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New regulator of immune responses discovered

Researchers at the University of Leeds have identified a new internal regulator that helps control the body's response to fight infection. The discovery has the potential to help find new drugs to tackle autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and scleroderma, by suppressing the immune system.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalNature·DateMay 29, 2019

How nerve cells control misfolded proteins

A team of researchers has identified a protein complex called Lubac that marks misfolded proteins, stopping them from interacting with other proteins and directing them towards disposal. This discovery holds promise for the development of new therapeutic approaches to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalThe EMBO Journal·DateMar 27, 2019

Male birth control for the malaria parasite

Researchers at Penn State have identified a complex of proteins crucial for the maturation of the malaria parasite's sexual stage, which is required for transmission to mosquitoes. Disrupting this complex inhibits the parasite's ability to mature and infect mosquitoes, offering a new tool in the fight against malaria.

SourcePenn State·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateJan 31, 2019

Helping to transport proteins inside the cell

A team of researchers has uncovered a critical mechanism for transporting proteins into the mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in cells. The discovery reveals that two J-proteins play a key role in targeting precursor proteins to specific receptors on the outer mitochondrial membrane.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalCell Reports·DateNov 21, 2018

A chaperonin protein, GroEL, has a more complex mechanism than was thought before

A Kanazawa University-led team used high-speed atomic force microscopy to study GroEL's mechanism, finding two alternative pathways for the protein-GroES interaction. The research suggests a more active role for the football-shaped structure in protein folding, challenging conventional models of molecular chaperone function.

SourceKanazawa University·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B )·DateJul 10, 2018

Cleaning up? Not without helpers

Researchers from the University of Freiburg successfully identified the molecular composition of calcium-ATPases, crucial for controlling various Ca2+-dependent processes in cells. The discovery highlights the essential role of novel subunits Neuroplastin and Basigin in regulating Ca2+ clearance.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalNeuron·DateOct 19, 2017

Matchmaking with consequences

Researchers at the University of Würzburg have uncovered key details of how Myc proteins work inside tumor cells, revealing their crucial role in cancer development. The study found that an enzyme called polymerase-associated factor 1 (PAF1) plays a significant role in amplifying Myc protein activity.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 17, 2017

Circadian clock's inner gears

A team of researchers led by Charles Weitz shows that a set of core clock proteins organize into molecular machines that control circadian rhythms. The findings provide a starting point for understanding the clock's machinery and its role in various conditions, including sleep disorders and cancer.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalMolecular Cell·DateSep 7, 2017

Lego proteins revealed

Researchers have discovered that self-assembling protein complexes can form long, stiff filaments through a single mutation. This phenomenon has implications for both biological research and nanoscience, as it may indicate that Lego-like assemblies are more common than previously thought.

Marriage of microscopy techniques reveals 3-D structure of critical protein complex

Researchers at the Stowers Institute have solved the three-dimensional structure of the synaptonemal complex, a critical protein complex that ensures proper chromosome sorting during meiosis. The structure is composed of two railroad tracks stacked on top of each other, connecting homologous chromosomes and ensuring smooth cell division.

SourceStowers Institute for Medical Research·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 2, 2017

Signposts to the muscles

Researchers have identified a crucial protein complex, ASC-1, that guides the development of motor neurons and their target muscles. This breakthrough could lead to new insights into general disease mechanisms and potentially regenerative therapies for conditions like paraplegia.

SourceCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateMar 1, 2016

Scientists propose 'pumpjack' mechanism for splitting and copying DNA

Researchers proposed a new mechanism for DNA replication called the 'pumpjack' mechanism, which involves a molecular machine with two distinct conformations that rock back and forth to split the DNA double helix. This linear translocation mechanism appears different from previously thought mechanisms in more primitive organisms.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateFeb 8, 2016