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......»»
Elucidating the biosynthetic mechanism for protoberberine alkaloids from Coptis chinensis
Protoberberine alkaloids are a group of tetracyclic isoquinoline compounds known for their well-established antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Although protoberberine alkaloids are broadly found in various plant families such as Ranuncul.....»»
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.....»»
Climate change threatens fish supply: Tiny phytoplankton, big consequences
A research team that includes Dr. Angus Atkinson of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Dr. Axel Rossberg from Queen Mary University of London has discovered a hidden amplifying mechanism within the ocean's food web. Their findings, published in Natur.....»»
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.....»»
New research deciphers biomineralization mechanism
Many organisms can produce minerals or mineralized tissue. A well-known example is nacre, which is used in jewelry because of its iridescent colors. Chemically speaking, its formation begins with a mollusk extracting calcium and carbonate ions from w.....»»
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.....»»
A three-step mechanism explaining ultraviolet-induced CO desorption from CO ice
The desorption of CO ice induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a phenomenon that occurs in some cold parts of the universe, which has often also been replicated in laboratory settings. While this phenomenon is now well-documented, the molecular me.....»»
Study uncovers low-temperature deformation mechanism of pure titanium
Titanium (Ti), often hailed as the wonder metal for its remarkable properties, has many applications in aerospace, marine, and biomedicine industries. Known for their low density, high strength, high ductility, great corrosion resistance, and excelle.....»»
Research team reports observing vibrational spectra of a single protein with infrared nanospectroscopy
An interdisciplinary research team, led by Assistant Prof. Jun Nishida and Associate Prof. Takashi Kumagai at the Institute for Molecular Science, has successfully observed vibrational spectra of single proteins, consisting of approximately 500 amino.....»»
Study reveals key molecular mechanisms involved in development of tomato plant
In an article published in the journal Development, researchers at the University of São Paulo's Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP) in Brazil describe mechanisms relating to the development of the tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum).....»»
Researchers discover molecular "barcode" used by bacteria to secrete toxins
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a molecular "barcode" system used by disease-causing bacteria to distinguish between beneficial and toxic molecules......»»
Researchers discover important membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria
Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside t.....»»
Protein structures signal fresh targets for anticancer drugs
Cell replication in our bodies is triggered by a cascade of molecular signals transmitted between proteins. Compounds that block these signals when they run amok show potential as cancer drugs......»»
Metal-organic frameworks study unravels mechanism for capturing water from air
Researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and Dresden University of Technology have unraveled the water adsorption mechanism in certain microporous materials—so-called hierarchical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—while probing the.....»»
Pathogenic bacteria use molecular "shuttle services" to fill their injection apparatus with the right product
Disease-causing bacteria of the genus Salmonella or Yersinia can use tiny injection apparatuses to inject harmful proteins into host cells, much to the discomfort of the infected person. However, it is not only with a view to controlling disease that.....»»
Deciphering molecular mysteries: New insights into metabolites that control aging and disease
In a significant advancement in the field of biochemistry, scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Cornell University have uncovered new insights into a family of metabolites, acylspermidines, that could change how we understand aging an.....»»
New crystalline sponge method proposed for undergraduate courses
The crystal sponge technology is a revolutionary technique, which enables the direct and precise determination of the molecular structure of liquid and gas targets. The technique uses a special network complex to selectively absorb liquid or gas targ.....»»