Long distance calls by sugar molecules

All our cells wear a coat of sugar molecules, so-called glycans. ETH Zurich and Empa researchers have now discovered that glycans rearrange water molecules over long distances. This may have an effect on how cells sense each ...

Making sense of misfolded proteins

The endoplasmic reticulum of cells provides a pivotal quality-control system that eliminates improperly folded, or misfolded, glycoproteins, such as antibodies and hormones. The UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glycotransferase (UGGT) ...

Spider web glue spins society toward new biobased adhesives

With would-be goblins and ghosts set to drape those huge fake spider webs over doorways and trees for Halloween, scientists in Wyoming are reporting on a long-standing mystery about real spider webs: It is the secret of spider ...

Parasite breaks its own DNA to avoid detection

The parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes African sleeping sickness, is like a thief donning a disguise. Every time the host's immune cells get close to destroying the parasite, it escapes detection by rearranging its ...

Biomarkers detected for Chikungunya fever

Three specific biomarkers provide an accurate indication of the severity of Chikungunya fever (CHIKF), which is emerging as a threat in South-East Asia, the Pacific and Europe, according to research conducted in Singapore.

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