All Ruhr University Bochum articles
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NewsHepatitis E viruses mutate early during infection
In order to better understand which changes occur during the initial weeks of Hepatitis E infection, researchers specifically focused on this early phase.
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NewsCRISPR system inhibits hepatitis E virus
Researchers have developed a novel antiviral concept - using the CRISPR/Cas13 system, they were able to specifically suppress the replication of the hepatitis E virus in human cells.
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News New virulence regulator of diarrhea pathogen discovered
While it was already known that RNA molecules enable direct temperature sensing in the model organism Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, a new study reveals that the Fis protein also plays a regulatory role at the DNA level.
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NewsSoil bacteria break down toxic chemicals in the environment
Soil bacteria can help to break toxic aromatic compounds down. For one of these, Rhodococcus opacus 1CP, researchers have analyzed the genome and identified many potential metabolic pathways that the bacterium can employ to act as a ‘clean-up specialist’.
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NewsPromising active substance against hepatitis E identified
A drug that is already in clinical trials against hepatitis C virus can also prevent hepatitis E virus from replicating An international research team has filtered bemnifosbuvir, a nucleotide/nucleoside analogue, out of a library of active substances.
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NewsA highly precise target for medications against tropical diseases
Researchers have discovered a critical vulnerability shared by the pathogens that cause African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. The PEX38 protein plays a crucial role in the formation of certain organelles of the trypanosomes that are essential for their energy supply.
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NewsNewly discovered host mechanism in coronaviruses
A previously unknown cellular mechanism crucial to the replication of coronaviruses has been identified: c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is activated during infection with human coronavirus HCoV-229E and mediates the phosphorylation of the viral nucleocapsid (N) protein.
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NewsGuideline on respiratory infections in leukemia revised
People with leukemia have a weakened immune system due to the disease itself and treatment, which leads to an increased susceptibility to infections. In a revised guideline, experts summarize the findings of the past ten years on all viruses that cause respiratory infections.
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NewsHep E virus can live out entire life cycle in kidney cells
Scientists have succeeded in proving in cell culture that hepatitis E viruses can infect kidney cells and can multiply with their help. The entire replication cycle of the virus takes place in kidney cells in the same way as in liver cells, their study shows.
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NewsScientists uncover shortcut to miniaturized hydrogen production
Researchers have figured out a way to simplify the highly complex hydrogenase biocatalyst to facilitate its integration into industrial processes, offering a route to clean energy.
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NewsYeast produces human DNase1 for the first time
The protein DNase1 is used to treat cystic fibrosis but it takes considerable effort and cost to produce it in immortalized hamster cells. Researchers have now produced it in yeast cells for the first time.
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NewsScientists ID previously unknown enzymes that can produce potentially antimicrobial agents
Micro-organisms generate potential agents for combating bacteria and fungi. Researchers have identified and optimized enzymes that can specifically generate a certain functional group of these natural substances, expanding the toolkit of potential agents.
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NewsNovel point of attack to combat dangerous tropical diseases
Researchers have compiled a high-precision inventory of the membrane proteins of cell organelles of the African sleeping sickness pathogen, offering hope for new treatment approaches for dangerous tropical diseases.
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NewsOnly few disinfectants are capable of inactivating hepatitis A virus
Researchers tested nine different surface disinfectants against Hepatitis A virus. According to their findings, only two aldehyde-based products proved effective at inactivating HAV.
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NewsInsight into key enzyme paves way towards hydrogen from algae
Researchers investigating algae that can produce hydrogen have identified how a vital cofactor, the so-called hydrogen cluster, is assembled.
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NewsPathway into cell influences the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection
The protein TMPRSS2 acts as a helper to bring the virus into the cell via the receptor ACE2. This TMPRSS2-mediated uptake significantly alters the immune response of the host cells and drives the evolution of the virus, a new study shows.
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NewsPeople with infections feel less empathy for others, study reveals
When people are ill, they feel less empathy for others than when they are healthy, as confirmed by a study which investigated ’sickness behavior’, whereby the body reorganizes its biological priorities in the context of acute infection.
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NewsResearchers detect hepatitis viruses in wastewater
High-throughput sequencing of river water samples showed that it is possible to identify different genetic variants of the hepatitis E virus in wastewater.
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NewsMutating hepatitis viruses make drug treatment more difficult
Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin combination therapy efficiently decreased viral RNA in blood and stool in patients with chronic HEV infection, but variants that are associated with antiviral resistance emerged during treatment.
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NewsNew method builds fluorescent nanotubes to detect bacteria and viruses
Researchers have developed a new approach to construct modular optical sensors which are capable of detecting viruses and bacteria.