Antibiotics and laxatives found in corals at a depth of 40 meters. Severe environmental contamination: A new study from Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History detected traces of 10 common medications in coral samples collected from both shallow and deep sites in the Gulf of Eilat. Sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic used for respiratory and urinary tract infections, was found in as many as 93% of the sampled corals. The alarming study was led by Prof. Noa Shenkar…
Mizzou researcher Jianlin “Jack” Cheng debuts tool to build 3D structure of protein complexes, giving scientists insights to prevent and treat disease. A University of Missouri researcher has created a computer program that can unravel the mysteries of how proteins work together — giving scientists valuable insights to better prevent, diagnose and treat cancer and other diseases. Jianlin “Jack” Cheng from Mizzou’s College of Engineering and his student, Nabin Giri, have developed a tool called Cryo2Struct that uses artificial intelligence…
Experts from the University’s Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation (CeTPD), working with Boehringer Ingelheim scientists, have developed a breakthrough small-molecule drug, a “protein degrader”. KRAS is the most mutated gene in cancer with mutations occurring in 17%–25% of all cancers, affecting millions of patients worldwide. It plays a crucial role in tumour growth, as it is important for driving uncontrolled proliferation of tumour cells. Targeting KRAS function is a primary focus of cancer drug discovery. However, currently approved treatments can…
Proteins can re-structure themselves to create important substances. The protein ‘MIPS’ changes its internal structure when it becomes active. Its disordered active centre becomes a defined structure with special functions. The protein plays a key role in the production of inositol, which is also known as vitamin B8, and fulfils important tasks in the body. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the National Hellenic Research Centre in Greece have succeeded for the first time in observing the protein…
Nanoparticle potential found for assessing kidneys. In a study published July 29 in Advanced Materials, University of Texas at Dallas researchers found that X-rays of the kidneys using gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent might be more accurate in detecting kidney disease than standard laboratory blood tests. Based on their study in mice, they also found that caution may be warranted in employing renal-clearable nanomedicines to patients with compromised kidneys. Before administering renal-clearable drugs, doctors routinely check a patient’s kidney function…
Future treatment of high cholesterol gene defect. CRISPR-Cas systems, which consist of protein and RNA components, originally developed as a natural defense mechanism of bacteria to fend off intruding viruses. Over the last decade, re-engineering these so-called “gene scissors” has revolutionized genetic engineering in science and medicine. The tools can be programmed to find a specific location in our DNA and edit the genetic information in a precise manner. For example, a disease-causing mutation in the DNA can be reverted…
Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers have constructed and tested models for how these peptides are made and demonstrated how this information might be used to advance lasso peptide-based drugs into the clinic. “Lasso peptides are interesting because they are basically linear molecules that have been tied into a slip knot-like shape,” said Susanna Barrett,…
…promote the transformation of prostate cancer cells into treatment-resistant cells. There is a challenge related to prostate and many other cancers that cancer cells form resistance to treatments as the disease progresses. However, these resistance mechanisms are not yet fully understood. A new study by the University of Eastern Finland found that inflammation-promoting immune cells, M1 macrophages, can transform cancer cells into stem-like cells and thus immune to treatment. The results were published in OncoImmunology journal. The study examined the…
More efficient isotope separation in sight. The lightest of all elements, hydrogen, is in great demand due to its promising role as a sustainable resource in the energy transition. A team from Leipzig University and TU Dresden, as part of the Hydrogen Isotopes 1,2,3H Research Training Group, has made an important breakthrough in the efficient and cost-effective provision of isotopes. These are the three forms in which hydrogen occurs in nature – as protium, deuterium or tritium. The international team…
5-formylcytosine activates genes in the embryonic development of vertebrates. The team of Professor Christof Niehrs at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, has discovered that a DNA modification called 5-formylcytosine (5fC) functions as an activating epigenetic switch that kick-starts genes in early embryonic development. This finding proves for the first time that vertebrates have more than one type of epigenetic DNA mark and sheds new light on how genes are regulated in the earliest stages of development….
Research led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has studied the migratory movement of groups of cells using light control. In processes such as embryonic development, wound healing or cancer invasion, cells are known to move in groups in a coordinated way. Leading these groups of cells are so-called leader cells, which are highly mobile and seem to direct the migration of the whole group, just as groups of animals often organise themselves according to the instructions of…
Brigham researchers develop strategy to improve immunotherapy by helping T cells penetrate and kill tumor cells. Fighting cancer is exhausting for T cells. Hostile tumor microenvironments can drain their mitochondrial activity, leading to a condition known as T cell exhaustion. This phenomenon also hinders adoptive cell therapies, in which healthy, tumor-targeting T cells are infused into patients with cancer. A novel method to boost mitochondrial activity and charge up T cells is needed. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a…
New method developed by researchers of KIT and voxalytic GmbH allows easy elucidation of the spatial arrangement of atoms –tool for drug discovery. The chirality of a molecule refers to its basic structure: Some molecules, so-called enantiomers, occur in pairs and are mirror images of each other. They differ in the way a left and a right glove do. Depending on whether the “twisted” structure of a molecule is left-handed or right-handed, its influence on biochemical and chemical reactions is…
New brain organoid model replicates human cortical domains. Brain organoids provide unique insights into the human brain. Now, the group of Jürgen Knoblich at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, developed a new method that allows scientists to cultivate brain organoids with distinct cortical areas and front-to-back patterning. Together with collaborators at the Human Technopole and the University of Milan-Bicocca, they reported a method that gives scientists a deeper look into human-specific brain development…
Retrons raise the bar for gene research. Gladstone scientists undertake a major effort to examine the diversity of retrons, bacterial defense systems that can be leveraged for precise gene editing. Within bacterial cells, specialized immune systems known as retrons fend off viral attacks. But that’s not all they can do. Scientists, including Seth Shipman, PhD, at Gladstone Institutes, have shown that retrons also serve an important purpose in the lab: precise DNA editing. In fact, retrons can be combined with…
Plan will advance knowledge of virus biology to improve detection, treatment and prevention. As part of the U.S. government response to the current mpox outbreak, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has released an update on its priorities for mpox research. The NIAID mpox research agenda focuses on four key objectives: increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades—also known as strains—of the virus that causes mpox, including how the virus is…
Feedback
