Modifications to amino acids in sperm could be behind infertility
Sperm play a critical role in the creation of new life, delivering essentially half of the genetic material required......»»
Researchers uncover protein SRSF1"s uncommon ability to bind and unfold RNA G-quadruplexes
RNA transcription is the genomic process in which a cell produces a duplicate of a gene's DNA sequence. In a study published in Nucleic Acids Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Chemistry Professor Jun Zhang, Ph.D., and his te.....»»
New method uses light to enable the generation of non-canonical amino acids
UC Santa Barbara researchers are building out the repertoire of chemical reactions, using light. In a paper published in the journal Nature, chemistry professor Yang Yang and collaborators at the University of Pittsburgh report a method using photobi.....»»
Researchers find high concentrations of D-amino acids and D-lactate in estuarine polychaetes
A research group has discovered that high concentrations of D-amino acids, in addition to L-amino acids, are present in the body tissues of polychaetes and that their composition is species-specific......»»
Understanding how zwitterionic polymers can lead to safer drugs and disease prevention
Proteins are vital biomolecules responsible for performing various functions in the human body and are thus regarded as the workhorses of a cell. The primary structure of a protein is composed of different amino acids coming together. The structure s.....»»
New findings on fertility: Sperm can adapt to sexually transmitted microbes
Researchers from Dresden University of Technology (TUD) and the University of Sheffield have discovered that male fertility can adapt to microbes. These findings shed new light on the importance of sperm ecology and might have significant implication.....»»
Shedding light on the chemical enigma of sulfur trioxide in the atmosphere
Researchers at Tampere University have discovered that sulfur trioxide can form products other than sulfuric acid in the atmosphere by interacting with organic and inorganic acids......»»
China"s low-cost EV is coming to upend Europe"s vaunted turf
Even after tariffs and modifications to meet European standards, BYD executives have pledged to sell the Seagull for less than €20,000. .....»»
By listening, scientists learn how a protein folds
By converting their data into sounds, scientists discovered how hydrogen bonds contribute to the lightning-fast gyrations that transform a string of amino acids into a functional, folded protein......»»
New candidate genes for human male infertility found by analyzing gorillas" unusual reproductive system
Despite their formidable bodies, male gorillas are lacking in one particular area of their anatomy......»»
Fetal cells can be traced back to the first day of embryonic development
Though more than 8 million babies have been born through in vitro fertilization (IVF), 70% of IVF implantations fail. As IVF is becoming a more common route to pregnancy in cases of infertility, there is a need for better understanding of embryonic d.....»»
Using algorithms to decode the complex phonetic alphabet of sperm whales
The allure of whales has stoked human consciousness for millennia, casting these ocean giants as enigmatic residents of the deep seas. From the biblical Leviathan to Herman Melville's formidable Moby Dick, whales have been central to mythologies and.....»»
A new tool for plant long non-coding RNA identification
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are ubiquitous transcripts with crucial regulatory roles in various biological processes, including chromatin remodeling, post-transcriptional regulation, and epigenetic modifications. While accumulating evidence elucid.....»»
Twisted pollen tubes induce infertility in plants with multiple sets of chromosomes
Most mammals and humans have a double set of chromosomes—and as a rule, plants do, too: One set comes from the father, the other from the mother. Such organisms are called diploids. However, sometimes the number of chromosome sets doubles from one.....»»
Fossilized dinosaur eggshells can preserve amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, over millions of years
As a scientist, lab work can sometimes get monotonous. But in 2017, while a Ph.D. student of paleobiology at the University of Bristol in the U.K., I heard a gleeful exclamation from across the room. Kirsty Penkman, head of the North East Amino Acid.....»»
Wound treatment hydrogel infused with amino acid kills bacteria naturally and promotes cell growth
Hydrogels are popular for use in skin ailments and tissue engineering. These polymer-based biocompatible materials are useful for their abilities to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are complicated to manufacture.....»»
The role of interfacial amino acids in shaping bio-electronic communication between proteins
Proteins are vital for facilitating charge transport (CT) chain reactions, both within individual proteins and between proteins. Understanding CT in proteins is crucial for biological processes and the development of bioelectronic devices. While prev.....»»
Acids enable adhesive electrodes for thin, flexible supercapacitors
Supercapacitors have the superb ability to capture and store energy. Researchers can use different materials and fabrication methods to make them flexible, thin and appropriate for use in wearable or implantable electronics, like smart watches or pac.....»»
Using suction cups inspired by fish to listen in on whale conversations
In their ambitious goal to understand and ultimately communicate with sperm whales, research scientists from Project CETI have enlisted the help of unlikely collaborators—clingfish......»»
Discovery of amino acid unveils how light makes stomata open in plants
Scientists from Nagoya University have discovered a novel regulatory mechanism that controls the opening of stomata in plants, which is crucial for harnessing solar energy through photosynthesis. The team uncovered the role of phosphorylation at the.....»»
Carbon-based supports for electrocatalysis under industrially relevant conditions
Carbon materials, due to their appropriate physicochemical characteristics such as high surface area, adjustable pore structure, variable morphology, and multifunctional surface properties based on chemical modifications, low cost, and ease of prepar.....»»