One in every 500 to 1,000 males are born with one or more extra X chromosomes, leading to a wide range of progressing symptoms with each extra chromosome, including infertility, enlarged breasts, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart abnormalities, intellectual disability and cancer. Now, KAUST scientists have used stem cells, reprogrammed from people with this condition, to improve understanding of how it develops. People born as males typically have one X and one Y chromosome, whereas females have two X chromosomes. One of…
Findings could lead to new treatments for health problems ranging from neurodevelopmental disorders to cancer. UT Southwestern researchers have identified a four-protein complex that appears to play a key role in generating ribosomes – organelles that serve as protein factories for cells – as well as a surprising part in neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings, published in Cell Reports, could lead to new ways to manipulate ribosome production, which could impact a variety of conditions that affect human health. “Ribosomes are fundamental for…
Bacteria, fungi, and yeast are very good at excreting useful substances such as weak acids. One way in which they do this is through passive diffusion of molecules across the cell membrane. At the same time, cells need to prevent leakage of numerous small molecules. Yeast cells, for instance, can live in hostile environments thanks to a very robust and relatively impermeable membrane system. Biochemists at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, have studied how the composition of the membrane…
… could speed the study of many diseases. Scripps Research technique makes it easier to analyze body-wide biological processes and diseases such as COVID-19 infection. Scientists at Scripps Research have unveiled a new tissue-clearing method for rendering large biological samples transparent. The method makes it easier than ever for scientists to visualize and study healthy and disease-related biological processes occurring across multiple organ systems. Described in a paper in Nature Methods on March 28, 2022, and dubbed HYBRiD, the new…
… breaks activity limitation of predecessors. The key to chemical reactions is in the name — there needs to be something that causes the chemicals to react to one another. Called a catalyst, this component induces or speeds up reactions in a controlled manner to produce a desired outcome. The catalysts used in several industries are often composed of noble metals, which are not efficient enough to compensate for their high cost. To address this issue for the chemical reaction…
As we age, our immune system works less well. We become more susceptible to infections and vaccinations no longer work as effectively. A research team led by Dario Riccardo Valenzano investigated whether short-lived killifish undergo aging of the immune system. Indeed, they found that already at four months of age, killifish have less diverse circulating antibodies compared to younger fish, which may contribute to a generalized decrease in the immune function. The immune system must constantly respond to new attacks…
A new method for generating potent, specific binding proteins yields candidate medicines for cancer, diabetes, inflammation and more. A team of scientists has created a powerful new method for generating protein drugs. Using computers, they designed molecules that can target important proteins in the body, such as the insulin receptor, as well as vulnerable proteins on the surface of viruses. This solves a long-standing challenge in drug development and may lead to new treatments for cancer, diabetes, infection, inflammation, and…
Researchers at EMBL Heidelberg show that transition from liquid to solid is important for the function of membraneless organelles. The term ‘phase transition’ might initially conjure up images of ice melting or water vapour condensing on a cold glass. In biology, phase transition plays a role in processes such as lipid bilayer formation or the spontaneous de-mixing of protein droplets. In a recent paper published in Cell, the Ephrussi and Mahamid groups at EMBL Heidelberg have now shown how phase…
Scientists develop a new organic catalyst system, inspired by enzymes, that improves the process of making organic molecules from an essential biomolecule called pyruvate. Scientists have developed an organic catalyst system that improves the process of making organic molecules from pyruvate The molecules that can be built from pyruvate include glycolic acids and amino acids, which are used for biomedical research and in pharmaceuticals The organic catalyst is cheaper, stabler, safer, and more environmentally friendly than conventional metal catalysts used…
UCLA-led study into mechanism that causes mitochondria to split could be step to potential cure. As scientists work toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease, one line of research that has emerged focuses on mitochondria, the structures within cells that make energy. The health of those structures is maintained through a quality control system that balances two opposite processes: fission — one mitochondrion splitting in two — and fusion — two becoming one. When there’s a problem with fission, that…
A team led by UNIGE and EPFL has made a counterintuitive discovery in mice: epileptic seizures are more violent when the energy-producing pathway in their neurons is blocked. Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders, is characterized by the spontaneous repetition of seizures caused by the hyperactivity of a group of neurons in the brain. Could we therefore reduce neuronal hyperactivity, and treat epilepsy, by reducing the amount of energy supplied to neurons and necessary for their proper functioning?…
The pollen grains of maize, rice and all other cereals, need to store starch as energy deposit for later use during fertilization. A research team, led by Dr Iván Acosta from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, together with colleagues from the Umeå Plant Science Centre, Sweden, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany and Rutgers University, USA now identified the phytohormone auxin as a main driver for energy production during pollen maturation…
To treat Ebola virus infections, researchers are taking a close look at a key piece of the virus: polymerase Polymerase is a viral protein that directs how Ebola virus replicates its genome as it infects new hosts. Drugs that target polymerase could potentially treat Ebola virus infections and save lives. Now scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Scripps Research have found a promising strategy for stopping Ebola virus polymerase. The researchers discovered that Ebola virus polymerase hijacks…
Our eyes may be windows on the world, but our fingertips put us in touch with it. To recreate this tactile sense, current technology relies on tiny motors and electricity. However, the bumps and buzzes they generate are not that good at mimicking the real thing. Today, scientists report evidence that our skin can perceive subtle differences in chemistry — findings they hope could provide the basis for a new way to control touch and better integrate it into applications,…
… is another leap towards beating plastic waste. Scientists who helped to pioneer the use of enzymes to eat plastic have taken an important next step in developing nature-based solutions to the global plastics crisis. They have characterised an enzyme that has the remarkable capacity to help break down terephthalate (TPA), one of the chemical building blocks of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, which is used to make single-use drinks bottles, clothing and carpets. The research, which is published in The…
An anticounterfeiting and tampering prevention system using ultraviolet and visible light has been recently proposed by a POSTECH research team. This technology was developed using the metasurface, capable of freely controlling light and anticipated to be applicable in various industries. This study is significant in that it has resolved a long-standing issue for metasurface, which could not be operated in the ultraviolet regime. A POSTECH research team led by Professor Junsuk Rho (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Chemical…
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