Keanu Reeves – the molecule… Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas produce a strong antimicrobial natural product, as researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) have discovered. They proved that the substance is effective against both plant fungal diseases and human-pathogenic fungi. The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The newly discovered natural product group of keanumycins in bacteria works effectively against the plant pest Botrytis cinerea, which triggers grey…
Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have used a new device to identify a key membrane protein in urine that indicates whether the patient has a brain tumor. Their protein could be used to detect brain cancer, avoiding the need for invasive tests, and increasing the likelihood of tumors being detected early enough for surgery. This research could also have potential implications for detecting other types of cancer. The research was published in ACS Nano. Although early detection of many…
The signaling molecules of the immune system should trigger a response only where necessary. To prevent a life-threatening spread to the rest of the body, connective tissue can absorb these molecules like a sponge. A team led by Thomas Blankenstein presents this mechanism in “Nature Immunology.” Joint press release of Max Delbrück Center and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Medizin When the T cells of the immune system communicate, they do so with the help of cytokines. An important member of the…
Researchers led by Osaka University have used cryogenic electron microscopy analysis to reveal the structural change of the centromere at an atomic level during cell division. The genetic material inside cells is organized into structures called chromosomes. The centromere is essential for the correct division of the chromosomes via interaction with spindle microtubules when cells divide and grow. Now, a study by researchers at Osaka University has clarified the structure of the centromeric region in chicken cells using a technique…
Researchers at UCL (University College London) have discovered a new type of ice that more closely resembles liquid water than any other known ices and that may rewrite our understanding of water and its many anomalies. Researchers at UCL and the University of Cambridge have discovered a new type of ice that more closely resembles liquid water than any other known ices and that may rewrite our understanding of water and its many anomalies. The newly discovered ice is amorphous…
Researchers used a chemical synthesis robot and computationally cost effective A.I. model to successfully predict and validate highly selective catalysts. Artificial intelligence (A.I.) has made headlines recently with the advent of ChatGPT’s language processing capabilities. Creating a similarly powerful tool for chemical reaction design remains a significant challenge, especially for complex catalytic reactions. To help address this challenge, researchers at the Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery and the Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung have demonstrated a machine learning…
Classic graphite pencils can be used and transformed into colorful works using plasma irradiation, without a drop of colored ink used. New developments for achieving structural coloring through plasma irradiation of graphite can reduce the reliance upon harmful color dyes. Colors achieved by plasma irradiation are completely erasable and can be manipulated using time exposed to the plasma irradiation, intensity of the irradiation and the thickness of the graphite layer applied. The application of plasma-structural coloring aims to lessen the…
Coenzyme Q distribution within the cell is regulated by mitochondria. Antioxidants are often advertised as a cure-all in nutrition and offered as dietary supplements. However, our body also produces such radical scavengers itself, one of which is coenzyme Q. Now researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, have discovered how the substance, which is produced in our mitochondria, reaches the cell surface and protects our cells from dying. Coenzyme Q is an antioxidant that…
Disabling hearing loss affects one in every ten people and up to 25% of people over 60, according to the World Health Organization, and can have both genetic and environmental causes such as infections and noise exposure. Sensorineural hearing loss, the most frequent form of hearing loss, is caused by damage to specialized cells in the cochlea called hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), respectively, both of which are essential for hearing. Hair cells receive sounds as mechanical signals…
… changes how we utilize sunlight. The importance of solar power as a renewable energy resource is increasing. Sunlight contains high-energy UV light with a wavelength shorter than 400 nm, which can be broadly used, for example, for photopolymerization to form a resin and activation of photocatalysts to drive reactions that generate green hydrogen or useful hydrocarbons (fuels, sugars, olefins, etc.). The latter of these is often called “artificial photosynthesis.” Photocatalytic reaction by UV light to efficiently kill viruses and…
– the first FDA-approved drug for Ebola virus infection. New findings emphasize the benefits of antibody cocktails over monotherapy approaches. Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have uncovered the structure and function of the first FDA-approved treatment for Zaire ebolavirus (Ebola virus). Inmazeb (REGN-EB3), developed by Regeneron, is a three-antibody cocktail designed to target the Ebola virus glycoprotein. The drug was first approved for clinical use in October 2020, but its exact mechanism of action has remained unclear….
In our inner ear, there are two different types of sensory cells that are responsible for hearing. An MHH research team has now identified the molecular switch for the formation of these inner and outer hair cells and thus found an important building block for the treatment of hearing loss. The inner and outer hair cells develop before birth from a common type of precursor cells. Which factors control the different development was unknown for a long time. A research…
Ultrasmall microalgae found in home aquarium could have multiple useful applications. A new species of microalgae was found in water from a home aquarium. While analyzing DNA samples taken from the algae, researchers from the University of Tokyo discovered Medakamo hakoo, whose DNA sequence didn’t match any on record. This new species is the smallest known freshwater green algae, with inherent qualities which enable it to be cultured stably at high density, meaning it could be effectively used to produce…
… and make ethylene production more sustainable. A new hybrid catalyst converts carbon dioxide into ethylene in one pot. The catalyst was developed by scientists from Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University, University of Virginia, and Columbia University. This catalyst supports the world net-zero carbon initiative by using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock for efficient ethylene production powered by electricity. Ethylene is a commodity chemical used to manufacture a wide range of products from plastics to antifreeze. The large-scale…
Study provides insight into organization of proteins in mitochondria. Mitochondria, the so-called powerhouse of the cells, are responsible for the energy supply of the organism and fulfill functions in metabolic and signaling processes. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Freiburg have gained systematic insight into the organization of proteins in mitochondria. The protein map of mitochondria represents an important basis for further functional characterization of the powerhouse of cell and thus provide implications for diseases….
Metastases occur when cancer cells leave a primary tumor and spread throughout the body. For this, they have to break connections with neighboring cells and migrate to other tissues. Both processes are promoted by signalling molecules released by the cancer cells, which thereby increase the malignancy of tumors. A research team led by Prof. Dr. Robert Grosse and Dr. Carsten Schwan from the University of Freiburg found that the release of these so-called prometastatic factors is influenced by the cells’…
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