All Proteomics & Enzymology articles
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NewsResearchers discover a fungal protein that causes leaf loss in crops
A research team has succeeded in gaining insights into the genetic basis of “defoliation” caused by the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae. A key protein they have identified is responsible for the aggressive nature of the fungus.
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NewsResearchers find evidence for two independent origins of life
Researchers retraced the origin of enzymes during life’s earliest divergence into bacteria and archaea, and found evidence for two independent origins of life for free-living cells.
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NewsDecoding the gut microbiome’s symphony in health and disease
Researchers have reported effective strategies for simultaneously measuring thousands of microbial and host proteins. They systematically compared five state-of-the-art mass spectrometry approaches using human fecal samples.
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NewsThe amino acid arginine helps the body fight tumors and viral infections
Scientists have discovered that an arginine-deficient diet impacts the immune system by stalling the production of the MHC-1 protein, which alerts the immune system to dangers such as a mutating cell or an invading virus.
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NewsBiofilm clue opens route to anti-infection treatments of the future
A multidisciplinary study has uncovered a critical component in the formation of biofilms, the complex structures used by bacteria to colonise surfaces. The research may have implications for future infection treatments, including for people with cystic fibrosis.
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NewsRoasted and browned: how gut bacteria break down heated foods
Heating food generates new dietary compounds. A study shows that an enzyme in gut bacteria can expand its functional repertoire to process them.
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NewsScientists map how the flu virus rewires the human cell from the inside
Researchers have gained new insights into how the influenza A virus reprograms cellular machinery by tracking molecular interactions directly inside infected cells.
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NewsExpanding uses for bioengineered bacterial spores
Fused to the outer layer of bacterial spores, things like enzymes, biosensors, and drugs are easily stored under even extreme conditions.
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NewsHow bacteria sacrifice themselves to render antibiotics ineffective
Bacteria can defend themselves against antibiotics with the help of an enzyme released by dying cells, reveals a study that helps scientists understand the survival mechanisms of bacteria and to improve the effectiveness of antibiotics.
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NewsTwo companion papers explain immune ‘exhaustion’ - and how we might prevent it
Chronic and viral infections can literally exhaust certain key cells in the immune system from a constant barrage of attacks. But a new pair of papers has now pointed a way to understand how this exhaustion happens at a molecular level.
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NewsEye problems after COVID-19 can now be explained
Mild COVID-19 can cause severe and long-lasting eye problems, according to a study from Linköping University, Sweden. The study also explains why it has been difficult for sufferers to get help: the abnormal eye behaviour cannot be detected by standard methods. The researchers have developed a diagnostic model to detect ...
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NewsResearchers identify a marine bacterial enzyme that opens a new route to build bioactive compound libraries
A research team has provided new insight into HapC, an enzyme from the marine bacterium Hahella chejuensis. They used modified short-chain versions of one key chemical building block and examined whether HapC could join them with another precursor to form new prodiginine compounds.
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NewsDeep-sea extremophile yields protein that forms super stable biofilm
Scientists have discovered a protein secreted by a deep-sea extremophile — an organism adapted to extreme environmental conditions — that self-assembles into a biofilm and is highly stable, boosting its potential for biomedical applications.
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NewsScientists probe how proteins are inserted into cell membranes
Researchers looking at the cell membrane investigate how the proteins manufactured by the ribosomes in the cell interior reach their position within the membrane in the correct form and when the processes became established over the course of evolution.
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NewsOrdinary enzyme evolves into a ‘control switch’ revealing a new weak spot in tuberculosis
A protein that acts as a ‘control switch,’ preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis from accessing the energy sources it needs to survive, has been identified by researchers. The discovery points to a specific vulnerability in the bacterium that could be targeted by new TB treatments.
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NewsAI reveals unexpected source of antibiotic candidates in prion proteins
Prion and prion-like proteins may hide short peptides, named “prionins,” that can kill bacteria, suggesting proteins best known for their role in neurodegeneration may contain molecular features linked to immune defense, according to new research.
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NewsHow exercise fights implant infections: Muscle hormone “musclin” unveiled as a key defender
A new study reveals how the exercise-induced myokine musclin reprograms macrophage metabolism to clear dead cells and treat periprosthetic joint infections.
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NewsResearchers investigate the underlying causes of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome
With an estimated one million Americans afflicted with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, newly funded research seeks to determine whether the condition is triggered by a persistent autoimmune response, and if a test can be devised to pinpoint who is more likely to develop it.
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NewsMolecular anchors on gut phages may open new avenues for therapeutic development
A new study has identified phage surface proteins acting as molecular anchors. These proteins confer phages with the ability to attach to human cells. Using genetic engineering, the researchers transferred these adhesion proteins onto the surface of another phage that otherwise lacked this ability.
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NewsDigital model guides cleaner biohydrogen production
A research team has developed an enzyme-aware digital model that explains why hydrogen-producing microbes often struggle to grow fast and generate hydrogen efficiently at the same time. The study reveals how limited enzyme resources shape the balance between cell growth, by-product formation, and hydrogen generation.