Researchers at the Kiel Evolution Center succeed for the first time in demonstrating that changes in certain proteins involved in packaging of the genetic material have a causal effect on the frequency of mutations. The change of genetic information over time is a key factor for evolutionary adaptations with which living beings can adapt to changes in their environment. On the one hand, genetic variability arises in the course of reproduction, where genetic information is divided and recombined in the…
Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena have deciphered a molecular mechanism with which a small RNA and a small protein regulate the metabolism of cholera bacteria and the production of the cholera toxin. The human gut is a multi-species habitat that can control our health and well-being. Bacteria, viruses and microbial fungi are part of this complex microbial community and help us with our digestion and immune defense. If the intestinal flora is impaired, for example by contaminated drinking water…
Scientists from the Universities of Dresden and Leipzig have presented a new method for detecting hormonally active substances in food, cosmetics and water in the journal “Biosensors & Bioelectronics”. Scientists from the Universities of Dresden and Leipzig have presented a new method for detecting hormonally active substances in food, cosmetics and water in the journal “Biosensors & Bioelectronics”. Hormonally active substances can cause serious health problems, including breast and prostate cancer, thyroid disorders, and neurological and mental illnesses. A fast…
Scientists at IST Austria describe for the first time the structure of a protein complex essential for our cells to function properly. Study published in Nature. Severe fatigue, muscle weakness, even blindness – mitochondrial diseases have various symptoms. In fact, the majority of genetic diseases are caused by defects of the mitochondria. Hence, understanding these “power houses” of our cells is crucial for the developments of new treatments. In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers at the Institute…
Neuroscientists reveal mechanism that regulates responses to threat in animals. Researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre have discovered a brain mechanism that enables mice to override their instincts based on previous experience. The study, published today in Neuron, identifies a new brain circuit in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN), an inhibitory structure in the brain. The neuroscientists found that when activity in this brain region was suppressed, animals were more likely to seek safety and escape from perceived danger,…
Cachexia is the name of a syndrome that is associated with numerous chronic diseases. Although the occurrence of cachexia can have serious implications on patients’ health and survival, there are many aspects of this syndrome that are unknown and therapeutic options remain very limited. Scientists from Andreas Bergthaler’s research group at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences emphasize the need for more research into cachexia in their recent publication in Nature Reviews Immunology….
A specific wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) light is not only extremely effective at killing the virus which causes COVID-19, but is also safer for use in public spaces, finds new University of Colorado Boulder research. The study, published this month in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, is the first to comprehensively analyze the effects of different wavelengths of UV light on SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses, including the only wavelength safer for living beings to be exposed to without protection. The…
A remarkable number of life-threatening diseases manifest more severely in males than in females. One current example is COVID-19 caused by SARS CoV-2. Another example is the significantly higher risk of severe cancer progression for men. A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now discovered a molecular cause for this difference between sexes. Compared to women, men have a higher risk of experiencing severe progression of life-threatening diseases such as cancer. For example in Germany, every…
A discovery by Tel Aviv University researchers may help the war against cancer. A new Tel Aviv University study examined for the first time the development of a glioblastoma cancerous tumor in animal models with a normal immune system, in order to best simulate the development of the tumor in humans. The findings of the study showed that there are immune system cells that, despite the fact that their primary function is to attack and kill the cancer cells, actually…
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) in Halle have recently created purple tomatoes using Genetic Engineering methods. To do so, they inserted the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of betanin into the plants and activated these in the ripening fruit. Betanin isn’t normally produced by tomatoes, but rather extracted from red beets and used as a natural food dye. These sorts of Genetic Engineering methods of producing substances in specially developed plant production systems will play an…
Zoologists at Kiel University study special characteristics of insect joints. Knee or wrist joints of vertebrates including humans are surrounded by a protective capsule. It contains a fluid that minimizes friction between the cartilages and thus enables bending and stretching of arms and legs. Insect joints are designed completely different: Instead of cartilage they consist of a supportive exoskeleton and without any encapsulation their joints are exposed to numerous environmental challenges. A research team from the Institute of Zoology at…
… efficient and with consistently high quality. Fuel cells are typically applied to generate electrical energy from hydrogen or methanol. Nanoscale catalysts get the process going – but until now, the quality of these materials has varied significantly. The CAN research division of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP eliminated these problems: With an optimized catalyst and continuous, reproducible production process with very good control over the material properties. Hydrogen is a future issue – H2 drives, for…
New work from the Kiel Evolution Center suggests that somatic gene variations play a larger role in evolutionary adaptation mechanisms than previously thought. The variability of genetic information within a species is a central basis for the expression of different individual characteristics of its individual organisms. It determines the phenotype, for example, how the external shape or resistance to disease develops individually. At the same time, the genetic variability within a population allows evolutionary adaptation of a species, for example…
Sequencing multiple RNA base modifications simultaneously. Researchers from Osaka University have been able to simultaneously detect two types of microRNA modification while sequencing single RNA molecules. After a gene is transcribed into RNA, modifications can occur to the subunits or “bases” that make up the RNA molecule, which can affect its structure and function. The study of these changes is known as “epitranscriptomics.” These base modifications can occur to most types of RNA molecule, including microRNAs. Now, a research group…
A new type of targeting chaperon protein HSP70 inhibitor QL47 was recently discovered by a team led by Prof. LIU Qingsong from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to treat FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Their findings have been published on Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. “What we are seeking is a new therapeutic strategy which imperative for FLT3-ITD-positive AML,” said HU Chen, lead author of the study. Approximately, 25% of AMLs carry FLT3-ITD (internal…
Insight into the molecular structure of an appetite-regulating cell receptor A protein – measuring just a few nanometers in size – acts as a molecular switch with a crucial role in determining whether we feel hungry or full. By determining of the protein’s 3D structure, researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin were able to visualize the molecular structures of the hormones with which this protein – melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) – interacts. Writing in Cell Research*, the researchers report that…
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