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.....»»
Researchers propose new mechanism for early chemical evolution
Scientists from The Ohio State University have a new theory about how the building blocks of life—the many proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids that compose every organism on Earth—may have evolved to favor a certain kind of molecula.....»»
Researchers decode targets for hundreds of signaling enzymes
When cells in the human body sense a change in the environment, molecules known as kinases can help them respond: these specialized enzymes activate proteins, propagating signals within a cell that ultimately alter its function. Yet if scientists wan.....»»
Evolution: Mini-proteins in human organs appeared "from nowhere"
Every biologist knows that small structures can sometimes have a big impact: Millions of signaling molecules, hormones, and other biomolecules are bustling around in our cells and tissues, playing a leading role in many of the key processes occurring.....»»
Cyclic RNA switches that regulate gene expression in a cell type-specific manner
The Hirohide Saito Laboratory has developed cyclic RNA switches that can control gene expression in a cell type-specific manner using miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins and has successfully constructed an artificial gene circuit by combining them......»»
Hijacking our cells" enzymes to eliminate disease-causing proteins
By studying how enzymes move from one membrane compartment to another inside a cell, scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have figured out a way to better target cellular proteins, which play a role in many diseases......»»
How to see without eyes or a protein that senses light
Centipedes avoid light by registering the temperature changes it induces. Enlarge (credit: Kriswanto Ginting) Light-sensing proteins are found throughout all domains of life. Even single-celled microbes carry proteins th.....»»
Chicken and farmed salmon have remarkably similar environmental footprints
We love our chicken. We love our salmon. Thanks to how we farm these two popular proteins, their environmental footprints are surprisingly similar......»»
Two proteins join forces to make flowers
What mechanisms are behind the formation of flowers? To answer this question a 25-year-old enigma has just been solved: the role of UFO protein in the flower's formation process. While its nature suggested that it destroys its partners, this protein.....»»
Scientists reveal flaws in tuberculosis bacterium by studying ferredoxins
Small proteins called ferredoxins play a pivotal role in the main metabolic pathways, the series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell......»»
Unlikely pairs of DNA elements and regulator proteins make small plant stem cells destined to become stomata
Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington have elucidated a mechanism that makes tiny plant stem cells develop stomata, the cellular valves of plants that facilitate global carbon cy.....»»
A chemoproteomic platform monitors Fe-S cluster occupancy across the E. coli proteome
Boston College chemists have developed a strategy to monitor the presence or absence of iron-sulfur clusters, which are essential to the function of diverse proteins, the team reported recently in the journal Nature Chemical Biology......»»
Decoding the special role of a biogenesis factor in the maturation of precursor ribosomes
Ribosomes are the nanomachines of the cell whose task is the correct synthesis of proteins. Researchers at the Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center are studying the emergence of these "protein factories", also known as ribosomes......»»
Signal transmission in the immune and nervous system through NEMO
A cascade of various events is required for the transmission of signals within cells. These include several modifications of proteins to switch their function on or off. In order to ensure rapid signal transmission, signaling proteins transiently acc.....»»
Genetic engineering sheds light on ancient evolutionary questions
Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that derive energy from light, using photosynthesis to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and liquid water (H2O) into breathable oxygen and the carbon-based molecules like proteins that make up their ce.....»»
How intracellular fluid flows influence the formation of complex patterns
The formation of patterns is a universal phenomenon that underlies fundamental processes in biology. An example are the concentration patterns of proteins, which direct vital cellular processes, including cell division, polarity, and movement. These.....»»
Movements in proteins reveal information about antibiotic resistance spreading
Researchers at Umeå University have discovered how a certain type of protein moves for DNA to be copied. The discovery could have implications for understanding how antibiotic resistance genes spread between bacteria......»»
New AI tool makes speedy gene-editing possible
An artificial intelligence program may enable the first simple production of customizable proteins called zinc fingers to treat diseases by turning genes on and off......»»
AI technology generates original proteins from scratch
Scientists have created an AI system capable of generating artificial enzymes from scratch. In laboratory tests, some of these enzymes worked as well as those found in nature, even when their artificially generated amino acid sequences diverged signi.....»»
Researchers propose combining classical and quantum optics for super-resolution imaging
The ability to see invisible structures in our bodies, like the inner workings of cells, or the aggregation of proteins, depends on the quality of one's microscope. Ever since the first optical microscopes were invented in the 17th century, scientist.....»»
In the core of the cell: New insights into the utilization of nanotechnology-based drugs
Novel drugs, such as vaccines against COVID-19, among others, are based on drug transport using nanoparticles. Whether this drug transport is negatively influenced by an accumulation of blood proteins on the nanoparticle's surface was not clarified f.....»»