Supernova: A glowing DNA enzyme
Once thought to function primarily as a storage molecule for genetic information, it is now known that DNA can also catalyze chemical reactions. Although such DNA enzymes (deoxyribozymes) have not been identified in nature, they can be isolated in th.....»»
Resurrecting billion-year-old enzymes reveals how photosynthesis adapted to the rise of oxygen
The central biocatalyst in photosynthesis, Rubisco, is the most abundant enzyme on earth. By reconstructing billion-year-old enzymes, a team of Max Planck Researchers has deciphered one of the key adaptations of early photosynthesis. Their results, n.....»»
Researchers develop method with single-molecule precision to engineer enzyme "stickiness"
Rutgers University scientists have developed an analytical toolkit to measure the binding forces of single proteins when they are pulled away from their substrate—such as an enzyme—that will help the development of new nanomaterials, improve biof.....»»
Red Alert: Massive stars sound warning they are about to go supernova
Astronomers from Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Montpellier have devised an 'early warning' system to sound the alert when a massive star is about to end its life in a supernova explosion. The work was published in Monthly Not.....»»
Galileo confirmed as author of pseudonymous 17th century astronomy text
It's a biting rebuttal to a philosopher's ideas about the 1604 supernova ("stella nova"). Enlarge / Portrait of Galileo Galilei by Justus Sustermans, 1636. Uffizi Museum, Florence. (credit: Public domain) In August, we reporte.....»»
The surprising Swiss-army-knife-like functions of a powerful enzyme
Blue-green algae (AKA cyanobacteria) have a superpower which likely helps them be highly successful as invaders of waterways. They have an extraordinary ability to store energy and nitrogen in their cells for times of need. But how exactly they do so.....»»
Machine learning may enable bioengineering of the most abundant enzyme on the planet
A Newcastle University study has for the first time shown that machine learning can predict the biological properties of the most abundant enzyme on Earth—Rubisco......»»
Hubble images a gorgeous spiral galaxy with a brightly glowing heart
This Hubble image shows the galaxy NGC 1961, its spiral arms reaching out into the darkness and swirling around its bright and busy center......»»
Engineering an enzyme against antibiotic-resistant anthrax
In the 2001 "Amerithrax" attacks, anthrax-causing spores were sent through the mail to media outlets and members of Congress, sickening at least 22 people and killing five. Antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria are of growing concern, and rese.....»»
Astronomers wind back the clock to determine the timeline of a stellar explosion
While astronomers have seen the debris from scores of exploded stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, it is often difficult to determine the timeline of the star's demise. By studying the spectacular remains of a supernova in a neighboring galax.....»»
Gamma rays from a dwarf galaxy solve an astronomical puzzle
A glowing blob known as "the cocoon," which appears to be inside one of the enormous gamma-ray emanations from the center of our galaxy dubbed the "Fermi bubbles," has puzzled astronomers since it was discovered in 2012......»»
How superwinds help drive galactic development
Galactic superwinds—large outflows of gas created by a combination of supernova explosions and stellar winds—are closely connected to a galaxy's earliest stages of development and evolution, including aspects like its size, shape, and even how ma.....»»
Study on plant enzyme shows that proteins can change their structural arrangement with surprising ease
When you think of proteins—the enzymes, signaling molecules, and structural components in every living thing—you might think of single strands of amino acids, organized like beads on a string. But nearly all proteins consist of multiple strands f.....»»
First structure of key COVID enzyme at human body temperature
Scientists studying a COVID-19 coronavirus enzyme at temperatures ranging from frosty to human-body warm discovered subtle structural shifts that offer clues about how the enzyme works. The findings, published in IUCrJ, the journal of the Internation.....»»
Researchers gain new insights into a dynamic protein targeted in cancer therapy
New structural information about an enzyme target in cancer medicine could help the development of next generation inhibitors. The enzyme, called PARP1, senses DNA damage and sends a cellular signal to carry out repair. PARP1 activity is important to.....»»
New cryo-EM images shed light on Wnt signaling
Using UT Southwestern's Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility, researchers have captured images of an enzyme for Wnt lipidation, which is pivotal to human development and crucial for Wnt signaling activation. The findings, reported in Nature, shed light.....»»
Video: How quinine caused World War I
If we look at how the bark of the cinchona tree is used to treat malaria, we can see the cutting-edge chemistry of quinine binding an enzyme essential for the malaria parasite's survival......»»
Surprise solar storm leaves stunning glowing lights in the sky that have scientists baffled
Late on the night of August 7, a surprise solar storm slammed into the Earth’s magnetic field. The clash of the storm against our planet’s outer shield resulted in the appearance of a baffling aurora-like phenomenon known as STEVE, which is short.....»»
Rocket launch to image supernova remnant
A Northwestern University astrophysics team is aiming for the stars—well, a dead star, that is......»»
Check out this supercomputer’s stunning image of a supernova remnant
Australia’s newest supercomputer, Setonix, has crunched masses of data to create a stunning image of a supernova remnant......»»
NASA"s Fermi telescope confirms star wreck as source of extreme cosmic particles
Astronomers have long sought the launch sites for some of the highest-energy protons in our galaxy. Now a study using 12 years of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope confirms that one supernova remnant is just such a place......»»