In order to counter the increasing threat posed by multi-drug resistant germs, we need to understand how their resistance mechanisms work. Transport proteins have an important role to play in this process. In an article published in the journal Nature Communications, a German/UK research team led by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now described the three-dimensional structure of transport protein Pdr5, found also in a similar form in pathogenic fungi. The results could help develop mechanisms to combat dangerous…
Using radicalized NOX derivatives supported on metal oxides. NOX is fused with oxygen on a metal oxide surface and forms supported NO3- acting as a decomposer (NO3 radical) of an aqueous pollutant upon radicalization. NOX (X=1 or 2) emitted from stationery/mobile sources are conventionally deemed as notorious, anthropogenic precursors of ultrafine particulate matters (PM2.5) because NOX can undergo a series of SO2-assisted photochemical transformative stages to finally evolve PM2.5 functioning as an air pollutant. Recently, a research group in South…
A UCLA-led team of engineers and chemists has taken a major step forward in the development of microbial fuel cells — a technology that utilizes natural bacteria to extract electrons from organic matter in wastewater to generate electrical currents. A study detailing the breakthrough was recently published in Science. “Living energy-recovery systems utilizing bacteria found in wastewater offer a one-two punch for environmental sustainability efforts,” said co-corresponding author Yu Huang, a professor and chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. “The natural populations of bacteria can…
Assessing potential coronavirus drug targets in organoids. Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers in collaboration with the group of Bart Haagmans (Erasmus MC) established an organoid biobank to search for the genes that are essential for the spreading of a SARS-CoV2 infection. Their study was published in Nature Communications on 17 September and highlights the usefulness of organoids for basic research into coronaviruses, as well as highlighting potential drug targets. Organoids are tiny 3D structures grown from stem cells…
Quickly and precisely determining the flavor profile of cocoa samples. Because a plethora of flavor compounds contribute to the distinctive taste of cocoa, its composition is difficult to analyze. Now, scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Leibniz Institute of Food Systems Biology (LSB) have developed a new methodology that quickly, easily, and precisely quantifies the flavor profile of cocoa samples. The new method is already suitable for practical use in companies and can be applied at…
A research group led by Prof. XIAO Jianping from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and their collaborators synthesized a single-atom Pb-alloyed Cu catalyst (Pb1Cu), which showed high activity for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) with a selectivity of 96% to formate and stability of up to 180 h at 100 mA cm-2. This study was published in Nature Nanotechnology on Sept. 16. The researchers reported multi-path for CO2 reduction to formate, namely…
A team co-led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine has revealed in detail how the most common primary eye cancer in adults, uveal melanoma (UM), can progress from a slow-growing, “indolent” state to a lethal metastasizing state. The discovery is a significant advance in fundamental cancer research that also suggests new strategies for treatment. The scientists, whose study is published Sept. 13 in Nature Communications, examined thousands of individual UM cells from patients, using advanced methods to record and analyze gene activity…
All cells need ribosomes to make the proteins necessary for life. These multi-component molecular machines build complex proteins by stitching building blocks together according to instructions encoded in the cell’s messenger RNAs. But ribosomes are themselves composed of small and large subunits, each of which is made up of ribosomal proteins and RNA. Before they can manufacture proteins, these subunits must be manufactured themselves. In a new study, scientists in the lab of Sebastian Klinge provide the most detailed view of how human small ribosomal subunits are put together by capturing their 3D portraits at three different stages…
Large number of developmental genes occupy DNA loops only by themselves. DNA segments with joint functions often cluster in loops. However, many of these tightly separated genetic areas contain only one gene each – preferably one that plays a prominent role in the development of the embryo. Here, genes enjoy protection from external interference. Under the microscope, our genome looks like a wild tangle of string stuffed into the cell’s nucleus. But while it appears as a chaotic mess, almost…
Researchers successfully reconstitute the ovarian follicle from mouse stem cells. Researchers led by Kyushu University have succeeded in using mouse stem cells to reconstruct structures in the ovarian environment critical for the generation of mature egg cells. Moreover, they were able to apply their findings to generate functional egg cells and even grow viable mice. The team hopes these findings can be used to treat infertility by understanding its underlying causes and to aid the conservation of critically endangered animals…
New research published in Stem Cell Reports found that organoid culture-based models for cochlear hair cell formation can be used to identify drugs that promote hair cell regeneration in a high throughput drug library screen. Hair cells in the ear mediate the perception of sound. Consequently, when hair cells are destroyed or lost through exposure to loud sounds, certain chemicals, disease, or aging, partial or complete hearing loss is the consequence. According to WHO estimates, one in every 10 people…
Scientists create synthetic exosomes with natural functionalities and present their therapeutic application. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg and colleagues at the DWI Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials in Aachen have engineered synthetic exosomes that regulate cellular signaling during wound closure. The synthetic structures are built to resemble naturally occurring extracellular vesicles (EV) that play a fundamental role in communication between cells during various processes in our body. The scientist uncovered key mechanisms to regulate…
A new chemical process developed by Empa turns cotton into a fire-resistant fabric, that nevertheless retains the skin-friendly properties of cotton. State-of-the-art flame retardant cotton textiles suffer from release of formaldehyde and are uncomfortable to wear. Empa scientists managed to circumvent this problem by creating a physically and chemically independent network of flame retardants inside the fibers. This approach retains the inherently positive properties of cotton fibers, which account for three-quarters of the world’s demand for natural fibers in clothing…
Viruses in the ocean are numerous, diverse and play an important role in the marine carbon cycle. A new study in ISME Journal provides exciting insights into the life of marine viruses in the North Sea during the spring bloom. Off the offshore island of Helgoland, researchers led by Nina Bartlau from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology found a dynamic viral community that can strongly influence the mortality of North Sea bacteria and thereby the carbon cycle of…
Bone injuries in the face and skull—known as craniomaxillofacial defects—can be caused by sports injuries, vehicle accidents, or battlefield injuries. Repairing such defects is complicated because different types of cells need to interact with each other. In a new study, researchers are investigating the types of material used in reconstruction to see which one works best. Over 2 million bone graft surgeries occur annually across the world. CMF bone defects are usually irregularly shaped, which is why they are often…
As we age, our bones become thinner, we suffer fractures more often, and diseases like osteoporosis can occur. One of the culprits is ageing stem cells in the bone marrow, which are no longer as effective at replenishing the bones. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing and CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Ageing Research at the University of Cologne have now shown that the epigenome of these stem cells changes with age. They were able to…
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