Molecular Biology

New Orleans — Dr. Susana Garcia-Recio, a research associate in the lab of Dr. Charles M. Perou, at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, will present findings that identified molecular features responsible for the development and progression of metastatic breast cancer at the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. (Presentation: Abstract  LB176/4, Tuesday, April […]

State College, PA — New mutations occur at increasing rates in the mitochondrial genomes of developing egg cells in ageing rhesus monkeys, but the increases appear to plateau at a certain age and are not as large as those seen in non-reproductive cells, like muscle and liver. A new study using incredibly accurate DNA sequencing […]

Heidelberg, Germany — As a molecular machine found in the cells of all organisms, the ribosome is responsible for making new proteins. It reads the blueprint for a certain protein on a messenger molecule – known as messenger RNA (mRNA) – and then converts this information into new proteins. For a number of reasons, this […]

Tokyo, Japan — The molecular evolution of placental protein NRK and its function in regulating placental growth has finally been clarified by researchers from Tokyo Tech. They elucidated that eutherian NRK regulates placental development by a novel mechanism, modulating the CK2-PTEN-AKT pathway. They also determined that this new function was acquired due to the amazingly […]

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK — The spectacular structure of the protective armour of superbug C.difficile has been revealed for the first time showing the close-knit yet flexible outer layer – like chain mail.This assembly prevents molecules getting in and provides a new target for future treatments, according to the scientists who have uncovered it. Publishing […]

Las Vegas, NV — Science is one step closer to developing targeted drug therapies that may reduce seizures, sleep disorders, and related symptoms common in people with intellectual disabilities. Research led by a team of UNLV neuroscientists has shown the potential to zero in on the root-level cause of a host of adverse symptoms associated […]

Chapel Hill, NC – If you get nervous, you might feel it in your gut. If you eat chili, your gut might revolt, but your friend can eat anything and feel great. You can pop ibuprofen like candy with no ill effects, but your friend’s belly might bleed and might get no pain relief. Why […]

Cambridge, MA — MIT chemists have discovered the structure of a protein that can pump toxic molecules out of bacterial cells. Proteins similar to this one, which is found in E. coli, are believed to help bacteria become resistant to multiple antibiotics. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the researchers were able to determine how […]

Boston, MA — What happens in our respiratory tract once we’re exposed to COVID-19? A three-dimensional airway model, made from patient-derived stem cells, could provide answers about the initial stages of infection. The model not only replicates the infection process, but can be used to test potential antiviral drugs. Dr. Ruby Wang, attending physician in […]

Basel, Switzerland — The nucleus is guarded by a highly secure door, the so-called nuclear pore, that controls the transport of substances from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus and back. A research group at the University of Basel has now shown that different shuttle proteins occupy the nuclear pore to prevent unsolicited leakage of […]

Osaka, Japan – In a recent article published in Hepatology, a group led by researchers at Osaka University investigated the molecular mechanisms that drive development of Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) – a cancer which develops in bile ducts in the liver and has a poor prognosis and high mortality rate – and identified specific genes that […]

Tokyo, Japan — Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have recently created a healthier form of starch in the cassava plant. Published in the scientific journal Plant Molecular Biology, the study shows how reducing levels of starch branching enzymes (SBEs) in cassava plants changes the composition of tapioca starch, […]