Biology – Page 13
-
ResearchDNA robot controls live cells’ movement
Molecular machine walks across cell membrane to activate cellular migration
-
ResearchUltraphosphates break decades-old anti-branching rule
Discovery of elusive branched phosphates’ unexpected stability means they could have played a role in prebiotic chemistry
-
ResearchProgrammable peptoid template for disrupting protein–protein interactions inside cells
System optimises residues involved in binding target independently from those that promote membrane permeability
-
BusinessFully synthetic proteins make tailored medicines
Bright Peak Therapeutics makes modified protein drugs from scratch
-
Research‘Self-inflating’ synthetic cells can capture, store and release cargo
Entirely artificial system can use chemical energy to ‘swallow’ payloads like bacteria
-
ResearchGiant molecular cage protects plastic-eating enzyme
Caged protein withstands temperatures much hotter than its usual melting point and becomes 1000 times more resistant to solvents
-
NewsUK approves Europe’s first field trials of Crispr-edited wheat
Field trials will examine how low-asparagine plants fare in the field
-
ResearchHeavy metal proteins are the secret weapon in ant bites
Protein-rich biomaterials containing zinc, manganese, copper and bromine allow ants, crabs and scorpions to pack more punch for their size
-
BusinessThe future of ‘next generation’ DNA sequencing
As it gets cheaper and easier to read genetic code, its applications are expanding rapidly
-
ResearchOverreliance on cryocooled protein structures may compromise computational structure-based drug design
Scientists behind first of its kind study encourage more researchers to analyse protein structures at room temperature
-
BusinessThe multi-pronged search for Covid-19 treatments
Drugs that block infection or reduce inflammation will complement vaccine protection
-
BusinessBudget cuts at UK medicines regulator raise eyebrows
MHRA to cut 300 jobs amid financial pressures arising from Brexit
-
ResearchMethane mystery on Saturn’s moon rekindles search for life on other planets
Researchers struggle to explain suspicious amounts of methane on Enceladus while a new chapter opens in the debate around the source of Venus’s phosphine. Why is it so hard to decide what counts as a sign of life?
-
FeatureHow a virus ancestor powers our memory’s chemistry
Andy Extance tells the astonishing story of the Arc protein and its capsid forms, and the questions it poses
-
BusinessBrewing up plant-inspired medicines
Antheia reconstructs complex biochemical pathways in yeasts to speed up production of natural product-based drugs
-
ResearchTusk isotopes reveal a mammoth’s life
17,000 years after its death, scientists use strontium analysis to trace animal’s movements throughout its 28-year life
-
ResearchNeural network scours vast chemical space to design drug-delivering peptides
Oligonucleotide drug activity boosted 50-fold with peptide designed by machine learning algorithm
-
ResearchMirror image enzyme constructs longest ever mirror DNA strand
Since chirally inverted DNA is more stable than its natural counterpart, it can be used to encode secret messages
-
ResearchThere was more than simple oxygen depletion to ancient mass extinction event
Thallium isotopes reveal that rapid swings in ocean oxygenation preceded the events that wiped out 90% of species 250 million years ago
-
NewsMachine learning delivers ‘human genome’ moment for proteins
Protein structure prediction tools AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold take the latest steps towards maturity and make their software open source