Articles tagged with Enzymology
Researchers show enzymes can actively shift reactions away from equilibrium, controlling directionality and fine metabolic regulation. Enzyme diffusion enables 'memory' of past reaction events, driving system to new steady state.
RNA droplets promote reduction and oxidation reactions, crucial for life, according to UC Santa Barbara researchers. The findings support the idea that these droplets acted as proto-enzymes, enabling the development of more complicated organic molecules.
A brain-specific enzyme reshapes protein-linked sugar chains to facilitate the formation of complex glycans essential for normal brain function. This process is critical for efficient keratan sulfate formation and has implications for research into glycan-related brain disorders.
Researchers have developed a new AI method called Riff-Diff to construct artificial biocatalysts, resulting in enzymes that are significantly faster, more stable and versatile. The technology allows for precise design of protein structures around active centres, making enzyme design more accessible to the wider biotechnology community.
Scientists at Leibniz-HKI discovered an enzyme called BurK that cleaves the toxic molecule malleicyprol in human pathogenic bacteria. This mechanism regulates toxin levels and renders it harmless to humans, offering a potential therapeutic approach for antibiotic-resistant infections.
Researchers have developed an innovative antibody-based enzyme switch called 'Switchbody', which is activated upon antigen binding. The switch's mechanism relies on a 'trap-and-release' process, offering new opportunities in diagnostics and therapeutics.
Researchers transform corn stover into microbial lipids using alkaline storage, gentle steam, and squeeze detoxification. The process delivers high sugar recovery and lipid content, reducing water demand by one-third compared to conventional methods.
A new AI-powered tool, EZSpecificity, can predict the best enzyme-substrate combination for various applications. The tool outperformed existing models in accuracy, especially for halogenase enzymes.
Researchers have elucidated the final step in the biosynthesis of iridoids, a widespread class of plant secondary metabolites with defense and medicinal properties. The discovery of an enzyme catalyzing cyclisation to nepetalactol paves the way for future biotechnological production of these compounds.
Researchers discover two distinct methods for producing psilocybin in mushrooms, one in Psilocybe species and another in fiber cap mushrooms. The finding sheds light on convergent evolution and the unique biochemical strategies employed by fungi to produce the same molecule.
Researchers at POSTECH and Korea Brain Research Institute unveil NeuO's mechanism of selective neuron staining through PAK6 kinase phosphorylation. This breakthrough opens path for precise tracking and study of living neurons in brain.
Researchers discovered a new enzyme, PNGaseL, with broader specificity than existing alternatives. It can target glycans from mammalian, insect, and plant-derived proteins, expanding its utility in glycobiological settings. The study was published in The Royal Society Open Science journal.
Researchers created a glycan-binding protein that can analyze and treat diseases via sugar patterns found on the surface of cells. The tool, named sCore2, was developed by retraining an enzyme to bind to specific sugars, providing a new way to study glycans and their role in disease.
A novel AI-based approach identifies a distinct physicochemical signature near the cleavage site of gamma-secretase substrates, revealing dynamic properties essential for molecular recognition. The study highlights the potential of this methodology to improve understanding of gamma-secretase's role in diseases and aid drug development.
Scientists from the University of Bath have identified two new families of chemical compounds that inhibit alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (MCR) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a key enzyme for TB survival. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for TB and potentially other diseases like prostate cancer.
A new study from the Buck Institute has uncovered how breaking down glycogen in neurons may protect against toxic protein buildup and degeneration. Researchers found that restoring an enzyme called glycogen phosphorylase can reduce tau-related damage and improve oxidative stress reduction.
Salk Institute and UC San Diego researchers captured the first-of-its-kind video of dynein-Lis1 protein interaction, revealing 16 detailed shapes that support designing therapeutics to restore dynein and Lis1 function. The insights gained from this movie will help identify precise locations where drugs can interact with the proteins.
Göttingen University researchers have discovered previously undetected chemical bonds within archived protein structures, revealing an unexpected complexity in protein chemistry. These newly identified nitrogen-oxygen-sulphur (NOS) linkages broaden our understanding of how proteins respond to oxidative stress.
Researchers deciphered Amuc_1547, a gut bacterium's sialidase enzyme that breaks down mucins to acquire energy. The enzyme's unique mechanism reveals new paths for treating metabolic diseases like obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers used ancestral sequence reconstruction to study the evolution of enzyme thermostability and cold adaptation. They identified key amino acid substitutions that enhanced catalytic activity at low temperatures, revealing a structural shift between intermediate ancestral enzymes.
Researchers found that glycans attached to glycosylation enzymes' lectin domains inhibit the enzymes' activity, leading to self-regulation of their own biosynthesis. This unique mechanism sheds light on how glycosylation enzymes choose their substrate proteins in cells.
Biologists discovered a key enzyme's interaction with a small structure in glycans that contributes to the malfunctioning of carbohydrates' attachment process. This process is essential for numerous physiological processes and can lead to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and muscular dystrophy.
Microorganisms in the intestinal flora utilize beta-elimination to break down glycosides, enabling humans to absorb healthy plant natural products. The 'enzyme scissors' mechanism is a universal catalytic principle allowing for efficient cleavage of various glycosides.
Researchers at Hokkaido University found a bacterium that can break down the eco-friendly polymer polybutylene succinate in marine environments. The discovery of the enzyme PBSase has the potential to improve recycling technologies and develop new marine biodegradable polymers.
The study found that MdMYB73 activates MdPH5 expression and enhances its activity, regulating malate transport into vacuoles. This results in increased malate accumulation and vacuolar acidification.
A new enzyme, CtdY, has been identified that can break an amide bond, a fundamental type of bond found in proteins. This discovery holds significant promise for the pharmaceutical industry, as it could enable the creation of new anticancer drugs and improve treatment outcomes.
Scientists at the University of Ottawa have engineered an enzyme that can specifically cut small, non-coding RNAs, shedding light on their functions and paving the way for potential therapeutic applications. The new enzyme could be a powerful tool for studying these important RNA species.
The Spitrobot simplifies sample preparation for time-resolved crystallography, allowing non-specialist groups to conduct experiments that previously required expert expertise. This technology accelerates research in enzymatic mechanisms and enables broader applications in biotechnology and disease-related problems.
A new AI tool, CLEAN, can predict enzyme functions based on amino acid sequences, outperforming leading state-of-the-art tools in accuracy and reliability. The tool was developed using contrastive learning and verified experimentally with both computational and in vitro experiments.
A study by researchers at TUM found that gut bacteria play a crucial role in liver regeneration. The microbiome produces short-chain fatty acids, which are essential for liver cell growth and division. In mice treated with antibiotics, liver regeneration was delayed or not possible, but a
A team from Goethe University has identified the spatial structure of the mannitol-synthesizing enzyme MtlD in Acinetobacter baumannii, which is crucial for its survival. This discovery could lead to the development of customized substances to inhibit the enzyme and combat this hospital pathogen.
Autophagy is induced when ER-bound ribosomes are stalled, rescuing them from cellular harm. The ERC grant aims to decipher the role of Autophagy in rescuing stalled ER-bound ribosomes.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have discovered that certain flavonoids inhibit an enzyme involved in the formation of a key insect hormone in the yellow fever mosquito. Flavonoids, found in plants and other organisms, also show larvicidal activity against mosquitoes.
Researchers from Tokyo University of Science developed a self-powered diaper sensor that monitors urine sugar levels, providing an alternative biomarker for blood sugar monitoring. The sensor uses a biofuel cell powered by glucose in the urine, detecting sugar levels within 1 second and simplifying caretaking tasks.