Bacteria that cause diseases, so-called pathogens, develop various strategies to exploit human cells as hosts to their own advantage. Together with medical professionals and experts for structure determination and imaging, a team of biologists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has uncovered the attack strategies employed by the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae (for short: C. pneumoniae). In the scientific journal Nature Communications, they describe which molecular mechanisms the bacterium utilises. Chlamydia infect human and animal host cells. C. pneumoniae, for example,…

Researchers from Bonn and Aachen elucidate the role of individual brain neurons in human odor perception. We often only realize how important our sense of smell is when it is no longer there: food hardly tastes good, or we no longer react to dangers such as the smell of smoke. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn and the University of Aachen have investigated the neuronal mechanisms of human odor perception for the first time. Individual…

EMBL Heidelberg and University of Virginia scientists have discovered a curious way in which cells adapt to starvation – a mechanism with potential cancer implications. What can stressed yeast teach us about fundamental processes in the cell? A lot, according to scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). The team studies, among other topics, how cells adapt to stress — such as nutrient deprivation. One of their favourite test subjects is the yeast species S. pombe, for centuries used…

Some genetic factors predisposing people to diabetes might change the way pancreatic cells respond to molecular stress, researchers at The Jackson Laboratory discovered. The cells in your pancreas, like people, can only handle so much stress before they start to break down. Certain stressors, such as inflammation and high blood sugar, contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes by overwhelming these cells. Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) have now discovered that DNA sequence changes known to increase a…

A team from UNIGE and EPFL has demonstrated how Hsp70 chaperone proteins help proteins move within cells. Proteins control most of the body’s functions, and their malfunction can have severe consequences, such as neurodegenerative diseases or cancer. Therefore, cells have mechanisms in place to control protein quality. In animal and human cells, chaperones of the Hsp70 class are at the heart of this control system, overseeing a wide array of biological processes. Yet, despite their crucial role, the precise molecular mechanism…

The α-latrotoxin, which is dangerous for humans, causes severe muscle contractions and spasms. Researchers from the University of Münster showed in detail how the molecule is structured and how it affects nerve cells. They used high-performance cryo-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics computer simulations. The black widow spider is one of the most feared spider species. Its venom is a cocktail of seven different toxins that attack the nervous system. These so-called latrotoxins specifically paralyse insects and crustaceans, but one of…

An international research team has gained new insights into the mode of operation of an iron catalyst that can be used to split ammonia into nitrogen and hydrogen. Hydrogen is converted into ammonia to make the energy carrier easier to transport. This means that catalysts are also needed that can subsequently break ammonia down into its starting materials again. A team from the German Ruhr University Bochum, the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) in Mülheim an…

First successful demonstration of a dual-media NV diamond laser system. Measuring tiny magnetic fields, such as those generated by brain waves, enables many new novel opportunities for medical diagnostics and treatment. The research team led by Dr. Jan Jeske at Fraunhofer IAF is working on a globally innovative approach to precise magnetic field measurements: Laser Threshold Magnetometry. The researchers have now combined an NV diamond and a laser diode in a resonator, successfully demonstrating the sensor system with two active…

An efficient way to hydrogenate nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds has been developed. Successful reduction of the chemical manufacturing industry’s environmental impact relies on finding a greener way to make the chemical building blocks for common and massively consumed compounds. It’s no secret manufacturing processes have some of the most impactful and intense effects on the environment, with the chemical manufacturing industry topping the charts for both energy consumption and emissions output. While this makes sense thanks to the grand scale in…

Investigation of the symbiosis between bacteria and birds leads to the discovery of new natural products with antimicrobial properties. Bacteria are a valuable source for the discovery of natural products that can be used for the development of new drugs. A HIPS research team has now identified two new classes of active substances with antimicrobial properties from bacteria that live in symbiosis with a toxic bird. This strategy and the substances discovered offer promising avenues towards the development of new…

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf have described a previously unknown mechanism in the perception of light and heat in plants. The results contribute to a better understanding of plant physiological processes. The researchers report on their findings in the journal “The Plant Cell”. What for? Plants can perceive light and heat via so-called phytochromes and use these pigments to trigger vital reactions such as growth. Climate change and steadily rising temperatures can disrupt plant…

MPI scientists from Dortmund unveiled the role of enzyme PLK1 in regulating centromeres’ restoration after cell division, a process at the basis of life. A centromere is a specialized location in the DNA that functions as the control centre of cell division and is maintained, unchanged, across generations of cells. It is characterized by a special protein, called centromeric protein A (CENP-A), which marks the centromere and mobilizes other players necessary for cell division. “One of the fundamental questions of…

A protein determines the shape of bacteria. Bacteria come in a wide variety of shapes, which are important for their fitness in their respective ecological niches. However, despite intensive research, the factors that determine the shape of bacterial cells remain, in many cases, unknown. A team of researchers led by Martin Thanbichler has now discovered the mechanism that determines the spiral shape of Rhodospirillum, shedding new light on the link between cell shape and fitness. Bacteria come in a surprising…

Department of Defense-funded research may lead to breakthroughs for Parkinson’s symptom management. Parkinson’s disease is most known for its movement-related symptoms: tremors and rigidity, slowness and falls, caused by the loss of the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons. However, about half of Parkinson’s patients also experience neuropsychiatric problems, including cognitive and sleep issues, depression, anxiety, even psychosis, according to Binghamton University Psychology Professor Christopher R. Bishop. Bishop is part of a collaborative research team that recently received a four-year grant from the…

… improves early detection of pancreatic cancer. An experimental blood test detects early-stage pancreatic cancer more effectively than other available tests, reports a new study published in Cancer Letters. The findings pave the way for further evaluation of the test in a clinical setting, an important step toward approval as a potential diagnostic method for pancreatic cancer. “Catching pancreatic cancer early dramatically improves survival, but our current tools for doing so are limited,” said the study’s co-corresponding author Brian Haab,…

Researchers at the University of Bonn and University of Montreal have developed a new type of catalyst and used it in their study to produce methane out of carbon dioxide and water in a highly efficient way using electricity. Methane can be used, for example, to heat apartments or as a starting material in the chemical industry. It is also the main component of natural gas. If it is produced using green electricity, however, it is largely climate neutral. The…