Navigation Links
Freeze! Scientists film proteins at work by freezing them at different states

It is difficult to find similarities between Grenoble and Hollywood or between the researchers at the ESRF and the Institut de Biologie Structural (IBS) and world-known filmmakers. However, scientists from these institutes based in Grenoble (France) have managed to produce a movie. The actors are not celebrities but a protein whose role is to eliminate toxic molecules. They filmed this protein in action by freezing it at several states. They publish their results this week in Science.

Most of the research done on proteins is based on their study in a resting state and their study in movement is extremely limited due to technological limitations. Today, a French team has made a movie of an enzyme (a protein that catalyses chemical reactions) found in bacteria. “The achievement of this research is two-fold: on one side there is the technological success of filming an enzyme in action and on the other hand there are the results that contribute to the knowledge of how this enzyme works? explains Dominique Bourgeois, corresponding author for the paper.

The enzyme filmed in action is called “superoxide reductase? its role is to eliminate a toxic molecule called “superoxide radical? In order to survive, all living organisms have to fight oxidative stress, produced by outflows of the oxygen metabolism. In humans, about 2% of the oxygen used to breathe is transformed into this toxic “superoxide radical?molecule, instead of water. This production is increased in people affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer. A high amount of these molecules worsen these illnesses, so scientists are looking for drugs to eliminate them.

The enzyme studied by the team acts uniquely in bacteria and its counterpart in humans is more complex. Synthesizing an enzyme like the one studied through biomimetics is an exciting possibility for developing future drugs.

In order to produce the film, the team used the ESRF-IBS “Cryobench?laboratory to fr
'"/>

Source:European Synchrotron Radiation Facility


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Scientists ID molecular switch in liver that triggers harmful effects of saturated and trans fats
2. Scientists Replicate Hepatitis C Virus in Laboratory
3. Scientists detect probable genetic cause of some Parkinsons disease cases
4. Scientists find missing enzyme for tuberculosis iron scavenging pathway
5. Scientists seek answers on what activates deadly anthrax spores
6. Yale Scientists Find MicroRNA Regulates Ras Cancer Gene
7. Scientists collaborate to assess health of global environment
8. Scientists decipher genome of fungus that can cause life-threatening infections
9. Scientists discover the cellular roots of graying hair
10. Scientists rid stem cell culture of key animal cells
11. Scientists develop new color-coded test for protein folding
Post Your Comments:
(Date:5/17/2013)... Efficient and Sustainable Global Logistics Operations) is aiming to ... efficiency of intermodal loading systems and the boosting of ... European organisations with experience in the logistics sector and ... 17,000,000 and a duration of three and a half ... the semantic components and ontologies shared by the users, ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... MD The Federation of American Societies for Experimental ... National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding trends highlighting the ... support critical research. The FASEB analysis follows a May ... Collins, MD, PhD, who testified that the $1.6 billion ... sequestration is "having a substantial impact on the scientific ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... 17, 2013) Illustrating a commitment to the ... Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Foundation has announced the ... Fellowship Award recipients. Supported by the National Institute ... this new award helps underrepresented minority students to ... nutrition research. , "By establishing this new award, ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):New logistics services that will cut energy consumption and CO2 emissions 2Underrepresented minority students receive fellowships in digestive disease and nutrition research 2
... Department of Agriculture should jointly establish a Nutrient Control ... of actions meant to improve water quality throughout the ... Mexico, says a new report from the National Research ... forward on the larger process of allocating nutrient loading ...
... at The University of Queensland could contribute to the ... virus and Dengue fever. Led by Associate ... School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences identified a novel ... belong. The team found all flaviviruses produced ...
... in a basement laboratory, where he manipulates their genes and ... and he may sound like a comic book villain, but ... to the University of Alberta,s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, ... FMR1 in a fruit fly,s brain will wipe out its ...
Cached Biology News:EPA and USDA should create new initiative to better monitor nutrients 2EPA and USDA should create new initiative to better monitor nutrients 3EPA and USDA should create new initiative to better monitor nutrients 4UQ research targets West Nile virus and dengue fever 2'Fly guy' makes memory breakthrough 2
(Date:5/20/2013)...  Dr. Gerald Zon , noted ... launched a new blog in conjunction with TriLink BioTechnologies. ... focuses on what,s trending in the field of nucleic ... discussions of research presented at conferences and meetings, reviews ... Zon (PhD Princeton University 1971) developed automated synthesis of ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... ROCKVILLE , Md. and BALTIMORE ... Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing ... to early-stage funding in Central Maryland ... Aiyar, Ph.D., M.B.A., as the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) ... (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... -- Rhythm announced today the results of a second ... ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis in ... significantly accelerates early gastric emptying and reduces upper gastrointestinal ... gastroparesis. The findings were presented at the Digestive Disease ... and recently published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... 20, 2013 Recognizing exciting and ... members to its 2013 Class of Young Professors. ... will provide this outstanding international group with more ... basic science to meet global challenges.     , The ... promising young and untenured research faculty working in ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Dr. Gerald 'Jerry' Zon Launches New Blog for TriLink BioTechnologies 2BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 2BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 3BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 4Rhythm Announces Phase 1b Results for Ghrelin Prokinetic RM-131 for Gastroparesis in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes 2Rhythm Announces Phase 1b Results for Ghrelin Prokinetic RM-131 for Gastroparesis in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes 3DuPont Celebrates Scientific Innovation by Recognizing Young Professors 2DuPont Celebrates Scientific Innovation by Recognizing Young Professors 3
... 10, 2011 Advanced Pain Remedies (APR), a subsidiary ... grant has been received, to advance its lead development ... the targeting of specific cell types to manipulate them ... $3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). ...
... and BOSTON, Jan. 7, 2011 The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), ... University School of Medicine have unveiled a new mammalian genetics ... research and training at both JAX and Tufts. Combining the ... its emphasis on human disease, and the faculty and resources ...
... 7, 2011 A number of new ventures, funded with ... are growing algae to produce biodiesel, jet fuel and other ... (CO2) to "feed" their photosynthetic algae, which as a side ... advantage from using fossil fuel CO2 to grow algae is ...
Cached Biology Technology:Advanced Pain Remedies, a Subsidiary of Cato BioVentures, Announces a Three Million Dollar Award from the National Cancer Institute for SP-SAP 2Advanced Pain Remedies, a Subsidiary of Cato BioVentures, Announces a Three Million Dollar Award from the National Cancer Institute for SP-SAP 3The Jackson Laboratory and Tufts University Announce New Ph.D. Track in Mammalian Genetics 2The Jackson Laboratory and Tufts University Announce New Ph.D. Track in Mammalian Genetics 3Algae Biofuel Spin-Off: Safer New Foods That Can Prevent Genetic Damage 2Algae Biofuel Spin-Off: Safer New Foods That Can Prevent Genetic Damage 3
...
...
...
... in the submicron range are part of ... and control of particle size is important ... can reliably detect the component populations in ... Particle Size Analyzer uses Photon Correlation Spectroscopy ...
Biology Products: