How can molecular structures be analyzed when the resolution of the techniques available is not sufficient? Researchers from the fields of physics, chemistry and medicine at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have ...
Biotechnology
Sep 9, 2024
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2
The tissue in our body can only hold together if the cells adhere not only to each other, but also to extracellular structures, such as collagen fibers of the connective tissue and the skin. How exactly does this work on ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 5, 2024
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78
A new study published in The EMBO Journal points to new potential strategies to treat psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders that are not well addressed by current medications. Dr. Bianca Introini and her colleagues in ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 4, 2024
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11
Each cell in the body has its own unique delivery system that scientists are working on harnessing to move revolutionary biological drugs—molecules like proteins, RNA and combinations of the two—to specific diseased parts ...
Biotechnology
Jul 24, 2024
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34
Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists from the University of Geneva ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 24, 2024
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28
The human body's sense of touch is so important it can be found throughout the body, not just on the skin. Two tiny sensors of touch, Piezo1 and Piezo2, signal the lightest pressures and can be found monitoring the circulatory ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 22, 2024
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35
In a study published in PNAS, a research team has resolved the first high-resolution structure of the sgc8c DNA aptamer that targets protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7), engineered two optimal sgc8c variants for disease theranostics ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 19, 2024
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32
A team led by Prof. Dr. Han Sun from the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) has elucidated an important mechanism in the function of TREK channels at an atomic level. The results, published in ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 10, 2024
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25
Researchers at the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (IPC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed an enzymatic platform that can efficiently transform naturally abundant and inexpensive fatty acids ...
Biochemistry
Jun 28, 2024
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75
Many drug and antibody discovery pathways focus on intricately folded cell membrane proteins: when molecules of a drug candidate bind to these proteins, like a key going into a lock, they trigger chemical cascades that alter ...
Biotechnology
Jun 21, 2024
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39
A membrane protein is a protein molecule that is attached to, or associated with the membrane of a cell or an organelle. More than half of all proteins interact with membranes.
Biological membranes consist of a phospholipid bilayer and a variety of proteins that accomplish vital biological functions. Structural proteins are attached to microfilaments in the cytoskeleton which ensures stability of the cell. Cell recognition proteins allow cells to identify each other and interact. Such proteins are involved in immune response, for example. Membrane enzymes produce a variety of substances essential for cell function. Membrane receptor proteins serve as connection between the cell's internal and external environments. Finally, transport proteins play an important role in the maintenance of concentrations of ions. These transport proteins come in two forms: carrier proteins and channel proteins. Carrier proteins are involved in using the energy released from ATP being broken down to facilitate active transport and ion exchange. These processes ensure that useful substances are able to enter the cell and that toxic substances are pumped out of the cell.
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