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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology
Published Starvation and adhesion drive formation of keratinocyte patterns in skin (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Cell-cell adhesion-induced patterning in keratinocytes can be explained by just starvation and strong adhesion researchers find.
Published Study reveals oleoyl-ACP-hydrolase underpins lethal respiratory viral disease (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Respiratory infections can be severe, even deadly, in some individuals, but not in others. Scientists have gained new understanding of why this is the case by uncovering an early molecular driver that underpins fatal disease. Oleoyl-ACP-hydrolase (OLAH) is an enzyme involved in fatty acid metabolism. A study shows that OLAH drives severe disease outcomes.
Published Researchers ID body's 'quality control' regulator for protein folding (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Anyone who's tried to neatly gather a fitted sheet can tell you: folding is hard. Get it wrong with your laundry and the result can be a crumpled, wrinkled mess of fabric, but when folding fails among the approximately 7,000 proteins with an origami-like complexity that regulate essential cellular functions, the result can lead to one of a multitude of serious diseases ranging from emphysema and cystic fibrosis to Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, our bodies have a quality-control system that identifies misfolded proteins and marks them either for additional folding work or destruction, but how, exactly, this quality-control process functions is not entirely known. Researchers have now made a major leap forward in our understanding of how this quality-control system works by discovering the 'hot spot' where all the action takes place.
Published Pre-surgical antibody treatment might prevent heart transplant rejection (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Anti-rejection regimens currently in use are broad immunosuppressive agents that make patients susceptible to infections. By using specific antibodies, it may be possible to just block the inflammation that leads to rejection but leave anti-microbial immunity intact.
Published Low magnesium levels increase disease risk (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
A new study has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders.
Published How mortal filaments' self-assemble and maintain order: Align or die (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
A previously unknown mechanism of active matter self-organization essential for bacterial cell division follows the motto 'dying to align': Misaligned filaments 'die' spontaneously to form a ring structure at the center of the dividing cell. The work could find applications in developing synthetic self-healing materials.
Published Taking a 'one in a million' shot to tackle dopamine-linked brain disorders (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
With the help of a tiny, transparent worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers have identified novel players in dopamine signaling by taking advantage of a powerful platform generated via the Million Mutation Project (MMP) for the rapid identification of mutant genes based on their functional impact. They can seek insights from simpler organisms whose genes bear striking similarity to those found in humans and where opportunities for genetic insights to disease can be pursued more efficiently and inexpensively.
Published An appetizer can stimulate immune cells' appetite, a boon for cancer treatments (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
The body has a veritable army constantly on guard to keep us safe from microscopic threats from infections to cancer. Chief among this force is the macrophage, a white blood cell that surveils tissues and consumes pathogens, debris, dead cells, and cancer. Macrophages have a delicate task. It's crucial that they ignore healthy cells while on patrol, otherwise they could trigger an autoimmune response while performing their duties.
Published A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
A key question that remains in biology and biophysics is how three-dimensional tissue shapes emerge during animal development. Research teams have now found a mechanism by which tissues can be 'programmed' to transition from a flat state to a three-dimensional shape.
Published Largest protein yet discovered builds algal toxins (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
While seeking to unravel how marine algae create their chemically complex toxins, scientists have discovered the largest protein yet identified in biology. Uncovering the biological machinery the algae evolved to make its intricate toxin also revealed previously unknown strategies for assembling chemicals, which could unlock the development of new medicines and materials.
Published Machine learning approach helps researchers design better gene-delivery vehicles for gene therapy (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Gene therapy could potentially cure genetic diseases but it remains a challenge to package and deliver new genes to specific cells safely and effectively. Existing methods of engineering one of the most commonly used gene-delivery vehicles, adeno-associated viruses (AAV), are often slow and inefficient. Now, researchers have developed a machine-learning approach that promises to speed up AAV engineering for gene therapy. The tool helps researchers engineer the protein shells of AAVs, called capsids, to have multiple desirable traits, such as the ability to deliver cargo to a specific organ but not others or to work in multiple species. Other methods only look for capsids that have one trait at a time.
Published Bacteria encode hidden genes outside their genome--do we? (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
A 'loopy' discovery in bacteria is raising fundamental questions about the makeup of our own genome -- and revealing a potential wellspring of material for new genetic therapies.
Published Researchers develop AI model that predicts the accuracy of protein--DNA binding (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
A new artificial intelligence model can predict how different proteins may bind to DNA.
Published How do butterflies stick to branches during metamorphosis? (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Most of us learned about butterfly metamorphosis as a kid -- a wriggly caterpillar molts its skin to form a tough chrysalis and emerges as a beautiful butterfly. But how exactly do chrysalises stay anchored as the butterfly brews within? Research shows that, despite their silks being weak and thin on their own, caterpillars can expertly spin them into chrysalis support structures resembling hook-and-loop fasteners and multi-strand safety tethers.
Published 3D laser printing with bioinks from microalgae (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Microalgae such as the diatom Odontella aurita and the green alga Tetraselmis striata are especially suitable as 'biofactories' for the production of sustainable materials for 3D laser printing due to their high content in lipids and photoactive pigments. An international research team has succeeded for the first time in manufacturing inks for printing complex biocompatible 3D microstructures from the raw materials extracted from the microalgae.
Published Researchers make breakthrough in understanding species abundance (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
The key finding was that temperature and genome size, not body size, had the greatest influence on the maximum population growth rate of the diatoms. Yet body size still mattered in colder latitudes, conserving Bermann's Rule.
Published Researchers crack a key celiac mystery (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
An interdisciplinary team of medical and engineering researchers has spent the last six years working to unlock a significant piece of the puzzle in the search for a cure: how and where the gluten response begins.
Published 3D bioprinting advances research on respiratory viruses (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Researchers develop a microstructured 'artificial lung' model using bioprinting technology.
Published Microscopy technique 'paves way' for improving understanding of cellular functions (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Scientists have developed a new way of counting labelled proteins in living cells that could become a standard and valuable tool in the field of biomedical research.
Published How ribosomes in our cells enable protein folding (via sciencedaily.com) Original source
Scientists discovered a role played by ribosomes during the folding of new proteins in cells.