Teamwork in a molecule
Chemists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena have demonstrated the value of 'teamwork' by successfully harnessing the interaction between two gallium atoms in a novel compound to split the particularly strong bond between fluorine and carbon. T.....»»
Light-to-energy conversion in many aquatic microbes more complex than was previously known, researchers discover
Plants convert light into a form of energy that they can use—a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—through photosynthesis. This is a complex process that also produces sugar, which the plant can use for energy later, and oxygen. Some bac.....»»
How does RNA know where to go in the city of the cell? Using cellular ZIP codes and postal carrier routes
Before 2020, when my friends and acquaintances asked me what I study as a molecular biologist, their eyes would inevitably glaze over as soon as I said "RNA." Now, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the power and promise of this molecule to the world.....»»
P. aeruginosa bacteria produce a molecule that paralyzes immune system cells
Researchers from Freiburg and Strasbourg have discovered a strong immunological effect of the molecule LecB—and a way to prevent it......»»
Researchers develop small molecule to stimulate natural killer cells against neuroblastoma
An MUSC Hollings Cancer Center research team has created what team members believe to be among the first small molecules designed to stimulate immune cells to fight cancer. More importantly, these compounds inhibit a specific enzyme that hasn't been.....»»
A new 3D-printed molecular model to teach students about nucleobase pairing
Molecular models are a tried-and-tested tool for teaching chemistry to students of all ages. By enabling users to visualize the three-dimensional structure of a molecule and how its atoms are arranged, they can accelerate the learning process for ess.....»»
Nanosatellite shows the way to RNA medicine of the future
The RNA molecule is commonly recognized as messenger between DNA and protein, but it can also be folded into intricate molecular machines. An example of a naturally occurring RNA machine is the ribosome, that functions as a protein factory in all cel.....»»
PanGu drug model: Learn a molecule like a human
A recent study published in the journal Science China Life Sciences was led by Dr. Nan Qiao (Laboratory of Health Intelligence, Huawei Cloud Computing Technologies), Dr. Hualiang Jiang (Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science.....»»
How lake ice formation influences transformation of dissolved organic matter
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the main form and active component of natural organic matter in lakes. Microbial- and photo-degradation of DOM can release large amounts of small molecule organic acids and biogenic substances......»»
Nanofluidic devices offer solutions for studying single molecule chemical reactions
In a chemical reaction, molecules in different substances meet one another to form new molecules causing changes in the bonds of their atoms. The molecules collide at an extremely close distance—a nanometer or less—in an extremely short amount of.....»»
A special carbon molecule can function as multiple high-speed switches at once
For the first time, an international team of researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo's Institute for Solid State Physics, has demonstrated a switch, analogous to a transistor, made from a single molecule called fullerene......»»
Studying epigenetic regulation at the single-molecule level
If one imagines the genome as an instruction manual for the functioning of a cell, every page of this manual is covered with annotations, highlights, and bookmarks. The role of some of these marks remains mysterious—do they actively direct the read.....»»
Researchers develop light-controlled drugs for future precision therapies against diseases such as cancer
Researchers from the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have developed a series of photosensitive molecule drugs that can be reversibly activated by external light, thus achieving a much m.....»»
A possible strategy for a tabletop chiral attosecond laser
When molecules form from many atoms, the atoms can combine in different ways. Two forms of the same molecule can have the same composition but have different arrangements of atoms, giving rise to isomers. Some isomers may have structures that are mir.....»»
Rabi oscillations in a stretching molecule
Over eighty years ago, Rabi oscillations were proposed to describe the strong coupling and population transfer in a two-level quantum system exposed to an oscillatory driving field. As compared to atoms, molecules have an extra degree of vibration, w.....»»
Understanding and embracing intercultural tensions and differences in teams
"Teamwork makes the dream work." It's a popular phrase used to describe the merits of working in teams to get things done. When applied successfully, creating and collaborating with coworkers can produce results that surpass a single individual's con.....»»
Newly proposed strategy in chemistry sheds light on better applications in energy devices
A research team has proposed a new strategy to use a kind of molecule called zwitterions-polyoxometalates to optimize and broaden practical applications in energy devices such as fuel cells and supercapacitors. Their findings are published in Polyoxo.....»»
DNA sequencing method can detect where and how small molecule drugs interact with their targets
Many life-saving drugs directly interact with DNA to treat diseases such as cancer, but scientists have struggled to detect how and why they work—until now......»»
Researchers develop new, more accurate computational tool for long-read RNA sequencing
On the journey from gene to protein, a nascent RNA molecule can be cut and joined, or spliced, in different ways before being translated into a protein. This process, known as alternative splicing, allows a single gene to encode several different pro.....»»
In a first, chemists synthesize ocean-based molecule that could fight Parkinson"s
Organic chemists at UCLA have created the first synthetic version of a molecule recently discovered in a sea sponge that may have therapeutic benefits for Parkinson's disease and similar disorders. The molecule, known as lissodendoric acid A, appears.....»»
The effects of tightening a molecular knot
A study conducted by Anne-Sophie Duwez and Damien Sluysmans from the NANOCHEM group at the University of Liège (Belgium) has made it possible to decode the mechanical response of small-molecule synthetic overhand knots by single-molecule pulling exp.....»»