Zeroing in on the workings of tumor suppressor protein p53, the "guardian of the genome"
The tumor suppressor protein p53 has been dubbed the "guardian of the genome" because it protects the DNA from stress or long-term damage by regulating the expression of numerous genes involved DNA repair, cell division and cell death. Now, FMI resea.....»»
Study reveals how a sugar-sensing protein acts as a "machine" to switch plant growth—and oil production—on and off
Proteins are molecular machines, with flexible pieces and moving parts. Understanding how these parts move helps scientists unravel the function a protein plays in living things—and potentially how to change its effects. Biochemists at the U.S. Dep.....»»
Protein prediction technology yields accurate results to efficiently find the best drug candidate for many conditions
Artificial intelligence (AI) has numerous applications in health care, from analyzing medical imaging to optimizing the execution of clinical trials, and even facilitating drug discovery......»»
Study reveals insights into protein evolution
Rice University's Peter Wolynes and his research team have unveiled a breakthrough in understanding how specific genetic sequences, known as pseudogenes, evolve. Their paper was published May 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences......»»
Researchers complete mitochondrial genome analysis of endangered plant Primulina hunanensis
Primulina hunanensis is a perennial herb in the genus Primulina Hance of the family Gesneriaceae. It is very adaptable to low-light and barren cave environments, and is unique in its species evolution and environmental adaptation. P. hunanensis has b.....»»
Protein assembly research shows molecular roll of the dice delivers winning combinations
Australian researchers have shed light on the shape-shifting capabilities of protein assemblies, with results that could revolutionize fields from biomanufacturing to vaccine development......»»
Genes spatially organize for efficient mRNA splicing, study shows
The nucleus of each of your cells contains all the genetic information (the genome) necessary to build every type of cell and protein in your entire body. Like a complex library in a tiny space 50 times smaller than the width of a human hair, genes a.....»»
DeepMind adds a diffusion engine to latest protein-folding software
Major under-the-hood changes let AlphaFold handle protein-DNA complexes and more. Enlarge / Prediction of the structure of a coronavirus Spike protein from a virus that causes the common cold. (credit: Google DeepMind) M.....»»
MATE transporter facilitates bitter saponin transport from cytoplasm to vacuole
Domestic soybeans serve as an important source of healthy edible plant oil and high-quality plant protein in our food culture. In addition to the well-known components of oil (approximately 20%), protein (approximately 40%), and carbohydrates (approx.....»»
Engineers develop innovative microbiome analysis software tools
Since the first microbial genome was sequenced in 1995, scientists have reconstructed the genomic makeup of hundreds of thousands of microorganisms and have even devised methods to take a census of bacterial communities on the skin, in the gut, or in.....»»
Study sheds light on cancer cell "tug-of-war"
Understanding how cancerous cells spread from a primary tumor is important for any number of reasons, including determining the aggressiveness of the disease itself. The movement of cells into the extracellular matrix (ECM) of neighboring tissue is a.....»»
Laboratory and natural strains of intestinal bacterium turn out to have similar mutational profiles
Understanding mutational processes in a cell offers clues to the evolution of a genome. Most actively, mutation processes are studied in human cancer cells, while other genomes are often neglected......»»
Scientists use high pressure NMR spectroscopy to study structure of dynamic proteins
A pressure of 3,000 bar is applied to the cold shock protein B of Bacillus subtilis in a small tube in the NMR spectroscopy laboratory at the University of Konstanz. This is roughly three times the water pressure at the deepest point of the ocean. Th.....»»
Synthetic chemistry approach yields new compounds with potential biomedical applications
Researchers at Rice University have successfully synthesized a group of natural compounds known as fusicoccanes. The molecules found in various living organisms exhibit diverse biological activities, including the ability to modulate protein-protein.....»»
Researchers develop new AI tool for fast and precise tissue analysis to support drug discovery and diagnostics
A team of scientists from A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Bioinformatics Institute (BII) has developed a new AI software tool called "BANKSY" that automatically recognizes the cell types present in a tissue, such as muscle cells, ner.....»»
New discovery of a mechanism that controls cell division
Researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, have discovered that how a special protein complex called the Mediator moves along genes in DNA may have an impact on how cells divide. The discovery may be important for future research into the treatment of.....»»
In medieval England, leprosy spread between red squirrels and people, genome evidence shows
Evidence from archaeological sites in the medieval English city of Winchester shows that English red squirrels once served as an important host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people, researchers report in the journal Current.....»»
Researchers develop near-chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university research partners have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation co.....»»
Microgravity-grown crystals reveal new insights into protein structures
Biochemists have long been working around a blind spot when it comes to proteins. They know that hydrogen constitutes nearly half of the atoms in proteins, but how they contribute to protein function in these complex structures has been less clear. H.....»»
Researchers develop tiny droplets that harness laser light to detect disease markers
A team of researchers led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has created tiny droplets that, when activated by laser light, can detect viral protein biomarkers indicating the presence of certain diseases......»»
Bacteria "nanowires" could help develop green electronics
Engineered protein filaments originally produced by bacteria have been modified by scientists to conduct electricity. In a study published recently in the journal Small, researchers revealed that protein nanowires—which were modified by adding a si.....»»