New proteins "out of nothing"
Proteins are the key component in all modern forms of life. Hemoglobin, for example, transports the oxygen in our blood; photosynthesis proteins in the leaves of plants convert sunlight into energy; and fungal enzymes help us to brew beer and bake br.....»»
Structure-destabilizing mutations transform Bcl-2 from an antiapoptotic protein into a proapoptotic protein
Bcl-2 family proteins are highly conserved molecules that play a crucial role in regulating the release of apoptotic proteins from mitochondria. They possess Bcl-2 homology (BH) domains, which are characterized by both sequence and structural similar.....»»
Restoring the function of a human cell surface protein in yeast cells
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse group of cell surface proteins in humans. These receptors, which can be seen as "traffic directors," transmit signals from the outside to the inside of cells and are involved in man.....»»
Physical theory improves protein folding prediction
Proteins are important molecules that perform a variety of functions essential to life. To function properly, many proteins must fold into specific structures. However, the way proteins fold into specific structures is still largely unknown. Research.....»»
Nikon Small World 2023 photo microscopy contest: Meet this year’s top 20 winners
Your annual reminder that science can be beautiful as well as informative. Enlarge / The winning entry: a rodent optic nerve head with astrocytes (yellow), contractile proteins (red), and retinal vasculature (green). (credit: Has.....»»
Targeting a coronavirus ion channel could yield new COVID-19 drugs
The genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus encodes 29 proteins, one of which is an ion channel called E. This channel, which transports protons and calcium ions, induces infected cells to launch an inflammatory response that damages tissues and contributes t.....»»
New foods can go from yucky to yummy as people"s perceptions evolve
Bugs, microalgae and bacteria are emerging as healthy and sustainable alternatives to traditional proteins......»»
Savoring the sweetness: Unraveling pineapple"s SWEET10 as a glucose transporter
Researchers from Professor Yuan Qin's group at Guangxi University have now harnessed cutting-edge AlphaFold technology to unveil the hidden secrets of sugar transporter proteins, known as SWEET (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters)......»»
After COVID killed off a flu strain, annual flu shots are in for a redesign
It's TBD how and when a reformulation will happen, but it's now in the works. Enlarge / The flu virus, showing the H and N proteins on its surface. (credit: CDC) Vaccine advisors for the Food and Drug Administration vote.....»»
Precise genome engineering and protein activity profiling uncover new cancer drug targets
Searching for new ways to block the growth of cancer cells is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Tumor cells rely on thousands of proteins to function, but only a few of those proteins can be precisely targeted by drugs to treat cancer safely a.....»»
Scientist adds cryo-ET and biosensors to fluorescence microscopy to image proteins within cells
Tinkerer though he is, Peter Dahlberg did not spend the last few years tearing apart a $1.5 million microscope just for fun......»»
How proteins roll the dice to determine bee sex
To date it has been unclear exactly how the sex of a bee is determined. A research team from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) including biologists and chemists has now identified a key gene and the molecular mechanism linked with it. In th.....»»
Research reveals overlooked parts of proteins as critical to fundamental functions of life
According to textbooks, proteins work by folding into stable 3D shapes that, like Lego blocks, precisely fit with other biomolecules......»»
How disordered proteins contribute to the properties of the rabies virus
A large team of international researchers have used techniques at ANSTO's Australian Synchrotron to understand how key proteins contribute to the virulence of the rabies virus, sometimes called the "zombie virus.".....»»
Scientists reveal how phosphate escapes from actin filaments
Actin filaments are dynamic protein-fibers in the cell built from single actin proteins. Many cellular functions, including cell movement, are regulated by constant filament assembly and disassembly. The disassembly phase is initiated by the release.....»»
New post-translational modification of the glycolytic enzyme enolase
Proteins are subject to post-translational chemical modifications that result in functional diversity. Methylation is one such modification that is generally believed to occur on lysine and arginine residues. Recently, this modification has been show.....»»
Study clarifies how "junk DNA" influences gene expression
For decades, scientists have known that, despite its name, "junk DNA" in fact plays a critical role: While the coding genes provide blueprints for building proteins, which direct most of the body's functions, some of the noncoding sections of the gen.....»»
From seafloor to space: New bacterial proteins shine light on climate and astrobiology
Gigatons of greenhouse gas are trapped under the seafloor, and that's a good thing. Around the coasts of the continents, where slopes sink down into the sea, tiny cages of ice trap methane gas, preventing it from escaping and bubbling up into the atm.....»»
A close-up of biological nanomachines: Researchers take a deep look at peroxisomal processes
Every system has its waste disposal system. The cell organelles known as "peroxisomes" dispose of toxic substances and fats in the human body, among other things, and, in doing so, they prevent serious illnesses. The "Pex" group of proteins (peroxiso.....»»
Discovery of histidine methylation as a new post-translational modification of histone proteins
In eukaryotes, genomic DNA, which is a very long double helix containing all the genetic information, wraps around a globular protein called a histone and folds it many times before being contained within the nucleus......»»
Profiling artemisinin"s antimalarial mechanism: Research team reveals crucial target proteins
Jigang Wang and colleagues have made significant progress in unraveling the antimalarial mechanisms of artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives. Their latest research, published in the journal Engineering, sheds light on the crucial target proteins and.....»»