Estrogen exposure triggers structural changes in the hippocampus, a primary memory center, increasing connections among neurons. The study provides new insights into the role of estrogen in learning and memory, suggesting potential benefits for postmenopausal women and a possible link to Alzheimer's disease prevention.
Researchers at Rockefeller University reveal a crucial link between the Ezh2 protein and chromatin modifications, enabling the development of a wide range of antibodies. The discovery provides new insights into B cell biology and the immune system.
A broad-based research program is needed to understand obesity, which cannot be easily explained by personal failing. Genes and environment interact to determine body weight, with genetic factors accounting for individual differences in weight among present time.
A research team at Rockefeller University has discovered a novel protein, AFP, that regulates early growth arrest in young plants. This development provides insights into how plants naturally tolerate drought and stress, with potential applications in creating drought-resistant crops.
Researchers used palytoxin to pry open the sodium/potassium pump's nature, revealing it as a more elaborate version of an ion channel. The study may pave the way for better treatments for hypertension and heart failure.
Researchers have successfully tracked multiple living proteins or cells simultaneously using quantum dots, overcoming limitations of traditional fluorophores. This breakthrough enables real-time observation of protein functions in natural environments, holding promise for medical applications such as understanding disease mechanisms.
Scientists use lab mice to identify genetic basis of cholesterol absorption, aiming to develop new treatments for heart disease. They pinpoint two chromosome regions as potential sites for genes regulating plant sterol levels, which reflect dietary cholesterol absorption.
Researchers found that a single fly gene encodes two proteins with opposing actions: one inhibits the other's activity. This discovery provides insight into complex biological phenomena and may lead to novel treatments for human cancers, particularly those with overactive STAT proteins. The study highlights the importance of considerin...
Researchers at Rockefeller University have found that mice engineered to lack specific genes linked to pheromone detection exhibit reduced aggression and sexual behavior. The study suggests that the absence of these genes impairs the ability to detect certain pheromones, leading to behavioral abnormalities.
Researchers recreated a 240-million-year-old protein to study the vision of dinosaur ancestors, finding evidence that they may have had dim-light vision. The discovery offers insights into how biologically important molecules evolved over time and paves the way for further studies on ancient species.
Researchers have developed a new agent using phage enzymes that can specifically target and eliminate millions of anthrax bacteria within seconds. This targeted killer also shows promise as an anthrax detection and decontamination tool, with potential applications in mailrooms or subway stations.
Researchers found that Clb2 is the real trigger for yeast cell division, contradicting previous findings on Clb5. This discovery has implications for treating cancer, as it reveals a new way to understand the cell cycle mechanism.
A team of researchers found that a deficiency in the SCD-1 enzyme can counteract leptin's effects on weight gain, increasing energy expenditure and promoting fat burning. This discovery suggests a potential novel strategy for treating obesity and fatty liver diseases.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered that the 'Reaper' protein triggers programmed cell death by instructing a fly cell's principal guard protein, DIAP1, to self-destruct. This finding may lead to novel strategies for targeting immortal cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
Rockefeller University scientists have discovered how transcription begins in bacteria, a crucial step for developing new antibiotics. The structure of the RNA polymerase holoenzyme reveals a novel protein-protein interaction that regulates transcription initiation.
Researchers found that the leprosy bug attaches to Schwann cells, disrupting the myelin sheath and causing nerve damage. This discovery may provide insights into early molecular events of neurodegeneration processes in diseases like multiple sclerosis.
A study found that individuals carrying a high-output version of the dynorphin gene are less susceptible to cocaine dependence. The genetic association suggests a possible neurobiological function for this particular variant, which may modulate cocaine's effects and increase protection against addiction.
Aging cells retire when their telomeres become too short to function, according to a new Rockefeller University study. The researchers found that protein TRF2 helps critically short telomeres function better, allowing old cells to live longer.
A recent study reveals that Staphylococcus aureus, a leading cause of hospital-borne infections, is part of a few massive superbug families. These bacteria have spread globally and can be tracked through unique genetic fingerprints, suggesting new targets for disease-fighting drugs.
A team of researchers has identified the entire series of proteins that relay a message of survival from a neuron to a glial cell in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, shedding light on how cells 'know' whether to survive or perish. This discovery may lead to novel treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer.
Researchers James E. Darnell and Ali H. Brivanlou propose a reclassification of all known transcription factors, grouping them by their behavior rather than physical structure. This framework aims to provide a better understanding of how cells 'read' genetic instructions and may lead to new drug therapies for diseases such as cancer an...
Rockefeller University scientists have solved the three-dimensional structure of a type of chloride channel called ClC, providing new insights into its mechanism and selectivity features. The research findings are crucial for developing drugs to target ion channel impairments linked to heritable diseases such as cystic fibrosis.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have developed a novel approach to combating antibiotic-resistant infections by using a natural enzyme derived from tiny viruses that live inside bacteria. This enzyme can target and kill disease bacteria on the surface of cells, providing an alternative method for combating resistant pathogens.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered that FMRP controls the fate of specific proteins in brain cells, explaining the physical, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities characteristic of fragile X syndrome. The findings offer potential for future therapies to lessen the disease's impact.
Researchers have visualized the atomic-scale structure of a selectivity filter in ion channels, revealing precise biochemical conditions for ion travel. This discovery may help understand genetic and biochemical abnormalities affecting ion channel proteins, such as long QT syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
A new study proposes that helper T cells serve as a critical switch for killer T cell activation and tolerance. The researchers found that the presence or absence of these helper T cells determines whether killer T cells will attack or retreat from virus-infected and cancerous cells.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a new model of staph drug resistance that implicates an unlikely protein. The study shows that the mecA gene confers resistance to methicillin and other antibiotics by coding for a different PBP, which is not destroyed by beta-lactam antibiotics.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered that a persistent lineage of Staphylococcus aureus is exceptionally adept at acquiring resistance to antibiotics. This 'Iberian' clone, first identified in 1986, has spread globally and is resistant to multiple antibiotics, posing a significant threat to public health.
Researchers developed a mathematical model that suggests barring domestic animals from bedrooms can significantly reduce Chagas disease transmission. By analyzing household dynamics, they found keeping dogs in bedrooms is the worst thing for households, while excluding infected dogs from sleeping areas virtually eliminates transmission.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a crucial region of the hepatitis C virus protein NS5A, which plays an essential role in viral replication. This breakthrough discovery could accelerate the development of effective drugs and vaccines against HCV, a leading cause of liver disease.
Scientists have identified a molecule called VR-OAC that senses osmotic pressure in vertebrates, including humans. This discovery may provide insight into the biological basis of inner ear function and the sense of touch.
Five NYC research institutions join forces to develop high-speed methods to decipher 3D protein structures, focusing on disease-related proteins. The collaboration aims to provide a way for researchers to quickly translate genomic knowledge into promising drug targets.
A consortium of researchers found that isocitrate lyase (ICL) enables the tuberculosis bacterium to use fatty acids as energy. Disabling ICL crippled the bacterium in its persistent phase, suggesting a potential target for TB therapies. Current treatments are often ineffective due to the bug's ability to persist in the body.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified two genes responsible for producing branched muropeptides, essential for pneumococcus survival in the presence of penicillin. Inactivating these genes restores penicillin's potency, opening the door to new drugs that target this newly discovered mechanism.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered an immune-cell mechanism that boosts the potency of therapeutic antibodies. The finding could lead to more effective cancer treatments by manipulating the interaction between antibodies and Fc receptors on immune cells.
A NY pilot study is pushing the Human Genome Project towards developing promising drug targets for disease. The initiative uses recent advances in computational biology to quickly analyze and categorize proteins, focusing on those that cause or treat diseases.
A study by Rockefeller and Aaron Diamond researchers found that about one in six patients with the AIDS virus carried a strain resistant to at least one drug. The researchers recommend exploring the prevalence of this resistance and considering therapy structured around HIV-resistance testing to improve treatment effectiveness.
Researchers found that six HIV-infected patients who stopped taking antiviral drugs yet continued to suppress HIV replication had strong immune responses. The study suggests that temporarily discontinuing drugs may help maintain the virus at a low level, paving the way for vaccine development.
Scientists at Rockefeller University have found that persistent activation of Stat3 protein can cause normal cells to behave like cancer cells. This discovery presents a promising new target in the fight against cancer and suggests that drugs inhibiting Stat3 activation may be effective.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have developed a method to trigger a potent immune response in humans using mature dendritic cells, which lasts for months. The technique shows promise as a new way to fight cancers and chronic infections like HIV.
Rockefeller University scientists Dr. Arnold J. Levine and Dr. Robert G. Roeder have been recognized by the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation for their groundbreaking work on cancer research and gene transcription. Their discoveries are paving the way for new diagnostics and therapies, with p53 abnormalities associated with ove...
Researchers at Rockefeller University have elucidated the wiring diagram of the accessory olfactory system, which is more complex than the main olfactory system. The findings suggest that the accessory olfactory system recognizes blends of molecules rather than individual odorant molecules.
A team of researchers has described a case of a patient who died from a bloodstream infection caused by a multidrug-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus. The study found that a combination of two commonly used antibiotics, oxacillin and vancomycin, was effective in killing the resistant bacteria.
Researchers use infrared spectroscopy to analyze over 2,000 individual cervical cells from women with dysplasia and cervical cancer, finding that normal-looking cells have distinct abnormal spectra. This could simplify Pap test evaluation and lead to earlier cancer detection and prevention.
Researchers discovered the exact cellular site where the leprosy-causing bacterium attacks peripheral nerves. The findings point to a way of treating leprosy in its early stages and have tremendous ramifications for understanding nerve damage in other neurodegenerative diseases like muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have found evidence of naturally occurring tumor immunity in humans, where the immune system targets a specific protein called cdr2 to fight cancer. This discovery provides support for immunotherapy treatments and offers new insights into cancer biology.
A team of researchers has determined the three-dimensional structure of an enzyme responsible for gentamicin resistance, presenting a possible target for designing drugs to inhibit its action. The enzyme's structure resembles a cupped right hand wrapped around a cylinder, with a cavity that could hold gentamicin in place.
Researchers identified five variants of the mu opioid receptor gene associated with altered beta-endorphin activity, which numbs pain and creates feelings of euphoria. These findings suggest that certain genetic variations may confer relative protection against opioid dependency in specific ethnic groups.
Researchers discovered a new gene called double-time that regulates circadian rhythms in fruit flies, which may also influence human sleep patterns. The gene affects the pairing of proteins essential for maintaining daily cycles.
The Rockefeller study aims to identify genetic causes of early- and late-onset type 2 diabetes to develop better diagnostic tools and improved drug therapies. The researchers seek individuals with type 2 diabetes and at least one affected family member to participate in the study.