New way to wrap liquid drops could improve drug delivery
Researchers have developed a faster, cheaper way to coat liquid medication, an invention that could improve how drugs are delivered in the body.
Read moreHuman Biology
Listening in to how proteins talk and learning their language
A research team has created a third approach to engineering proteins that uses deep learning to distill the fundamental features of proteins directly from their amino acid sequence without the need for additional information.
Read moreNew CRISPR genome editing system offers a wide range of versatility in human cells
A team has developed a new CRISPR genome-editing approach by combining two of the most important proteins in molecular biology — CRISPR-Cas9 and a reverse transcriptase — into a single machine.
Read moreDNA-reeling bacteria yield new insight on how superbugs acquire drug-resistance
A study has revealed a protein's role in helping bacteria 'reel in' DNA from their environment to acquire new traits, such as antibiotic resistance.
Read moreGAS7 protein allows cells to eat
Phagocytosis can be viewed as a primitive immune system used by all cells. When a pathogen is near the cell, the cell membrane will deform to engulf the pathogen and dispose of it. Researchers have found that a two-dimensional sheet formed by the protein GAS7 is critical for this process, identifying through crystallography and microscopy two key hydrophilic loops in the protein.
Read moreStress in the powerhouse of the cell
Researchers discover a new principle — how cells protect themselves from mitochondrial defects.
Read moreLifestyle is a threat to gut bacteria: Ötzi proves it, study shows
The evolution of dietary and hygienic habits in Western countries is associated with a decrease in the bacteria that help in digestion. These very bacteria were also found in the Iceman, who lived 5300 years ago, and are still present in non-Westernized populations in various parts of the world. The depletion of the microbiome may be associated with the increased prevalence, in Western countries, of complex conditions like allergies, autoimmune and gastrointestinal diseases, obesity.
Parasite paralysis: A new way to fight schistosomiasis?
Scientists have isolated a natural chemical that acts as a potent kryptonite against parasitic worms that burrow through human skin and cause devastating health problems. Researchers now describe the successful characterization of this chemical, which could help in finding new ways to fight the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis.
Read moreScientists unwind mystery behind DNA replication
The molecules of life are twisted. But how those familiar strands in DNA's double helix manage to replicate without being tangled up has been hard to decipher. A new perspective from physicists is helping unravel the mystery.
Read moreMothers' behavior influences bonding hormone oxytocin in babies
A new epigenetic study now suggests that mothers' behavior can also have a substantial impact on their children's developing oxytocin systems.
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