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Tag: "folding" at biology news

Researchers reveal structure of protein altered in autism

...sts that genetic mutations that alter the shape or folding of adhesion proteins in the nervous system influence their interactions. This is another example of how research on basic biological questions, such as the three-dimensional structures of proteins in the brain, can yield valuable medical insights.” ...

Mutating the entire genome

...er switch. Other DNA sequences are responsible for folding and packing DNA into the nucleus of each cell. Five percent to 50 percent of DNA is considered useless junk, “depending on who you ask, although probably at least half of the ‘junk’ DNA is going to end up having a pretty important function,” Cape...

Scientists identify prion's infectious secret

...signed the arrays so that he could observe protein folding and amyloid formation in real time. Tessier covered the array with peptides from baker’s yeast and then added prion protein to the array, also from the same yeast species. He found that a small cluster of peptides recruited the prion proteins to ...

Decoding protein structures helps illuminate cause of diabetes

...s to capture series of snapshots during individual folding reactions to identify multiple phases as the proteins convert from an unordered mishmash into flat sheets, then coil into fibers. "No matter how fast they're moving, we can take pictures of them," says Zanni. Without their automated method, he s...

MIT model helps researchers 'see' brain development

... development in diseases like autism by looking at folding differences,?said Fischl. This tool may also be used to shed light on other neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. ...

Scripps research study reveals structural dynamics of single prion molecules

...f Sciences, offer significant insights into normal folding mechanisms as well as those that lead to abnormal amyloid fibril conversion. The new insights may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. Intriguingly, certain prions and amyloids can play beneficial roles....

Instruction manual for creating a molecular nose

...ing detergents. However, this destroys the natural folding structure of the protein membranes, which is precisely what makes the proteins so special. "We quickly realized how difficult it is to isolate such membrane proteins. Neither we, nor other research groups, were able to work with them using convention...

Why don't all moles progress to melanoma?

...he membrane, or when something goes wrong with the folding process, the system gets bogged down. This can str... ER's role was considered to be limited to protein folding or protein modification," Soengas says. "But scientists like Randal Kaufman, a U-M professor of biol...

Comprehensive model is first to map protein folding at atomic level

...ing cells. The technique, which can track protein folding for some 10 microseconds -- about as long as some ...nction. Our paper provides a first solution to the folding problem, for small proteins, at an atomic level of detail." Fiendishly intricate, protein folding...

New technique boosts size of proteins that can be analyzed

... in low-energy collisions to keep the protein from folding up; then they are slammed with air molecules in high-energy collisions to dissociate the protein. Next, the mass spectrometer weighs any surviving protein and its pieces simultaneously. The top-down approach rivals the commonly used "bottom-up" app...

Protein folding: Building a strong foundation

... appear to have co-evolved for optimizing both the folding rate and the stability of proteins." Wittung-Sta...heets of amino-acid strands meshed together. "In folding study the right combination of expertise in computational and experimental approaches is vital for s...

Scientists get best look ever at water-life connection

...fe-supporting biological functions such as protein folding or enzyme catalysis. But for now, this early result ends decades of controversy on what happens in the microscopic realm where water and proteins meet. The controversy, Zhong explained, stemmed from the fact that researchers across different discipl...

USC team reveals structure of APOBEC family protein

...ity. They showed that some mutations stop AID from folding and therefore working properly, while others block its ability to interact with DNA and RNA molecules. "The x-ray structure of Apo2 provides a clear direction for research on therapeutic strategies to deal with problems arising from either the fai...

Iowa State researchers improving plastics made from corn and soy proteins

...e he keeps in his office. He scrunched the model's folding pieces into a ball. That's about the shape of a soy or corn protein, said Grewell, an Iowa State University assistant professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering. Then he unfolded the model into a long, straight loop. That's what happens whe...

Key stress protein linked to toxicities responsible for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's

...erone protein that is necessary for proper protein folding in times of cellular stress. Published in today's... cause dysfunction. Defects in either the protein folding or degradation pathways can lead to accumulation of misfolded proteins. The accumulation of misfold...

Key to early diagnosis of autism may be in the placenta

...c basis." Trophoblast inclusions reflect abnormal folding of microscopic layers in the placenta and appear to result from altered cell growth. Kliman likened the presence of trophoblast inclusions to an automobile check-engine-light. "When the light goes on it simply means that something is not right," said...

Salmonella bacteria use RNA to assess and adjust magnesium levels

...termine how RNA copied from the MgtA gene might be folding up. The program predicted RNA copied from the gene could have two significantly different configurations. Because of the significant differences between these configurations, Groisman, who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, becam...

Sea coral's trick helps scientists tag proteins

... highlight proteins without interfering with their folding or function. And the researchers have demonstrated that it can switch shades at the body temperature of birds and mammals, which are popular research models. Its usefulness is further enhanced by the fact that it stays red for long-term protein track...

UW-Madison engineers squeeze secrets from proteins

...to refine their models with the goal of confining, folding and measuring the stability of proteins under more realistic conditions. ...

Liquid ventilation

...ormed by proteins and lipids that avoids the lungs folding in on themselves before the baby gets stronger. The respirators usually employd in these cases provide artificial surfactant, but not always in sufficient amounts to provide correct therapy. In order to alleviate this situation, the Nautical Schoo...

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