Laboratory Equipment. Engineering an 'Invisible Cloak' for Bacteria to Deliver Drugs to TumorsColumbia Design scientists report that they have created a "cloaking" system that temporarily conceals healing bacteria from body immune systems. This allow them to supply drugs to tumors better and eliminate cancer cells in mice. By manipulating the germs' DNA, they programmed...
A 3-dimensional model of a natural killer cell (purple) with granules (yellow) attaching to a target cell (gray). A pseudo color scale shows differences in packing density of lipids on NK cell membrane, with warmer colors indicating higher density. Credit: Orange lab, CUIMCA recently uncovered fat 'guard' that avoids natural killer cells from being...
This fluorescence microscopy image shows yeast vacuoles that have undergone phase separation. Credit: Luther Davis/Alexey Merz/University of WashingtonMembranes are essential to our cells. Every cell in your body is encased by one. And each of those cells contains specialized chambers, or organelles, which are similarly confined by membranes.Membranes assist cells in accomplishing tasks like...
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have determined two antibodies that protect animals from disease brought on by alphaviruses. The antibodies were effective for every alphavirus checked, suggesting they possibly can create the basis of treatments or serve as a guide for a universal vaccine.In the US, the alphavirus we...
Research by Gustavo Caetano-Anollés and Fayez Aziz, University of Illinois, reveals a “big bang” during evolution of protein subunits known as domains. The team looked for protein relationships and domain recruitment into proteins over 3.8 billion years across all taxonomic units. Their results could have implications for vaccine development and disease management. Credit: Fred...
Cryo-EM imaging reveals high-resolution side and top views of the viral RNA replication “crown” complex structure. Credit: Paul Ahlquist, Morgridge Institute for ResearchFor the very first time, researchers at the Morgridge Institute for Research have created near-atomic resolution images of a significant viral protein complicated responsible for replicating the RNA genome of a member...
The newly described oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (green) contact long-distance neuronal axons (magenta) on the wall of the brain ventricles.According to a study published June 20 in Science, scientists discovered two types of glial cells in the brains of adult mice - an astrocyte and an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell - after pushing neural stem cells to...
An artistic rendering of antibodies surrounding a SARS-CoV-2 particle. Credit: LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORYAn antibody treatment that seems to reduce the effects of all recognized SARS-CoV-2 pressures and various other coronaviruses was created with some help from architectural biologist Jay Nix.Lifesaving COVID-19 injections are enabling us to feel optimistic once again, after over a...
MIT researchers have devised a way to program memories into bacterial cells by rewriting their DNA more efficiently. Credit: MIT News, iStockphotoOrganic engineers at MIT have created a brand-new way to edit bacterial genomes successfully and program memories right into microbial cells by revising their DNA. Using this technique, various spatial and temporal information...
Scanning was completed both during Time 1 and Time 2 (approximately 1.5 years later) in each of the 5 age groups (6-year-olds, 10-year-olds, 14-year-olds, 16-year-olds, and 18+-year-olds). Credit: Zacharopoulos G, et al., 2021, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0The neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate have complementary functions - GABA inhibits neurons, while glutamate makes them extra active. Published...
