Articles tagged with Crystal Structure
Researchers discovered that all GARS mutations causing CMT type 2D lead to a structural opening in the protein, creating space for other proteins to bind and cause havoc. This finding may lead to the development of drugs targeting this region, offering new therapeutic avenues for the disease.
Researchers have discovered that metallic glass can form a single crystal at its core, offering new insights into its atomic structure and behavior. This finding may help improve the performance of commercially important materials such as anti-theft tags and power transformers.
Physicists at the University of Michigan have successfully created 3D arrays of optically induced crystals using laser beams. The technique allows for the formation of crystalline structures without the need for X-ray crystallography, which is commonly used to analyze biological molecules.
The new technique enables 3D mapping of crystal structures inside nanomaterials with nanometer resolution, allowing for the study of their special properties and behavior under different conditions. This has significant implications for understanding and optimizing material properties in various applications.
A new high-performance method has determined the structure of protein molecules in several cases where previous methods failed. This breakthrough aids in fields like nanotechnology, drug design, and disease research by understanding a protein's molecular shape and function.
Scientists have identified a new type of symmetry in materials, expanding possibilities for discovering materials with desired properties. This discovery can lead to the development of novel ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials, which could be used in next-generation ultrasound devices and computers.
Researchers have gained a deeper understanding of how nanowires form, thanks to a new theoretical model. The discovery reveals that the shape of catalyst particles controls the growth of nanowires and their crystal structure.
A Syracuse University chemist has developed a way to use THz light waves to study weak forces between molecules in crystals, which could help predict crystal structures of pharmaceuticals. The technique combines THz experiments with computational models to refine theoretical predictions.
Researchers use X-ray laser to determine 3D structures of proteins and capture single-shot images of viruses, paving the way for snapshots and movies of molecules and microbes in action. The technique has the potential to decipher tens of thousands of protein structures and study infectious diseases.
Researchers at Scripps Research and UVa determine the structure of HIV's protein package, also known as the capsid. The detailed description provides a roadmap for developing drugs that can disrupt its formation and prevent infection. The study uses X-ray crystallography to reveal the flexibility and mobility of the capsid's components.
A Caltech-led team has developed a new alloy that combines the strengths of metals and glasses, demonstrating unprecedented level of combined toughness and strength. The palladium-based alloy shows high toughness and strength, making it suitable for biomedical implants such as dental implants.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab and Cal Tech have developed a new type of damage-tolerant metallic glass that outperforms any known material. The glass's unique composition promotes extensive plasticity, allowing it to bend rather than crack under stress.
A team of researchers used the Jülich supercomputer to unravel the structures of DVD materials, revealing a new understanding of the read and write processes. The study provides insight into the rapid phase change mechanisms, which could lead to improved storage materials with longer life, larger capacity, or shorter access times.
Researchers have developed ultra-clean nanowires with a perfect cubic crystal structure, allowing for higher efficiency in nano-electronic devices. The breakthrough is achieved by growing wires on a silicon substrate without metal catalysis.
Researchers at NIST used a neutron beam to analyze the compound PZT, revealing its crystal structure and how it works. They found that PZT's behavior changes gradually rather than sharply, and may lead to designing better piezoelectric materials.
Using x-ray crystallography, researchers at Saint Louis University have revealed the molecular structure of the zymogen form of thrombin, a precursor to the active enzyme involved in blood clotting. This discovery provides crucial information about the activation mechanism and opens new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Scientists have developed a bioinformatics strategy to predict membrane protein structures, which are underrepresented in existing databases. Using this approach, researchers successfully determined the tertiary structure of a bacterial membrane protein and predicted the structure of a plant membrane protein.
The Joint Center for Structural Genomics (JCSG), led by Ian A. Wilson, has made significant strides in high-throughput structural genomics, solving over 1,150 structures to date. The JCSG's pipeline has optimized every stage of the process, enabling large numbers of target proteins to be tackled simultaneously.
A team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has demonstrated methods to harness electronic oxides for broad applications in nanoelectronic devices. The new process allows the formation of structures that put different oxide layers on top of a silicon substrate, enabling the creation of conducting nanowires and tiny transistors.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution for Science have successfully watched nanoparticles grow from the earliest stages of formation using high-energy X-rays. This breakthrough allows for the development of new techniques to control growth conditions, paving the way for improved solar-cell technology and chemical sensors.
A research team led by Edward Yu has discovered the crystal structures of pumps that remove heavy metal toxins from bacteria, allowing them to resist antibiotics. This finding provides a better understanding of bacterial resistance and could help drug researchers develop treatments to combat it.
Researchers successfully recreated the extreme conditions found at the Earth's core-mantle boundary, enabling them to study the behavior of a unique mineral called post-perovskite. This discovery sheds light on how seismic waves travel through this region and provides insights into Earth's internal heating and cooling processes.
A team at Scripps Research Institute has detailed the structure of a member of the only remaining class of multidrug resistance transporters. The study, published in Nature, may lead to the development of new antibiotics and improve crop agriculture by reengineering the transporter to help plants grow in soil they can't grow in now.
A study by North Carolina State University researchers has discovered a way to create ultra-strong aluminum alloys using nanostructures. The new materials exhibit exceptional strength while maintaining ductility and can be used on various metals. This breakthrough is crucial for developing lighter yet stronger materials.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have determined the atomic structure of a human adenovirus, leading to insights into its assembly and potential applications in gene therapy. The largest complex ever solved at atomic resolution, this discovery may lead to more effective treatments for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and cancer.
NIST nanowires grown through precisely defined holes in a stencil-like mask covering the silicon wafer exhibit excellent mechanical quality factors and controlled diameter placement. The technique enables precise control of wire location, resulting in uniform shape and size of nearly perfect hexagonal shapes.
A team led by University of Wisconsin-Madison chemist Song Jin shows that a screw dislocation drives the growth of hollow zinc oxide nanotubes. The finding provides new insight into the processes guiding the formation of smallest manufactured structures, a significant challenge in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Researchers at ESRF found that a five-fold coordinated surface triggers supercooling, which is then confirmed through experiments with a gold-silicon alloy. This discovery resolves long-standing debates and has implications for hail prevention, technological processes, and semiconductor nanostructure growth.
Scientists at Carnegie Institution used high-pressure techniques to study the connection between density and electronic structure of a cerium-aluminum metallic glass, opening up new possibilities for developing metallic glasses. The research found that high pressure causes changes in properties such as volume or electronic behavior, re...
Scientists have visualized a donut-shaped structure of an enzyme involved in degrading proline, a key amino acid in metabolism. This discovery will aid in understanding the enzyme's function and developing drugs to inhibit its activity.
Researchers have grown a crystal that reveals the structure of integrase, an enzyme found in HIV, and how it interacts with antiretroviral drugs. This breakthrough could lead to improved treatments for HIV by understanding how existing drugs work and how to improve them.
Researchers at Northwestern University discovered that X-rays can drive the formation of a new type of crystal, featuring charged cylindrical filaments. The crystals exhibit striking features, including long-range ordering and high water content, offering new insights into crystallization processes.
Scientists recreated conditions for layer-by-layer crystalline growth using micron-sized particles, discovering that random motion affects crystal growth. The study's findings may lead to better control over the growth of thin films used in electronic component manufacturing.
A new study in Journal of the American Chemical Society explains how sea urchins form hard, complex structures from calcium carbonate. The resulting calcite crystal is tough enough to grind away limestone or sandstone.
The December 2009 Geosphere issue examines the Stateline fault along the California-Nevada border, revealing right-lateral deformation and extension. The study also investigates crystal-rich magmas of the Tuolumne batholith in the Sierra Nevada range, exploring magma chamber formation and physical processes.
The studies used molecular dynamics flexible fitting (MDFF) to examine the interaction of the ribosome with EF-Tu and SecY, respectively. The researchers found structural evidence that when the ribosome recognizes the correct tRNA, it induces a change in the shape of EF-Tu, allowing chemical interactions to lead to protein assembly.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab discovered a lead-free alternative to piezoelectric materials, bismuth ferrite, which enhances the piezoelectric effect under epitaxial strain. The study demonstrates reversible phase changes in thin films of bismuth ferrite, opening up new possibilities for devices and applications.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have successfully mapped the molecular structure of a key portion of the NMDA receptor, which is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. This achievement provides a crucial step towards developing targeted treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have developed a new technology to ensure correct drug crystal formation, eliminating polymorphism issues that result in significant losses. The system uses self-assembled monolayers to produce well-defined crystal structures, promising improved pharmaceutical efficiency and efficacy.
Researchers at Caltech have created a nanoscale crystal device that confines both light and sound vibrations in the same tiny space. This enables the manipulation of sound and light waves with frequencies as high as tens of gigahertz, opening up potential applications in lightwave communication systems, biosensors, and more.
A Rice University-led team will build a simulator capable of tackling high-temperature superconductivity using ultracold atoms and lasers. The goal is to study complex materials like cuprate superconductors, which are still not fully understood.
Researchers at MIT have cracked the code of cement's molecular structure, finding it to be a hybrid with characteristics of both crystalline and amorphous structures. This discovery could lead to the development of more durable and environmentally friendly concrete.
New York University chemists have created three-dimensional DNA structures with potential industrial and pharmaceutical applications. The breakthrough uses a technique that organizes matter in six different directions, yielding a 3D crystal structure visible to the naked eye.
Researchers developed a rapid heating treatment called Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) to remove structural defects in zeolite membranes, improving their performance and separation efficiency. This breakthrough could significantly increase the energy efficiency of chemical separations and enable higher production rates.
Researchers at TUM have identified a unique pathway in aggressive microorganisms, such as tuberculosis and malaria pathogens, that may be vulnerable to custom-tailored antibiotics. The discovery opens a promising approach for developing new reaction steps vital to microorganisms but irrelevant in humans.
Researchers at NIST discovered a new technique to measure key structural properties of nanoscale metal-oxide films using terahertz spectroscopy. The method allows for the detection of amorphous and crystalline structures in these films, which are crucial for predicting device performance.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new technique to create self-aligned and defect-free nanowire channels using gallium arsenide. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of higher performance transistors for next-generation integrated circuit applications.
Scientists have developed a way to train proteins to line up neatly on the surface of water in thin layers called nanofilms. This technique should allow biochemists to better see and study the molecules, leading to new generations of molecular electronics and ultra-thin materials.
A team of researchers has identified the source of unique electronic properties in silver niobate, a ceramic dielectric material used in wireless communications equipment. The study reveals how subtle nanoscale changes in the material's structure give rise to major changes in its physical properties.
Researchers found evidence of abundant oxygen in ancient ocean and atmosphere, dating back 3.46 billion years. The discovery suggests early life forms like cyanobacteria produced oxygen 3.46 billion years ago.
Researchers have developed metallic glass alloys with improved fatigue resistance, surpassing conventional metal alloys in both strength and durability. The breakthrough involves introducing a second phase of crystalline metal within the glass, which acts as a local arrest point to prevent crack propagation.
Researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology have discovered a novel one-dimensional ice chain structure built entirely from pentagons, challenging the long-held assumption that hexagons are the building blocks of ice. This discovery has significant implications for understanding hydrogen bonding at interfaces and may lead to ne...
Researchers developed compounds that inhibit an enzyme producing nitric oxide, a neurotransmitter that can damage brain tissue. The treatment was effective in preventing cerebral palsy in animal models, suggesting a potential preventive strategy for humans in the future.
Researchers at Scripps Institute successfully capture the crystal structure of an intermediate viral particle, revealing a dynamic process of protein coat assembly. The study provides fresh insights into viral protein interactions and suggests potential targets for interrupting virus assembly.
Researchers at NIST and Brookhaven National Laboratory have defined the structure of a metabolic switch found inside most types of bacteria, revealing how a key protein regulates genes involved in bacterial survival. The discovery could lead to new methods for preventing tuberculosis and other pathogenic diseases.
Physicists and chemists at the University of Utah developed a new method using silver nanoparticles to visualize internal structures in nearly opaque biological materials. The technique allows for the detection of fatigue in materials like carbon-fiber plastics used in aircraft, enabling regular inspections of fuselage integrity.
A new phase of pure boron has been discovered with a partially ionic structure, exhibiting unusual physical properties and bringing surprise to the scientific community. The discovery was made possible by a computational method developed by ETH Zurich researcher Artem Oganov, who predicted the stable crystal structures of materials.
Researchers found that stable nanoclusters of calcium carbonate form in water with a small quantity of dissolved calcium carbonate, not as previously thought. This discovery may help explain the structure of biominerals and provide insights into coping with lime scale in washing machines.
Engineers at the University of Leeds developed a technique using infra-red spectroscopy to analyze chemical processes, enabling real-time monitoring of supersaturation levels required for crystallization. This can help predict optimum crystal structure conditions and improve pharmaceutical manufacturing efficiency.
A protein in H5N1 avian flu virus forms tiny tubules hiding double-stranded RNA from the immune system, allowing the virus to evade an antiviral response. The discovery could lead to drug development to block this action and potentially fight influenza worldwide.