Unlocking the function of enzymes
Fitting a key into a lock may seem like a simple task, but researchers at Texas A&M University are using a method that involves testing thousands of keys to unlock the functions of enzymes, and their findings could open the door for new targets for drug designs. view more (2007-11-07)
The secret ingredients behind germinated rice
A team of researchers has identified the active compounds that contribute to the health benefits of pre-germinated brown rice; the healthy components are a related set of sterol-like molecules known as acylated steryl-beta-glucosides (ASGs). view more (2008-09-23)
UK research leads to world-leading drug delivery technology
There is an unmet need to deliver drugs specifically to the colon (large intestine) in a reliable and controlled way. This new technology involves a drug coating consisting of ethycellulose and amylose, which is only digested by microbial amylase enzymes which are present in the colon. Drugs which are coated with this mixture can thus be taken... view more... (1998-08-06)
How does dioxin affect human health?
In an EU-funded project involving four partners , a study was made of 159 Austrian chemical workers who had been exposed to dioxin when producing herbicide between 1969 and 1973. Mortality and morbidity were analysed in 1996. All had exhibited chloracne, and analysis of related health-insurance data revealed 30 deaths, significant time off work... view more... (1999-11-10)
Viagra may affect fertility
Researchers from Belfast reveal today that men who take Viagra when they are hoping to start a family could be affecting their fertility. A group lead by Dr Sheena Lewis at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen's University Belfast have shown that while Viagra enhances sperm motility it also seems to speed up the 'acrosome... view more... (2004-03-31)
Newly found DNA catalysts cleave DNA with water molecule
Better tools for manipulating DNA in the laboratory may soon be possible with newly discovered deoxyribozymes (catalytic DNA) capable of cleaving single-stranded DNA, researchers at the University of Illinois say. view more (2009-08-17)
Enzymatic reaction rate surprises researchers
Enzymatic reactions, which are crucial in biological processes, can occur much faster than previously thought possible, as researchers at the biophysics department of the Faculty of Exact Sciences of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have discovered. Their findings were published on line on 5 May in Nature Structural Biology (www.nature.com/nsb).... view more... (2003-05-07)
Research set to enhance understanding of MS and stroke causes
A team of researchers from Sheffield's two universities is to investigate the role played by proteolytic enzymes (enzymes that break down proteins) in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke. Understanding the role of these enzymes could be vital in advancing knowledge of how the conditions are caused, and finding ways to combat... view more... (2002-08-20)
Toxic chemicals affect steroid hormones differently in humans and invertebrates
In a study with important consequences for studies on the effects of chemicals on steroid responses in humans, a team of French and American scientists, including Michael E. Baker, PhD, professor in UC San Diego's Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology-Hypertension, have found that - contrary to earlier assumptions - enzymes used for the... view more... (2009-06-30)
Study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory properties of pine bark extract
A recent study published in International Immunopharmacology, reveals why Pycnogenol (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, is effective for reducing inflammation and soothing pain associated with various health problems. view more (2009-07-15)
Vitamin D inhibits progression of some prostate cancers
Vitamin D can inhibit the spread of prostate cancer cells by limiting the activity of two specific enzymes, University of Rochester Medical Center scientists report. view more (2006-02-09)
Biochemists manipulate fruit flavor enzymes
Would you like a lemony watermelon? How about a strawberry-flavored banana? Biochemists at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston say the day may be coming when scientists will be able to fine tune enzymes responsible for flavors in fruits and vegetables. In addition, it could lead to environmentally-friendly pest control. view more (2008-08-21)
Bug factories for drugs: quality control holds key to quantity
Tiny types of soil bugs already make many of the products we use in washing detergents, foods, and waste treatment, but scientists now hope that similar bacteria will also make the vaccines and drugs of the future, according to new research presented today (Tuesday, 07 September 2004) at the Society for General Microbiology's 155th Meeting at... view more... (2004-08-23)
Surprising new insights into the repair strategies of DNA
A microscopic single-celled organism, adapted to survive in some of the harshest environments on earth, could help scientists gain a better understanding of how cancer cells behave. view more (2009-07-16)
Night of the living enzyme
Inactive enzymes entombed in tiny honeycomb-shaped holes in silica can spring to life, scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found. view more (2006-11-29)
Nutrition and heredity are genetically linked
A challenging goal in biology is to understand how the principal cellular functions are integrated so that cells achieve viability and optimal fitness under a wide range of nutritional conditions. view more (2007-05-17)
Virus product could kill anthrax and beat antibiotic resistance
Researchers from Rockefeller University, New York, have developed a new way of killing dangerous bacteria like the ones which cause anthrax and pneumonia, using products from a virus, according to new research presented today (Tuesday, 07 September 2004) at the Society for General Microbiology's 155th Meeting at Trinity College Dublin. view more (2004-08-23)
Groundbreaking study on complex movements of enzymes
A groundbreaking study has revealed in great detail how enzymes in the cell cooperate to make fat. These enzymes are integrated into a single molecular complex known as fatty acid synthase. This complex is regarded as a potential target for developing new anti-obesity and anti-cancer drugs. view more (2009-02-12)
The smoking gun: Elastin fragments drive emphysema
Pulmonary emphysema is caused primarily by cigarette smoking, and the underlying cellular mechanisms are thought to involve smoke-induced activation of tissue degrading enzymes known as proteases. view more (2006-02-10)
Enzyme necessary for DNA synthesis can also erase DNA
In this week's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS, Uppsala University scientists describe a new mechanism behind an important process that causes a rapid reduction of DNA in the chromosomes of bacteria. view more (2009-06-09)
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