Category Biology/Biotechnology

A confocal image of immune cells (green and red) migrating through the 3-D space (blue) within a living Drosophila embryo. Credit: Image courtesy of University of Bristol

This discovery may pave the way for new treatments for many human diseases. Dr Helen Weavers, from the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences said: “While this immune response is beneficial for human health, many human diseases (including atheroscelerosis, cancer and arthritis) are caused or aggravated by an overzealous immune response.

“Our study found that immune cells must first become ‘activated’ by eating a dying neighbouring cell before they are able to respond to wounds or infection. In this way, immune cells build a molecular memory of this meal, which shapes their inflammatory behaviour.”

The team used the fruit fly (Dro...

The monomeric structure of ZIKV helicase. (A) Size-exclusion chromatograms of ZIKV helicase. The molecular masses of protein standards are indicated at the top. (B) The overall structure of ZIKV helicase with the three domains colored and labeled respectively. (C) A cartoon diagram illustrating of the overall fold with potential RNA binding site and NTPase active site labelled. (D) Structure-based phylogenetic tree of 8 viral helicase structures from the Flaviviradae family using the program SHP (Stuart et al., 1979) and PHYLIP (Felsenstein, 1997). The following structures with PDB ID in parentheses are included: DENV-2 (2BMF), DENV-4 (2JLQ), JEV (2Z83), KUNV (2QEQ), YFV (1YKS), MVEV (2V8O), HCV (1HEI)

A team led by researchers from Tianjin University (P.R...

When the sleep-drive neurons turn on, it puts the fruit flies to sleep. And when the sleep-drive neurons are turned off in well-rested flies, the flies awaken. Credit: Johns Hopkins Medicine

Studying fruit flies, whose sleep is remarkably similar to that in people, Johns Hopkins researchers say they’ve identified brain cells in charge of so-called sleep drive that becomes more active the longer flies are kept awake. The same mechanism also plays a role in putting the flies to sleep and keeping them that way. The findings may offer insight into human sleep disorders and open up new strategies to promote long-lasting sleep for those with chronic insomnia who don’t respond to available sleep drugs, they say.

In their search for sleep-regulating cells, Wu’s team used genetic engineering to tur...

Image: Most UVRAG complexes, multifunctional. UVRAG directly binds phosphorylated Bif, Beclin 1, Bax, CEP63 and DNA-PK, forming distinct protein complexes to regulate autophagosome formation, autophagosome maturation, endosome maturation, apoptosis, centrosome stability, DNA repair and genomic stability.

A new USC-led study identified a “sunscreen” gene that may help stave off skin cancer. The researchers found “UV radiation Resistance Associated Gene”, UVRAG, is a tumor suppressor for skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the US. Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer. In fact, melanoma rates have doubled over the last 3 decades...