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Molecular & Computational biology news
Hackers meet their match: New DNA encryption protects engineered cells from within
Engineered cells are a high-value genetic asset that is key to many fields, including biotechnology, medicine, aging, and stem cell research, with the global market projected to reach $8.0 trillion USD by 2035. Yet the only ...
Microbial hockey: Scientists discover how bacteria rotate tiny pucks
At the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Jérémie Palacci's research group is venturing into metallurgy—albeit with a twist. Instead of traditional tools, the scientists use E. coli bacteria, often associated ...
Cell & Microbiology
19 hours ago
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Nicotine's last biosynthesis steps mapped in wild tobacco, ending a long mystery
Nicotine, a potent insecticidal alkaloid unique to the nightshade family, has been employed in agriculture as a pesticide since 1690. It also has therapeutic potential for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 10, 2026
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From teeth to thorns: Coincidences shape the universal form of nature's pointed tips
We thought it was evolution, but an experiment with pencils shows that tips like teeth and thorns may owe their rounded shape to mechanical wear. Most of us have been stung by a bee, bitten by an animal, or scratched by a ...
Evolution
Apr 10, 2026
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SNIPE bacterial defense system shreds phage DNA before infection can begin
What if the Trojan horse had been pulled to pieces, revealing the ruse and fending off the invasion, just as it entered the gates of Troy? That's an apt description of a newly characterized bacterial defense system that chops ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Unraveling the complexities of the Borna disease virus 1
Cases of Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) are extremely rare in humans, but in those who develop disease, the outcome is severe, almost always resulting in fatal encephalitis or inflammation in the brain. This zoonotic virus ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 10, 2026
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Scientists identify kinesin-2 motor assemblies that selectively transport proteins to specific regions within neurons
Intracellular transport is a vital process that allows cells to move proteins and other molecules to specific locations. This process is especially important in neurons, which have highly polarized structures with long extensions ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Rod-shaped synthetic swimmers reveal a 'sweet spot' for active turbulence
Inspired by the collective dynamics of bacteria like E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, researchers at the University of Twente asked a simple but fundamental question: what happens when artificial swimmers are made rod-shaped ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Alzheimer's-linked protein tau plays a role in cell division
All processes such as wound healing, hair growth, and the replacement of old cells with new ones depend on cell division. During this process, chromosomes inside the cell must be evenly divided between two daughter cells. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Could your housemates be changing your gut bacteria? An island bird study suggests so
Living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia. Research on a colony of tiny island birds reveals they share more of their gut bacteria with the ...
Ecology
Apr 10, 2026
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AI-designed proteins built from scratch can recognize specific compounds
Professor Gyu Rie Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences successfully designed artificial proteins that selectively recognize specific compounds using AI through joint research with Professor David Baker. The research, ...
Biotechnology
Apr 9, 2026
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Turning uncertainty into a design tool for AI-engineered molecules
While precision seems critical for science, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Texas A&M University are embracing uncertainty, using it to fine-tune artificial intelligence ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 9, 2026
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AI diffusion models tailor drug molecules to custom-fit protein targets, speeding drug development and evaluation
University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines. UVA's Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Ph.D., ...
Biotechnology
Apr 9, 2026
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Liquid-like histone H1 'glues' nucleosomes, reshaping how DNA compacts
DNA inside the nucleus is not packed as a rigid regular fiber—linker histone H1 dynamically binds and loosely "glues" nucleosomes together, creating a dynamic, fluid organization that can still support essential genome functions.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 9, 2026
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A smarter way to build vaccines: Scientists harness AI to target emerging alphaviruses
A team of scientists at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), led by Nikos Vasilakis, Ph.D., and Peter McCaffrey, MD, has developed a new computational pipeline that could dramatically accelerate the development ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 9, 2026
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This giant virus just gave up its atomic blueprint
A research group has successfully determined, for the first time in the world, the capsid (outer shell) structure of Melbournevirus—a member of the giant virus family—at a resolution of 4.4 Å using cryo-electron microscopy ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 9, 2026
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Keeping up with the phages: How V. cholerae neighbors swap defenses against viruses
Like most bacteria, Vibrio cholerae lives under constant attack from viruses. To survive, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems. Previous work has shown that V. cholerae carries a large genetic element called ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 9, 2026
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Oxygen sensing helps explain why amphibians regenerate limbs but mammals cannot
Some animals can regrow lost body parts. Salamanders and frog tadpoles can rebuild entire limbs after amputation. Mammals cannot. For decades, biologists have tried to understand why. Now a team led by Can Aztekin at EPFL ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 9, 2026
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Dragonflies share humans' red-light sensing trick, detecting wavelengths near 720 nm
Sometimes, different organisms can evolve the same ability independently, a process called parallel evolution. A new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has found that dragonflies sense red light similarly to mammals, ...
Evolution
Apr 9, 2026
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One DNA letter can trigger complete sex reversal
Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have discovered that changing just one letter in DNA can completely alter sex development in mice. In the new study, published in Nature Communications, a single-letter insertion in a non-coding ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 9, 2026
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More news
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Glucose transport may hinge on a fleeting transition-like state
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Researchers clarify how cells remove damaged endoplasmic reticulum
AI is reengineering drug discovery by speeding up testing and scanning petabytes of data
Pigeons tend to respond 'at the edge of chaos,' study finds
Scientists identify potential new target for disrupting mosquito reproduction
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SoCal's hybrid bees outsmart Varroa mites before they even hatch
Bacterial enzyme uses a donut-shaped ring to shred tough collagen, study reveals
Assembling more than 1,000 human genomes affordably: New method could power genetic screening's future
How mitochondria organize our 'second genome'
This tiny organism simply loves corners, using geometry to sense its world
Scientists study radiation limits for safer seafood shipping
Scientists discover f-block metals yield new oxygen-binding chemistry
