Research on enzymes and the reactions they drive. Covers enzyme evolution, plastic-degrading enzymes, brain immune cells, and molecular imaging.
Researchers at Saint Louis University have discovered a way to deliver medicine to the brain for treating Sly Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. The breakthrough uses epinephrine to induce the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which is missing in patients with Sly Syndrome.
Researchers at Queen's University have made a groundbreaking discovery about the breakdown of vitamin D, revealing that changing a single amino acid in the hydroxylase enzyme can alter its pathway. This finding has significant implications for the treatment of cancer and other diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Researchers discovered that PKR enzyme plays a crucial role in the antiviral effect of interferon against some viruses. They found that PKR affects protein synthesis and apoptosis, leading to reduced cell death and viral replication in response to stimuli.
Researchers demonstrate ability to attach gold nanoparticles to proteins, forming protein-gold arrays for deciphering protein structures, identifying functional parts, and targeted drug delivery. Applications include catalysts for biomass energy conversion and precision vehicles for tumor targeting.
A new Alzheimer's treatment, CTS-21166, designed by a Purdue University researcher has begun human clinical trials. The experimental drug is a disease-modifying therapy that could prevent and reverse the disease by intercepting and disabling key enzymes.
Researchers at University at Buffalo discover how enzymes work, providing insight into catalysis complexity and potential for improving synthetic catalysts. The study reveals interactions between enzymes and substrates are critical for large catalytic rate accelerations.
Researchers have discovered that stroke or traumatic brain injury can trigger Alzheimer's disease by enhancing the formation of brain-clogging amyloid plaques. Key findings include the role of caspase-mediated depletion of GGA3 in stabilizing BACE and increasing amyloid protein production.
A study published in The American Journal of Pathology found that a specific enzyme helps protect against tumor growth by enhancing the immune response. Mice with high levels of this enzyme in their macrophages were resistant to melanoma and lymphoma, demonstrating its potential as a new cancer therapy.
Researchers developed a smaller gene therapy vector to deliver a radioprotective enzyme systemically, sparing healthy tissue from radiation damage. The minicircle plasmid conferred undiminished radioprotection to cells, suggesting improved treatment outcomes for cancer patients.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that mice genetically engineered to lack a single enzyme in their brains are more adept at learning and quicker to adapt to changing environments. This discovery may serve as a target for treating disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and drug addiction.
Researchers have discovered the controlling enzyme, GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase, which serves as the biosynthetic pathway for plants to manufacture vitamin C. This breakthrough could lead to engineered plants with increased vitamin C content, improving plant resistance and human nutrition.
Researchers develop a synthetic enzymatic pathway to convert polysaccharides into hydrogen, achieving high storage capacity and efficiency. The new process has the potential to release hydrogen from water and carbohydrates at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure.
Researchers have created mouse strains that enable them to trace the activity of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) enzyme in live animals. This breakthrough allows scientists to understand how AID regulates the immune response and its role in autoimmunity and B cell tumor development.
Scientists created a model of proline dehydrogenase, an enzyme that enables the creation of superoxide, a reactive oxygen species involved in cell death and cancer prevention. The human form of this enzyme is difficult to work with, so researchers studied its bacterial counterpart, Thermus thermophilus.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and Yale University discovered that dynamin 1 is not essential to all synaptic transmission, but rather acts more subtly during moments of high activity. This finding has significant implications for understanding neurological injury and disease.
Scientists have found an enzyme called Pak 1 that acts on the heart's pacemaker to slow the rapid beating of the heart's 'fight-or-flight' reaction to adrenaline. This discovery opens up new avenues for diagnosis, drug design and treatment of common heart diseases.
A study in mice deleted an enzyme that alters cholesterol structure, allowing them to consume saturated and trans fats without developing atherosclerosis. The findings suggest ACAT2 as a potential treatment target for protecting against heart disease.
Researchers identified an enzyme called SIK1 that regulates a pathway involving exercise-induced hormones and controls muscle-specific gene expression. Boosting SIK1 levels or inhibiting HDAC activity restored normal muscle function in genetically engineered mice with weak muscles. The discovery may provide clues for improving cellular...
Corn-based ethanol faces environmental and economic challenges, prompting scientists to explore cellulose as an alternative. Researchers at Cornell University have discovered a class of plant enzymes that can improve the efficiency of cellulose degradation, potentially making biofuel production more cost-effective.
A research team from the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin aims to discover, engineer and produce promising phosphonate-based antibiotics. The project seeks alternatives to standard antibiotics due to growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance.
A team of scientists has conducted molecular simulations to understand the cellulose enzyme complex's role in breaking down tightly bound cellulose into sugars. By discovering key steps in this process, researchers can develop protein engineering strategies to speed up the reaction and produce ethanol more efficiently.
Researchers identify mutations in moonlighting enzyme dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) that contribute to the reduction of frataxin production, leading to increased severity of Friedreich's ataxia. The study suggests DLD as a potential target for therapies of this condition.
UCSF scientists have discovered that chitin triggers an allergic inflammatory response in the lungs of mice, leading to increased production of the anti-chitin enzyme. The researchers suggest that people with less-effective versions of this enzyme may be more prone to asthma due to their inability to control exposure to inhaled chitin.
Researchers at ESRF successfully filmed an enzyme in action using cryogenic techniques, revealing intermediate states crucial to its function. The study contributes to understanding how the enzyme eliminates toxic molecules, offering hope for developing new drugs to combat neurodegenerative diseases.
A molecule designed by a Purdue University researcher could prevent the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain, a key step in Alzheimer's disease. The new compound targets memapsin 2, an enzyme involved in plaque development, and has shown promising results in reducing beta-amyloid levels.
Scientists at Mayo Clinic have isolated an enzyme called SULF2, which appears to be overexpressed in nasopharyngeal cancers. High levels of SULF2 are associated with increased risk of early recurrence and death within 10 years after radiation therapy.
A new class of anti-HIV drugs has proven effective in a clinical trial by inhibiting the integrase enzyme, leading to a significant drop in HIV RNA levels and an increase in CD4 cells. The study suggests that this drug could become an important component of combination treatment regimens for heavily pretreated patients.
Researchers have discovered that enhancing glyoxalase 1 levels can decrease glycation damage and extend lifespan in nematodes. The enzyme also protects proteins against oxidation and nitration, promoting healthy aging
Researchers propose a novel method using ultraviolet light and titanium dioxide to cut proteins into manageable pieces for analysis. This technique offers advantages over conventional enzyme-based methods, including reduced sensitivity to temperature and acidity, ease of incorporation, and long-lasting material durability.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard discover the final piece of vitamin B12's synthesis pathway, solving a decades-long mystery. The enzyme BluB catalyzes the formation of a key fragment, DMB, through an unusual cannibalization reaction.
Scientists have detailed images of a bacterial cell wall target that could aid in designing new antibiotics to treat deadly infections. The images, published in the journal Science, show an antibiotic called moenomycin binding to the enzyme, providing a new understanding of its structure and function.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered a mechanism to modify enzymes that stabilize immune regulatory cells, improving their function and preventing autoimmune diseases. The findings offer a new approach to treating multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and arthritis by targeting faulty white blood cells.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a technique to convert unsaturated oils in temperate plants to tropical-like oils with higher saturated fatty acid levels. This can lead to the production of renewable feedstocks for industrial processes and more healthful nutrition.
Waste products like grass clippings and wood chips can be converted into ethanol using gene-tweaked bacteria. The discovery reveals how a bacterium selects enzymes to break down specific biomasses, enabling more efficient ethanol production.
Researchers identify JARID1d, an enzyme that removes trimethylation marks from histone H3, allowing genes to be active. The discovery sheds light on the mechanisms governing gene control and its importance for health.
Researchers at Imperial College London have identified two key enzymes that help meningitis bacteria evade the body's immune system. The discovery could lead to novel treatments by disabling these enzymes and making the bacteria vulnerable to attack.
Researchers discovered Dap1, which controls the activity of enzymes involved in cholesterol synthesis and drug metabolism. The study found that genetic variations in Dap1 may influence how people react to certain drugs.
A new approach to teaching biology classes at Ohio State University has led to a four-fold increase in test scores among students who are given more freedom to think for themselves. By using real experiments and encouraging critical thinking, students were able to demonstrate a deeper understanding of biological concepts.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that an enzyme important in fetal heart-cell development regulates cardiac hypertrophy, a key step in congestive heart failure. The study found that inhibiting this enzyme can prevent the onset of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital discovered the role of PanK2 enzyme in detecting fatty acid buildup in mitochondria, a crucial step in cellular energy production. This finding has significant implications for understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases caused by mutations in the PANK2 gene.
A team of scientists at WashU Medicine has discovered that the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase I plays a critical role in promoting the growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Without this enzyme, mice do not develop aneurysms due to reduced recruitment of inflammatory cells.
The Biodesign Institute is working on a $2.67 million NIH grant to develop antidotes for nerve agent poisoning. The project aims to create 'next-generation' bioscavengers using human enzymes and plant-based production methods.
Researchers discover xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) as a key player in early fat cell development, suggesting potential for new obesity treatment. XOR inhibition blocks fat formation and improves metabolic outcomes in mice.
Scientists have developed a potential neuroprotective treatment using a decoy peptide that tricks the toxic enzyme calpain, preventing over-excited receptors in the brain from causing cell death. The technique may lead to new drugs for stroke and Alzheimer's patients.
Scientists have made significant discoveries about the energy-generating mechanisms of bacteria, specifically Vibrio cholerae. The study reveals that this pathogen uses a unique system involving the enzyme NQR to generate a sodium gradient, which powers essential cell functions like movement and flagellar rotation.
A new paradigm in immune regulation has been discovered, where LAG-3 protein acts as an immunological molecular brake controlled by the strength of the T cell receptor signal. The study shows that cleavage of LAG-3 proteins on activated T lymphocytes allows them to greatly increase their proliferation rate during an immune response.
Researchers at VBI have identified a potential target for inhibiting excessive glucose production in type 2 diabetics by modulating the activity of key enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. This approach could lead to the development of novel therapeutics to slow down but not eliminate glucose overproduction.
French researchers applied quantum chemistry to enzyme models and found that lead's electron shield causes toxic effects in the nervous system, kidneys, liver, brain, and blood. The complexation agents used as antidotes may not be lead-specific, removing other important metal cations from the body.
A team of researchers found the cellular mechanism that prevents protein mutations and accumulation, a hallmark of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This discovery may lead to new insights into neurological disease origins and potential therapeutic strategies.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital discovered that a simple chemical link called a thioester bond acts like a switch to control the handoff of a protein called NEDD8 between enzymes E1 and E2. This switch triggers a biochemical cascade that keeps cells alive and functioning normally, including regulating cell division.
Research reveals that PMR1 enzyme forms temporary shelters in stressed cells to protect mRNA, allowing protein production to resume when stress ends. This protective mechanism may help cancer cells evade cancer therapies.
A combination of bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy has greatly lengthened the lives of laboratory mice with Krabbé disease, a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disorder also found in people. The dual therapy improved motor skills and increased lifespan by more than twice as long as untreated mice.
Researchers developed an efficient synthetic route to produce cryptophycin 1, a promising anti-cancer drug from blue-green algae, and identified a key enzyme that introduces the epoxide group in the desired beta configuration.
Researchers at USC have provided the first 3D view of a protein from an enzyme family that mutates genes to both help and hinder human health. The study sheds new light on the rare immune deficiency disease hyper-IgM immunodeficiency syndrome type 2 (HIGM-2).
Researchers discovered the role of metalloproteinases in increasing vascular permeability and blood loss associated with Dengue. In vivo experiments neutralized these enzymes, providing a new model for treating hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Marburg.
A year-long study found that enzyme replacement therapy reduced the risk of death in children with Pompe disease by 99 percent. The treatment, which involves replacing the deficient enzyme acid a-glucosidase, was shown to improve respiratory performance and reduce the need for ventilators.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a 'super' form of the enzyme Akt1 that can extend the lives of dendritic cells, the master switches of the immune system. This enhances the immune response against tumors by expanding T-cells, which attack cancer cells.
Researchers at UCLA and Rutgers University have solved the mystery of DNA transcription, revealing a new mechanism involving the 'scrunching' of DNA during transcription. The discovery could lead to breakthroughs in combating bacterial diseases that kill millions worldwide.
Researchers discovered a new pathway that regulates the p53 protein, a key molecule controlling cancer in humans. The study suggests potential approaches to diagnosing or intervening in cancer progression.
Researchers have determined the APOBEC-3G protein structure, providing key insights into its role in the immune system and potential as a drug target. The study suggests that editing errors introduced by A3G can help defend against HIV, and future drugs may be designed to replicate this natural protection.