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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published Don't overeat: How archaea toggle the nitrogen-uptake switch



By tightly regulating nitrogen uptake, microorganisms avoid overeating nitrogen and thus wasting energy. Scientists now reveal how some methanogenic archaea manage to do so.
Published Single-celled kamikazes spearhead bacterial infection



You suddenly feel sick -- pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body! The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. Before these deadly toxins can attack host cells, bacteria must first export them from their production site -- the cytoplasm -- using dedicated secretion systems.
Published Towards the quantum of sound



A team of scientists has succeeded in cooling traveling sound waves in wave-guides considerably further than has previously been possible using laser light. This achievement represents a significant move towards the ultimate goal of reaching the quantum ground state of sound in wave-guides. Unwanted noise generated by the acoustic waves at room temperature can be eliminated. This experimental approach both provides a deeper understanding of the transition from classical to quantum phenomena of sound and is relevant to quantum communication systems and future quantum technologies.
Published DNA construction led to unexpected discovery of important cell function



Researchers have used DNA origami, the art of folding DNA into desired structures, to show how an important cell receptor can be activated in a previously unknown way. The result opens new avenues for understanding how the Notch signalling pathway works and how it is involved in several serious diseases.
Published New technique visualizes mechanical structure of the cell nucleus



The cell nucleus is considered to be the control center of vital cellular processes, but its material properties continue to puzzle scientists. An international research team has now developed a new technique that provides a previously unattainable view of the mechanical properties inside this control center. For the first time, it has been possible to visualize over time its peculiar dynamic structural features in living cells, which appear to be crucial for cell function.
Published Nearly dead plants brought back to life: Keys to aging hidden in the leaves



Scientists have known about a particular organelle in plant cells for over a century. However, scientists have only now discovered that organelle's key role in aging.
Published Chemists create a 2D heavy fermion



Researchers have synthesized the first 2D heavy fermion. The material, a layered intermetallic crystal composed of cerium, silicon, and iodine (CeSiI), has electrons that are 1000x heavier and is a new platform to explore quantum phenomena.
Published Higher measurement accuracy opens new window to the quantum world



A team has developed a new measurement method that, for the first time, accurately detects tiny temperature differences in the range of 100 microkelvin in the thermal Hall effect. Previously, these temperature differences could not be measured quantitatively due to thermal noise. Using the well-known terbium titanate as an example, the team demonstrated that the method delivers highly reliable results. The thermal Hall effect provides information about coherent multi-particle states in quantum materials, based on their interaction with lattice vibrations (phonons).
Published Study throws our understanding of gene regulation for a loop



To function properly, the genetic material is highly organized into loop structures that often bring together widely separated sections of the genome critical to the regulation of gene activity. Scientists now address how these loops can help repress or silence gene activity, with potentially far-reaching effects on human health.
Published Machine learning reveals sources of heterogeneity among cells in our bodies



A team of scientists discovered the secrets of cell variability in our bodies. The findings of this research are expected to have far-reaching effects, such as improvement in the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments, or set a new paradigm in the study of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Published Glowing COVID-19 diagnostic test prototype produces results in one minute



Cold, flu and COVID-19 season brings that now-familiar ritual: swab, wait, look at the result. But what if, instead of taking 15 minutes or more, a test could quickly determine whether you have COVID-19 with a glowing chemical? In a new study, researchers describe a potential COVID-19 test inspired by bioluminescence. Using a molecule found in crustaceans, they have developed a rapid approach that detects SARS-CoV-2 protein comparably to one used in vaccine research.
Published Unraveling the role of supersulfides in regulating mitochondrial function and longevity



Supersulfides, many of which are produced by cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS), are essential compounds across many different lifeforms. However, the precise physiological roles of CARS-produced supersulfide are unclear. Now, using a strategically engineered yeast mutant with a deficient CARS gene, researchers from Japan have shown that supersulfides control cell longevity by mediating mitochondrial energy metabolism and regulating protein quality.
Published Experiment could test quantum nature of large masses for the first time



A new experiment could in principle test the quantumness of an object regardless of its mass or energy.
Published Solid-state qubits: Forget about being clean, embrace mess



New findings debunk previous wisdom that solid-state qubits need to be super dilute in an ultra-clean material to achieve long lifetimes. Instead, cram lots of rare-earth ions into a crystal and some will form pairs that act as highly coherent qubits, a new paper shows.
Published Bioinformatics: Researchers develop a new machine learning approach



To combat viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, synthetic biology offers new technological approaches whose performance is being validated in experiments. Researchers applied data integration and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a machine learning approach that can predict the efficacy of CRISPR technologies more accurately than before.
Published A novel pathway regulating lipid biosynthesis by fatty acids



Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) play a crucial role in lipid biosynthesis. In a recent study, researchers identified a novel cleavage enzyme of SREBP-1c, a key player in fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, the team unveiled, for the first time, that the biosynthesis process of fatty acid in the liver is activated by saturated fatty acids and inhibited by polyunsaturated fatty acids, providing new insights into the intricate workings of this cleavage system.
Published New insights into what helps Salmonella cause infections



In a new study, researchers have discovered how a system of proteins, called TamAB, helps Salmonella survive under the harsh conditions inside macrophages.
Published 3D in vitro human atherosclerosis model for high-throughput drug screening



A groundbreaking 3D, three-layer nanomatrix vascular sheet that possesses multiple features of atherosclerosis has been applied for developing a high-throughput functional assay of drug candidates to treat this disease, researchers report.
Published Researchers create light-powered yeast, providing insights into evolution, biofuels, cellular aging



Researchers have engineered one of the world's first yeast cells able to harness energy from light, expanding our understanding of the evolution of this trait -- and paving the way for advancements in biofuel production and cellular aging.
Published Spying on a shape-shifting protein



Researchers are using crystallography to gain a better understanding of how proteins shapeshift. The knowledge can provide valuable insight into stopping and treating diseases.