A highly conserved mechanism in worms and humans has been discovered by researchers at Monash University that could provide a novel therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s.
Prions are viewed as disastrous for cells; unbreakable, infectious, clumps of protein that self-propagate leading to toxic gain or loss of function. However, researchers from Stanford University have discovered a new role for prions in transmitting epigenetic information and promoting proliferation.
A protein that promotes the metastasis to the brain of breast, lung and other cancers has been identified. When cancer cells break off from their initial tumour they can spread throughout the body and invade other organs to form new tumours, in a process known as metastasis. Although metastatic tumours cause 90% of deaths in […]
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease characterized by the build-up of amyloid protein plaques in the brain. There are two conflicting theories for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease – the first being that the build up of the amyloid plaques directly causes the disease, and the second being that metabolic defects initiate the build-up of protein. […]
Targeting the immune cells in the brain could slow down the onset of Altzheimer’s, a new study has shown. The build-up of tau protein in the brain can be indicative many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s. Once the tau starts to clump together, tissue damage begins to become visible. However, until recently the link between protein […]
The new agents inhibit bacterial growth through a novel mechanism that poses no harm to body cells.
A protein produced by specific cells in the brain has been shown to repair damaged brain networks. This discovery could allow a genetically engineered treatment for neurogenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s. A key hallmark of neurogenerative diseases is the decay of the connections between neurons in the brain. If these connections could be restored it […]
A new high-throughput sequencing technique created by scientists at the University of Chicago will uncover how naturally occurring microbiomes respond to real-world conditions and diets. The technique, outlined in Nature Communications, directly analyses transfer RNA (tRNA) to give a clear picture of microbial communities’ reactions to environment changes including temperature variations and nutrient availability.
Researchers in Spain have specified the role that the protein PIF1, which can undo different structures in these molecules, plays in the human body. The study found that PIF1 contains the material to allow cells to function properly, and that improperly-repaired damage to the protein can cause problems for health.
Researchers may have found a weakness in a protein that delivers the flu virus that could be a useful target to stop the virus from infecting cells.
A new method makes it possible to systematically identify specialised proteins that unpack DNA inside the nucleus of a cell, making the usually dense DNA more accessible for gene expression and other functions.
Computational researchers have developed a computer program which has revealed a previously unknown combination of drugs that may be the answer to triple-negative breast cancer.
A new method can examine protein assembly in real time, in living cells, to find problems in the process and diagnose the resulting diseases, according to new research.
Recent scientific studies have claimed that transfusions of blood from teenagers can help delay or reverse the ageing process. Do they stack up?
An international team of researchers have built the first detailed genetic map of human proteins to improve understanding of many different diseases and identify possible new drug targets.
