Researchers unlock cancer-causing mechanism of E. coli toxin with synthetic biology approach

An inter-disciplinary team of researchers has unraveled how a toxin released by Escherichia coli (E. coli) – a human gut bacteria, is connected to colorectal cancer, offering new insights to the health impact of this prevalent bacteria and facilitating future research on the prevention of this third most common cancer worldwide.

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Synthetic cells capture and reveal hidden messages of the immune system

New research is highly relevant to how antibodies are made in response to infections, vaccines and in autoimmunity due to the its analysis of a signal that is associated with hyper IgM syndrome, a genetic deficiency of CD40 ligand (CD40L) that results in profound immunodeficiency.

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Pearls: New light on enhancing lightweight armor for soldiers

By mimicking the outer coating of pearls (nacre, or as it's more commonly known, mother of pearl), researchers have created a lightweight plastic that is 14 times stronger and eight times lighter (less dense) than steel and ideal for absorbing the impact of bullets and other projectiles.

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How microtubules branch in new directions, a first look in animals

Cell biologists say they have, for the first time, directly observed and recorded in animal cells a pathway called branching microtubule nucleation, a mechanism in cell division that had been imaged in cellular extracts and plant cells but not directly observed in animal cells.

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