Contrary to previous belief, some blood cells stay in tissues for years. Human immune cells not only circulate in the blood, but can also occupy certain tissues and sometimes remain there for years. A research team led by immunologist Christina Zielinski discovered this phenomenon by examining patient samples after stem cell transplantation. In addition, the researchers were able to characterize the special properties of tissue-resident immune cells in more detail. The results were published in Science Immunology. When pathogens enter…
Researchers have developed an innovative catalyst for the synthesis of propylene, which has potential benefits for the chemical industry and carbon recycling. Propylene is a colourless, flammable hydrocarbon gas that is an important raw material for the production of a variety of petrochemicals. Due to increasing demand and limited global supply, there is a strong need to develop new, efficient technologies for its production. Researchers at Hokkaido University have developed an innovative catalyst for the production of propylene that is…
Finding could help physicians catch rejection earlier and modify immunosuppression. Northwestern University scientist have discovered families of proteins in the body that could potentially predict which patients may reject a new organ transplant, helping inform decisions about care. The advancement marks the beginning of a new era for more precise study of proteins in specific cells. Scientists tend to look at shifting patterns of proteins as if through goggles underwater, taking in just a fraction of available information about their…
Membranes are crucial to our cells. Every cell in your body is enclosed by one. And each of those cells contains specialized compartments, or organelles, which are also enclosed by membranes. Membranes help cells carry out tasks like breaking down food for energy, building and dismantling proteins, keeping track of environmental conditions, sending signals and deciding when to divide. Biologists have long struggled to understand precisely how membranes accomplish these different types of jobs. The primary components of membranes —…
Our brain consists of a right and a left hemisphere. Both hemispheres have different tasks and functions in perceiving and learning. In a recent study with Mongolian gerbils, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) Magdeburg, the German Primate Center (DPZ) in Göttingen and Otto von Guericke University (OVGU) Magdeburg have shown how both hemispheres of the brain work together when learning acoustic stimuli. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could lead to new therapeutic options for…
Team of biologists from the University of Magdeburg identifies causes of vascular damage in severe cases of COVID-19. Scientists from the Institute of Biology at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg are to research the causes and molecular mechanisms of severe cases of COVID-19 over the next three years. In a research project that has recently been awarded 500,000 euros by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the scientists from the Department of Systems Biology at the University of Magdeburg alongside colleagues…
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the University of Basel have developed a rapid test for Covid-19. Its novel functional principle promises reliable and quantifiable results concerning a patient’s Covid-19 disease and its course – as well as evidence concerning other diseases and Covid variants that may be present. Before it can go into widespread use, however, it still must undergo further testing and optimisation. The researchers report on their development in the journal ACS Applied Nanomaterials. A…
A team of researchers led by Harvard and Broad Institute scientists has developed a new drug delivery system using engineered DNA-free virus-like particles (eVLPs) to package and deliver therapeutic levels of gene-editing proteins to animal models of disease. The team utilized eVLPs to edit a gene in mice that is associated with high cholesterol levels and to partially restore vision in mice with a point mutation that causes genetic blindness. Because eVLPs enable safer in vivo delivery of gene-editing agents…
New Lehigh University–East China University of Science & Technology research collaboration proposes novel method of molecular-level control to double the efficiency of widely used industrial catalysts. The science of catalysis—the acceleration of a chemical reaction—is perhaps not the most recognizable branch of study, but it is absolutely embedded into the fabric of modern society. The development and production of fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and other goods depend on catalysis. Catalysis plays a critical role in energy generation and the mitigation of…
Findings shed light on factors behind Omicron’s increased transmissibility, including strong antibody evasion and binding with human cells. Researchers at UBC’s faculty of medicine have conducted the world’s first molecular-level structural analysis of the Omicron variant spike protein. The findings were published today in Science. The analysis—done at near atomic resolution using cryo-electron microscopy—reveals how the heavily mutated Omicron variant attaches to and infects human cells. “Understanding the molecular structure of the viral spike protein is important as it will…
Scientists at the University of Bristol have developed new biological parts that are able to shape the flow of cellular processes along DNA. The work, now published in the journal Nature Communications, offers a fresh perspective on how information is encoded in DNA and new tools for building sustainable biotechnologies. Despite being invisible to the naked eye, microorganisms are integral for our survival. They operate using DNA, often referred to as the code of life. DNA encodes numerous tools that…
How strongly does a genetic switch affect its gene? A Berlin research team created a registry of genetic enhancers, their location in the genome, and their activation strength in mouse stem cells. In the process, they discovered DNA patterns that had not previously been recognized as switches. Based on this data, the scientists developed a new algorithm that predicts whether any DNA sequence can act as a gene enhancer in stem cells. Only about two percent of the mammalian genome…
Rice bioscientists’ microfluidic platform refines study of how infectious bacteria evolve. A new experimental platform developed at Rice University promises to speed up the discovery of how infectious bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. The microfluidic application by Rice bioscientist Yousif Shamoo and his team quickly encapsulates bacteria with varying concentrations of antibiotics to analyze how they evolve to become resistant. The details appear in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Infectious Diseases. “The idea of using microfluidics to encapsulate cells isn’t new; there…
Scientists have pinpointed a gene that helps deadly E. coli bacteria evade antibiotics, potentially leading to better treatments for millions of people worldwide. The University of Queensland-led study found a particular form of the bacteria – E. coli ST131 – had a previously unnoticed gene that made it highly resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Professor Mark Schembri, from UQ’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, said this ‘resistance gene’ can spread incredibly quickly. “Unlike gene transfer in humans, where sex is…
Advances in medicine through human-relevant disease models. Worldwide, there is growing belief that biomedical sciences can advance with less animal testing by replacing in-vivo experiments with in-vitro models based on human cells or tissues. However, when it comes to elucidating disease mechanisms, especially at the organ and system levels, or to testing the efficacy and safety of drugs and medical devices, animal models are as yet indispensable. This is why researchers – also at the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and…
Pathogens hijack host mitochondria. Mitochondria are known as energy suppliers for our cells, but they also play an important role in the defense against pathogens. They can initiate immune responses, and deprive pathogens of the nutrients they need to grow. A research team led by Lena Pernas of the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, has now shown that pathogens can turn off mitochondrial defense mechanisms by hijacking a normal cellular response to stress. To survive,…
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