All Structural Biology articles
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NewsTestosterone increases severity of bacterial skin infections
Men are more susceptible than women to skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, but the biological basis for this disparity has remained unclear. A new study is the first to reveal testosterone, present at higher levels in males, as a key driver of infection.
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NewsImaging technique is step towards needed treatments for hantaviruses in new molecular ma
Researchers have produced a detailed blueprint, the highest resolution yet, for a protein complex the Andes virus uses to infect host cells. The new detailed structural information enabled the researchers to produce a vaccine candidate that caused mice to produce neutralizing antibodies against the Andes virus.
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NewsProtein interplay offers insights into how the immune system recognizes viral RNA
A new study reveals how two proteins cooperate in a key early step of antiviral detection. Using cryo-electron microscopy and high-speed atomic force microscopy, researchers found that LGP2 binds to viral RNA and recruits MDA5 molecules, as if threading beads on a string.
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NewsScientists identify key protein that stops malaria parasite growth
An international team of scientists have identified a unique protein essential for the malaria parasite’s survival and transmission. Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) acts as a ‘traffic controller’ during the parasite’s unusual cell division and growth process.
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NewsEmerging class of antibiotics to tackle global tuberculosis crisis
Researchers investigated how three naturally occurring antibiotic compounds – ecumicin, ilamycin and cyclomarin – act on a vital protein degradation machine inside Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB.
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NewsHidden architecture inside cellular droplets reveals new targets for cancer and neurodegeneration
Cells rely on biomolecular condensates to coordinate essential biological processes without surrounding membranes. Scientists long assumed condensates lacked internal organization and functioned as a simple liquid, but a new study has discovered that some are built from intricate networks of thread-like protein filaments.
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NewsNew research boosts future whooping cough vaccines
By blocking the pertussis toxin epitopes with new found antibodies, researchers improved the pertussis vaccines to provide stronger, long-lasting immunity for infected and high-risk infants.
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NewsNew COVID-19 drug shows greater promise against resistant viral strains
A new standalone oral drug candidate has proven to be effective against Paxlovid-resistant COVID-19 strain in animal models. It works with low doses and cause no drug interaction-induced side effects.
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NewsScientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs
Researchers exploited natural peptides derived from frogs and improved their structural designs as antibiotic candidates, which are effective against complex mock bacterial communities of drug-resistant pathogens in preclinical tests, sparing beneficial microbiota and human cells.
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NewsScientists ID natural products targeting SARS-CoV-2 - including caffeine
Researchers used computational methods to identify potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, revealing promising natural compounds for guiding antiviral drug development, including caffeine.
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NewsMovie reveals DNA unzipping mechanism with implications for viral and cancer treatments
A detailed unwinding mechanism of the double-stranded DNA has been uncovered for the first time using cutting-edge technology, revealing how cells begin the crucial process of copying their genetic material.
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NewsUpdated guidelines for pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
In light of the rise in antibiotic resistance, new guidelines are released with detailed recommendations of diagnosis and treatment strategies for pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), along with the means to manage severe complications.
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NewsH5N1 influenza viral lineages beginning to evade human immunological defenses
A new computer modelling approach predicts the protein-antibody interactions of the potentially pandemic-causing H5N1 avian influenza virus lineage. It helps to understand the viral evolution to ensure high vaccine efficacy.
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NewsResearchers discover Achilles heel of Lyme disease pathogen
Researchers discovered and investigated an unique enzyme used in the pathway specific to Borrelia burgdorferi, the parasite that causes Lyme disease. The enzyme serves as the ideal genus-specific target for therapeutic intervention.
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NewsPlastic-degrading enzymes from landfills
Researchers identified and analysed the structure and predicted functions of potential plastic-degrading enzymes in collected landfills sample from around the world, in an effort to reduce plastic pollution.
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NewsTunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus
For the first time, researchers demonstrated the component involved in the tunneling nanotubes built by Zika virus to infect placental cells, an infection mechanism which is unique to the Zika virus alone.
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NewsWithout oxygen: How primordial microbes breathed
Scientists decode the fundamental mechanisms of a cell respiratory enzyme in ancient bacterial cells, with potential applications in removing greenhouse gases and drug development against pathogens.
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NewsNewly identified bacterial protein helps design cancer drug delivery system
Researchers have identified a previously unknown bacterial protein, the unique structure of which acts as an actin homolog that can be used to design protein nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to tumors.
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NewsCeSPIACE: A broad-spectrum peptide inhibitor against variable SARS-CoV-2 spikes
CeSPIACE, a small remodified peptide, is able to block the binding of ACE2 receptor and the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Hence, the cheap and simple peptide could treat COVID-19 infection and prevent reinfection after exposure of the virus.
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NewsDamaged but not defeated: Bacteria use nano-spearguns to retaliate against attacks
Scientists used state-of-the-art microscopy technology to mimic a nano-speargun, the type VII secretion system, used as a bacterial pinpoint counterattack tactic in response to cell envelope damage against rival bacteria.