'Tricked' bacteria open new pathways to antimicrobial treatments
Scientists have developed a new technique to trick bacteria into revealing hundreds of holes in their cell walls, opening the door for drugs that destroy bacteria's cells.
Read moreCell Biology
Plant death may reveal genetic mechanisms underlying cell self-destruction
Hybrid plants, which produced by crossing two different types of parents, often die in conditions in which both parents would survive. Certain hybrid tobacco plants, for example, thrive at 36 degrees Celsius, but die at 28 degrees Celsius, which is the temperature at which both parents would thrive. Researchers have begun to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which hybrid tobacco plant cells meet their demise.
Read moreHow chromosomes change their shape during cell differentiation
Scientists have provided an explanation of how chromosomes undergo structural changes during cell differentiation.
Read moreRare view into the formation of viruses
For the first time, researchers have captured images of the formation of individual viruses, offering a real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly. The research provides new insights into how to fight viruses and engineer self-assembling particles.
Read moreWere hot, humid summers the key to life's origins?
Chemists have found that deliquescent minerals, which dissolve in water they absorb from humid air, can assist the construction of proteins from simpler building blocks during cycles timed to mimic day and night on the early Earth.
Read moreProtein associated with many diseases fully visualized for first time
For the first time, researchers have learned at the molecular level how the P2X7 protein receptor – which is associated with inflammation, coronary artery disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis and more – works. The findings could one day inspire new drugs to treat numerous medical conditions.
Read moreBreakthrough in sex-chromosome regulation
Researchers have uncovered a chromosome-wide mechanism that keeps the gene expression of sex chromosomes in balance in our cells. The findings shed light on molecular reasons for early miscarriage and could be important for the emerging field of regenerative medicine.
Read moreSupercomputing, neutrons unite to unravel structures of intrinsically disordered protein
Scientists have created the most accurate 3D model yet of an intrinsically disordered protein, revealing the ensemble of its atomic-level structures.
Read moreEarthquake in the cell
Nuclear abnormalities such as nuclear blebs and micronuclei have devastating consequences for the genetic material and are associated with cancer or ageing. Scientists now revealed that the epigenetic enzyme MOF is crucial for the morphological integrity of the mammalian nucleus. Moreover, the study characterized the epigenetic landscape of nuclear abnormalities and discovered a formerly unknown epigenetic mechanism that seems to protect cells from additional damage.
Read moreGene responsible for lutein esterification in bread wheat identified
Researchers have identified and confirmed the gene responsible for lutein esterification in bread wheat. The activity of this gene controls the timing of esterification in grain, which is related to storage and nutritional qualities of bread wheat and other grains.
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