Molecular Biology

A groundbreaking study by UMass Amherst researchers has identified how plants manage cellular processes to respond to environmental changes. By focusing on the interactions among pectin, FERONIA and LLG1 receptor proteins, and the RALF peptide, the study reveals a key molecular process that enables plants to adapt and survive various stresses, providing new insights into plant resilience mechanisms.Research provides new insights into how cells in plants coordinate their responses.A team of researchers from the University…

By University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science February 27, 2024Scientists have introduced CluMPS, a novel molecular tool that simplifies the detection of tiny protein clusters implicated in diseases like Alzheimer’s. This technique allows for easy visualization with standard lab microscopes, overcoming the limitations of light microscopy and facilitating drug efficacy assessment and new treatment discoveries. The development of CluMPS, represents a significant step forward in understanding…

Illustration of a diPUFA phospholipid, a type of lipid with two polyunsaturated fatty acyl tails, breaking through a cell’s outer lipid layer as the cell dies. New research has shown that diPUFA phospholipids are a key driver of a form of cell death known as ferroptosis. Credit: Nicoletta Barolini/Columbia UniversityScientists have discovered that a rare lipid type plays a pivotal role in ferroptosis, a form of cell death. This finding sheds light on the mechanisms of cell death in ferroptosis and opens up possibilities…

By St. Jude Children's Research Hospital February 17, 2024By looking at each individual component of the β2 adrenergic receptor and seeing how they contribute to the overall function of the protein, researchers from St. Jude along with international collaborators are able to view the network that allows ligand binding to be translated across the membrane to within the cell. Artwork by Zhaowen Luo. Credit: St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalScientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, collaborating…

A groundbreaking study reveals how neutrophils form their unique nuclear structures, solving a mystery from the 1880s. This discovery could revolutionize immune therapy by enabling the engineering of immune cells with new nuclear shapes to enhance their disease-fighting capabilities.Scientists may be able to direct immune cells toward diseased areas. Nearly 150 years ago, scientists discovered that specialized blood cells serve a vital role in immune system protection against infection and illness.Certain groups of these…

Researchers at City of Hope have identified a crucial interaction between two proteins that facilitate cancer cell growth, offering a new target for developing effective cancer treatments. Credit: SciTechDaily.comScientists identify treatment target that disrupts proteins’ interaction, offering hope for new therapeutic approach.Scientists at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, have discovered a new cellular mechanism that plays an important role in cancer…

Structure of the poxviral core protein A10. The three subunits of the trimer (colored differently) are represented as simulated cryo-EM surfaces. The cryo-EM surface is increasingly more visible with each subunit. Credit: © Jesse HansenA recent re-emergence and outbreak of Mpox brought poxviruses back as a public health threat, underlining an important knowledge gap at their core. Now, a team of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) lifted the mysteries of poxviral core architecture by…

Male phenotypes in the ruff. (Left) Independent ruff males interacting at a lek. (Right) A Satellite ruff male with pale ornamental feathers at a lek. Credit: Photos courtesy of Tom Schandy.In the colorful world of avian courtship, the ruff (Calidris pugnax) is in a league of its own. These medium-sized sandpipers breed in the marshes and wet meadows throughout Eurasia. The males are particularly noted for their unique approaches to courtship, which range from flamboyant territorial displays to cunning mimicry.These…

Research involving over 114,000 women revealed that a variant in the SYCE2 gene, affecting chromosome recombination, increases miscarriage risk by 22%, underscoring the complex genetic factors involved in pregnancy loss.A significant study identifies a genetic variant in the SYCE2 gene that heightens the risk of miscarriage by 22%, shedding light on the genetic causes of pregnancy loss.Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen and their collaborators from Iceland, Denmark, and the USA published a study today in…

The p38a protein is a key enzyme involved in regulating various cellular functions and has been linked to the progression of several diseases, including cancer, chronic inflammation, and neurodegenerative disorders. Its role in these diseases is often associated with its ability to control cell growth, death, and response to stress. The recent discovery of its oxidized form, which alters its functional state, provides a deeper understanding of its mechanisms in disease and could lead to more effective treatments targeting…