a new approach regarding an important protein machine......»»
Cold molecular clouds as cosmic ray detectors
The ionization of the neutral gas in an interstellar molecular cloud plays a key role in the cloud's evolution, helping to regulate the heating and cooling processes, the chemistry and molecule formation, and coupling the gas to magnetic fields. Usua.....»»
A single-molecule electrical approach for amino acid detection and chirality recognition
Analytical chemistry aims to efficiently discriminate between two amino acids. In a new report in Science Advances, Zihao Liu and a research team in Chemistry, Physics, and Materials Science in China and Japan, used a single-molecule electrical metho.....»»
Researchers identify non-coding RNA molecule in trypanosome parasites
Trypanosomatids are single-cell parasites that cause major diseases, such as sleeping sickness and Rose of Jericho, which affect millions of people. Trypanosoma parasites are transmitted to mammals by the blood-sucking tsetse fly. The parasite's stop.....»»
Determining the structure of a molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction
Light microscopes have revolutionized our understanding of the microcosmos, but their resolution is limited to about 100 nanometers. To see how molecules bond, break, or change their structure, we need at least 1000 times better resolution......»»
Study reveals details of immune defense guidance system
At the beginning of an immune response, a molecule known to mobilize immune cells into the bloodstream, where they home in on infection sites, rapidly shifts position, a new study shows. Researchers say this indirectly amplifies the attack on foreign.....»»
Researchers can store the Declaration of Independence in a single molecule
Just how much space would you need to store all of the world's data? A building? A block? A city?.....»»
Common bacteria modified to make designer sugar-based drug
Envisioning an animal-free drug supply, scientists have reprogrammed a common bacterium to make a designer polysaccharide molecule used in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals......»»
Detective work inside plant cells finds a key piece of the C4 photosynthesis puzzle
An impressive body of evidence published this week reveals the answer to a mystery that has puzzled plant scientists for more than 30 years: the role of the molecule suberin in the leaves of some of our most productive crops. This discovery could be.....»»