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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published Tryptophan in diet, gut bacteria protect against E. coli infection



Gut bacteria and a diet rich in the amino acid tryptophan can play a protective role against pathogenic E. coli, which can cause severe stomach upset, cramps, fever, intestinal bleeding and renal failure.
Published Supply chain disruptions will further exacerbate economic losses from climate change



Global GDP loss from climate change will increase exponentially the warmer the planet gets when its cascading impact on global supply chains is factored in, finds a new study.
Published New computational strategy boosts the ability of drug designers to target proteins inside the membrane



Hitting targets embedded within the cell membrane has long been difficult for drug developers due to the membrane's challenging biochemical properties. Now, chemists have demonstrated new custom-designed proteins that can efficiently reach these 'intramembrane' targets.
Published Milk to the rescue for diabetics? Cow produces human insulin in milk



An unassuming brown bovine from the south of Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The advancement could herald a new era in insulin production, one day eliminating drug scarcity and high costs for people living with diabetes.
Published Molecular simulations of ammonia mixtures support search for renewable fuels



Ammonia is an important molecule with many applications. The end product of the famed Haber-Bosch process, it is commonly synthesized to capture nitrogen for fertilizers, and is used for refrigeration, in cleaning products, and in the production of pharmaceuticals. Recently, this modest molecule has also attracted interest as a potential resource for addressing one of today's most pressing challenges -- the need for reliable and abundant renewable fuels.
Published A simple and robust experimental process for protein engineering



A protein engineering method using simple, cost-effective experiments and machine learning models can predict which proteins will be effective for a given purpose, according to a new study.
Published Scientists find weak points on Epstein-Barr virus



Studies of interactions between two lab-generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and an essential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein have uncovered targets that could be exploited in designing treatments and vaccines for this extremely common virus.
Published Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back



By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Published How a natural compound from sea squirts combats cancer



Trabectedin, a promising drug derived from the sea squirt Ecteinascidia turbinata, has shown potential in combating cancers resistant to conventional treatments. However, its precise mechanism of action has remained elusive -- until now.
Published Researchers uncover protein responsible for cold sensation



Researchers have identified the protein that enables mammals to sense cold, filling a long-standing knowledge gap in the field of sensory biology.
Published Preventing magnet meltdowns before they can start



High-temperature superconductor magnets have the potential to lower the costs of operating particle accelerators and enable powerful new technologies like fusion reactors. But quenches -- the sudden, destructive events wherein a part of the material loses superconductivity -- are a major barrier to their deployment. Scientists have developed an approach to prevent quenches altogether, rather than simply trying to manage them after they occur.
Published Research sheds light on new strategy to treat infertility



New research describes the science behind a promising technique to treat infertility by turning a skin cell into an egg that is capable of producing viable embryos. The technique could be used by women of advanced maternal age or for those who are unable to produce viable eggs due to previous treatment for cancer or other causes. It also raises the possibility of men in same-sex relationships having children who are genetically related to both parents.
Published New study discovers how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution



Researchers have discovered a mechanism steering the evolution of multicellular life. They identified how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution.
Published Mutation solves a century-old mystery in meiosis



A team deciphers complicated mechanism underlying genetic diversity.
Published Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life



For the first time, scientists have developed artificial nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, with several additional properties in the laboratory.
Published Vitamin A may play a central role in stem cell biology and wound repair



Retinoic acid, the active state of Vitamin A, appears to regulate how stem cells enter and exit a transient state central to their role in wound repair.
Published The Malaria parasite generates genetic diversity using an evolutionary 'copy-paste' tactic



All modern Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite in humans, are descendants of one initial infection and so are very closely related, with relatively limited genetic differences. A long-standing mystery in the field has revolved around a very few locations in the P. falciparum genome where there are 'spikes' of mutations -- far more than anywhere else. Researchers have identified two genes in which these unusual mutation spikes result from DNA being copied and pasted from one gene to another.
Published Cracking epigenetic inheritance: Biologists discovered the secrets of how gene traits are passed on



A research team has recently made a significant breakthrough in understanding how the DNA copying machine helps pass on epigenetic information to maintain gene traits at each cell division. Understanding how this coupled mechanism could lead to new treatments for cancer and other epigenetic diseases by targeting specific changes in gene activity.
Published First heat map for individual red blood cells



Entropy is often associated with disorder and chaos, but in biology it is related to energy efficiency and is closely linked to metabolism, the set of chemical reactions that sustain life. An international research team has now developed a novel methodology for the measurement of entropy production at the scale of a nanometer, meaning one-billionth of a meter. The new approach enabled the scientists to measure the heat flow, known as the entropy production rate, of single red blood cells.
Published Universal tool for tracking cell-to-cell interactions



An updated method for directly observing physical interactions between cells, could allow scientists to one day map every possible cell interaction.