Hollow spheres made of MYC proteins open new doors in cancer research. Würzburg scientists have discovered them and report about this breakthrough in the journal “Nature”. MYC genes and their proteins play a central role in the emergence and development of almost all cancers. They drive the uncontrolled growth and altered metabolism of tumour cells. And they help tumours hide from the immune system. MYC proteins also show an activity that was previously unknown – and which is now opening…

Ancient, dormant sequences in the genome impact embryonic development in unexpected ways. The mammalian genome contains retroviral sequences that are in an undead but mostly “harmless” state. An international research team recently discovered how some of these retroviral gene fragments affect embryonic cells if they are unleashed. Unexpectedly, not the viral proteins, but rather copies of the genetic material itself generate an imbalance in the cell. Over thousands of years of evolution, countless viruses have embedded themselves in our genome….

In severe epilepsies, surgical intervention is often the only remedy – usually with great success. While neuropsychological performance can recover in the long term after successful surgery, on rare occasions, unexpected declines in cognitive performance occur. Researchers at the University of Bonn have now been able to show which patients are at particularly high risk for this. Their findings have been published in the journal “Annals of Neurology.” They may help identify affected individuals for whom surgery should be avoided….

The existence of carbonic acid has long been the subject of debate: theoretically real, but practically impossible to detect. That is because the compound decomposes at the Earth’s surface. A German-Chinese team of researchers working at the FRM II Research Neutron Source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now made the crystalline structure of carbonic acid molecules visible for the first time. Everyone believes that they know it, but it has remained one of the biggest secrets in…

In­sights into a “hot” mi­crobe that can grow on ni­tro­gen while pro­du­cing meth­ane. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology have successfully enhanced cultivation of a microorganism that can fix nitrogen (N2) while producing methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) and investigated exciting details of its metabolism. Carbon and nitrogen are essential elements of life. Some organisms take up key positions for the cycling of both of them – among them Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus. Behind the complicated name hides a…

Researchers from Dresden and Vienna reveal link between connectivity of three-dimensional structures in tissues and the emergence of their architecture to help scientists engineer self-organising tissues that mimic human organs. Organs in the human body have complex networks of fluid-filled tubes and loops. They come in different shapes and their three-dimensional structures are differently connected to each other, depending on the organ. During the development of an embryo, organs develop their shape and tissue architecture out of a simple group…

No amount of alcohol consumption is safe for a developing fetus; a new study presents in molecular detail how alcohol harms growth and functioning of developing brain organoids. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses significant peril to the healthy development of the unborn child. There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. The consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are reflected in the different diagnoses that emerge under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. At one end of…

Molecular profiles of the matrix around non-small cell lung cancers identifies which tumours become aggressive and require more targeted treatment. Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have identified molecular profiles of the surrounding matrix of a common type of lung cancer that might indicate which patients are likely to develop aggressive tumours. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most prevalent type of lung cancer. Yet treatment options for these patients remain limited and have remained largely unchanged over…

Newly discovered effect boosts productivity of green hydrogen transport processes. Catalysts are of utmost relevance for the production of chemicals and energy storage with hydrogen. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN) and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now discovered that the formation of bubbles in the pores of a catalyst can be essential for its activity. Their findings help to optimize catalyst materials for reactions in which gases are formed from liquids – and which play…

“If Charles Darwin had had the opportunity to dive off the Cape Verde Islands, he would have been completely thrilled”, Eduardo Sampaio is convinced, because Darwin would have seen a fascinating, species-rich landscape. But he lacked the diving equipment. Thus, in his notes The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin described Cape Verde as a barren landscape. Eduardo Sampaio, affiliate member of the Cluster of Excellence “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour” (CASCB) at the University of Konstanz, had…

Genome mining uncovers a widespread class of natural products that could be excellent candidates for future drugs. Benzobactins are bacterial natural products that have special biological activity due to a compound consisting of two ring structures. The bacterial genes responsible for the formation of the compound were previously unclear. Now, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology have been able to decipher its biosynthesis through extensive genomic research. Their research facilitates the discovery of numerous previously unknown natural…

Engineers dig deep to detail magnetic mechanism of gadolinium-based agents. You can keep your best guesses. Engineers at Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering are starting to understand exactly what goes on when doctors pump contrast agents into your body for an MRI scan. In a new study that could lead to better scans, a Rice-led team digs deeper via molecular simulations that, unlike earlier models, make absolutely no assumptions about the basic mechanisms at play when gadolinium agents are used to highlight soft tissues….

Human papilloma virus causes some cases, but the most lethal form of head and neck cancer is linked to chromosomal alterations; a new study sharpens that association and hints of more effective treatment options. Head and neck cancer, which kills more than 400,000 persons worldwide each year, has multiple causes. The human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, is one, but the most common and lethal subtype are HPV-negative head and neck cancers, which account for 3 percent of…

Scientists led by Prof. Armido Studer from the Organic Chemistry Institute of the University of Münster have achieved a breakthrough in the “meta-C-H functionalisation” of pyridines and developed a strategy that could give a boost to the development of pyridine-containing drugs and organic functional materials. In chemicals used in agriculture, as well as in pharmaceuticals and a variety of materials, pyridines are often found as so-called functional units which decisively determine the chemical properties of substances. Pyridines belong to the…

Professor Dr. Dr. Axel Schambach receives prestigious EU funding award for pioneering research on Usher syndrome. Protecting children and adults from hereditary deafness with the help of gene therapy is one of the goals of Professor Dr. Dr. Axel Schambach, head of the Institute for Experimental Haematology at Hannover Medical School (MHH). To this end, he has already received one of the highest European Union grants earmarked for excellent science. His research project iHEAR was awarded the coveted “Consolidator Grant”…

DZNE researchers discover link between the protein medin and Alzheimer’s disease. The protein medin is deposited in the blood vessels of the brains of Alzheimer’s patients along with the protein amyloid-β. Researchers from DZNE have discovered this so-called co-aggregation. They have now published their observation in the renowned journal Nature. “Medin has been known for over 20 years, but its influence on diseases was previously underestimated. We were able to show that pathological changes in the blood vessels of Alzheimer’s…