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Scientists show protein-making machinery can switch gears with a small structural change process, which may have implications for immunity and cancer therapy, compared to the movie The Transformers

Researchers show tRNA synthetases, essential in protein production, can also regulate transcription through a single chemical alteration, with implications for immune response and cancer. This transformation may lead to new treatments for allergies and cancer.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalMolecular Cell·DateNov 15, 2012

Trapped in a ring

Researchers at EMBL and IGBMC discovered a ring-like structure in the Elongator protein complex, which holds tRNA in place while introducing chemical modifications to DNA. This ensures accurate protein production. The findings also suggest that the complex employs tools and tricks to perform its tasks inside cells.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateFeb 20, 2012

A better way to count molecules discovered

A new method for counting molecules has been developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, allowing for the accurate measurement of RNA and DNA molecules in cells. This breakthrough enables the counting of absolute numbers of molecules, rather than just relative differences between samples.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Methods·DateNov 21, 2011

Genetic mutations associated with increased PSA and prostate cancer

Researchers have identified genetic mutations associated with elevated PSA levels in men diagnosed with prostate cancer, offering potential new biomarkers for disease monitoring. The study's findings suggest that sequencing of selected mitochondrial regions could provide valuable information for prognosis.

SourceCell Press·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateDec 2, 2010

Molecular fossil

Researchers at Northwestern University have produced an atomic picture showing how RNase P recognizes and cleaves transfer RNA, revealing the versatility and complexity of RNA as a catalyst. The study supports the idea that RNA played a crucial role in the emergence of life.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·DateNov 14, 2010

Scripps Research scientists find early evolution maximized the 'spellchecking' of protein sequences

Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have discovered that two separate functions—alanine adding and editing—were joined together in a single enzyme during early evolution. The findings show that the C-Ala domain enhances collaboration between the aminoacylation and editing domains, making them work together synergistically.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalScience·DateAug 6, 2009

Penn scientists use RNA to reprogram 1 cell type into another

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found a way to change one cell type into another by flooding it with specific messenger RNAs from another cell type. This approach, called Transcriptome induced phenotype remodeling (TIPeR), offers the possibility for a new type of cell-based therapy for neurodegener...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 16, 2009

Researchers study signaling networks that set up genetic code

Researchers at the University of Illinois have identified and visualized signaling pathways in protein-RNA complexes to understand how the genetic code is set in all organisms. The study uses molecular dynamics simulations and visualization software to analyze the optimal communication pathways, revealing modules and local communities ...

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 14, 2009

Loss of a universal tRNA feature reported

Researchers have discovered that two alphaproteobacteria lack the universal extra guanylate nucleotide typically found in transfer RNA molecule tRNAHis, which assists in incorporating amino acid histidine into new proteins. This finding suggests a radical departure from previously known identity rules for histidine-carrying tRNAs.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalJournal of Bacteriology·DateFeb 7, 2007

A new player in nuclear import of HIV-1

A new study has identified a key player in HIV-1's nuclear import process, revealing that host cell tRNA molecules facilitate the entry of the virus's reverse transcription complex into the nucleus. This finding sheds light on the complex mechanisms by which HIV-1 integrates its genetic material into host cells.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 2, 2006

Hopkins scientists overcome main obstacle to making tons of short, drug-like proteins

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have overcome a major obstacle to creating large libraries of drug-like peptides. By modifying naturally occurring amino acids with a methyl group, they can produce up to 10 billion stabilized peptides in a single reaction. This breakthrough enables the rapid testing of potential medicines and has s...

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalChemistry & Biology·DateApr 22, 2004

Nature's own medicine for vision loss: Inhibitor of angiogenesis found by biologists at The Scripps Research Institute

Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have discovered a fragment of the human protein TrpRS that inhibits angiogenesis, offering new hope for treatments of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The truncated form of TrpRS appears to be more potent than existing antiangiogenic compounds.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 2, 2002