Molecular mechanism of ZDHHC18-mediated palmitoylation of cGAS in innate immunity inhibition
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensing protein, plays an important role in the strong innate immune response induced by pathogen derived nucleic acids......»»
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.....»»
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis of inulin biosynthesis in rubber dandelion
Researchers have leveraged the power of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system to enhance natural rubber production in rubber dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz). The CRISPR system's efficiency and precision offer a promising avenue to address challenges.....»»
VPNVax: Crafting enhanced viral structure in vaccines through polymer restructuring
Generally speaking, the higher the degree of information restoration of a vaccine to a virus, the greater its potential efficacy. The virus itself is the most authentic vaccine, such as the varicella-zoster virus, which provides lifelong immunity aft.....»»
New aging mechanism discovered in nematodes
Even the genes and proteins that have been most closely studied are still far from having given up all their secrets. Like a Swiss Army knife, they have many different, often unknown functions......»»
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......»»
Cracking the code to a healthier potato chip
In a breakthrough for the snack food industry, a team of scientists led by Michigan State University professors Jiming Jiang and David Douches has discovered a key mechanism behind the darkening and potential health concerns associated with cold-stor.....»»
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.....»»
Newly discovered bacterial defense system functions as self-destruct button
Wageningen researchers have discovered a molecular self-destruct mechanism in a bacterium living on seaweed. With this mechanism the bacteria sacrifice themselves when they are infected, thus protecting their brothers and sisters from infections. By.....»»
Scientists identify genetic mechanism responsible for plant leaf diversity
Plant leaves come in many different shapes, sizes and complexities. Some leaves are large and smooth, while others are smaller and serrated. Some leaves grow in single pieces while others form multiple leaflets. These variations in leaf structure pla.....»»
Important molecular pathway for control of aging discovered
One of the ways cells in different kinds of tissue communicate is by exchanging RNA molecules. In experiments with roundworms of the species Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil found that when t.....»»
How a wayside weed builds up explosive force to hurl seeds
Hairy bittercress is one of those plants that hurl their seeds in all directions to spread them effectively. A research team has now discovered that to do this, the plant uses a previously unknown mechanism that makes the seed pods contract and snap.....»»
Case study: The evolution of a series of participant-centered workshops
Ludmila Tyler, senior lecturer in the biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) department, is co-first author of a paper in the journal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education that reflects on the lessons learned from the first full year of Incl.....»»
Smoking Alters Your Immune System for Years After You Quit
By switching genes on and off, cigarettes have a long-lasting effect on immunity, and appear to shape your immune system just as much as aging......»»
Discovery of a subset of human short introns that are spliced out by a novel mechanism
The well-known essential pre-mRNA splicing factor U2AF heterodimer (U2AF2–U2AF1) has been identified as mediating early splicing reactions in all introns of different lengths. However, Dr. Kazuhiro Fukumura in the Akila Mayeda lab at Fujita Health.....»»
Microscopy method overcomes the traditional resolution limit for the fast co-tracking of molecules
Researchers at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) have developed an innovative method to simultaneously track rapid dynamic processes of multiple molecules at the molecular scale......»»
Chemists create an emission molecular thermometer
Future technologies rely on phenomena that were previously considered the exclusive domain of theoretical physics or chemistry. For example, the approach to devices with high-density information storage arose when chemists discovered single-molecule.....»»
Light duty: Distinct molecular pathways control growth, flowering in plants
It's well known that plants have a fine-tuned ability to sense changes in the season by how much daylight they're exposed to, yet scientists observed more than a century ago that plants sometimes grow during one season and flower in another. Most res.....»»
Nutrients direct intestinal stem cell function and affect aging, finds study
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and aging. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the agi.....»»