Yearly Archives: 2016
When young are more conspicuous than adults: a case in frogs
One frog species, Clinotarsus alticola, described in 1870 was well known by its tadpole that bears remarkable characteristics (a relative large size, several large pairs of glands whose the most conspicuous lies behind the eyes, patches of
Miniature size induced fit and cage effect found in crown ether host-guest complexes
Crown-ethers (CEs), abbreviated as 3n-Crown-n (3nCn), (n= 4–8), are macrocyclic molecules built with several oxyethylene (-CH2-CH2-O-)n units. In 1967, Pedersen discovered the first CE, dibenzo18C6, and was awarded Nobel Prize in 1987 because CEs have opened a
How structural biologists understand the structure of protein in solution: the example of IscA
Proteins are macromolecules responsible for most of the biological activities required for life. Different proteins have different biological functions. Scientists have identified almost 8 million different proteins in 1,800 analyzed living species. Let’s describe briefly proteins and
Phospholipase C break membrane lipids during plant adaptation under stress
Plants constantly encounter various biotic and abiotic stresses in the environment. These stresses present adverse growth conditions, which affect the plant development, longevity and productivity. The crop production is decreasing rapidly due to the negative impact of
Malaria mosquitoes in the Solomon Islands feed mainly on humans in the absence of other hosts
Malaria transmission is governed by the interactions between humans , malaria parasites and the anopheline mosquitoes. A mosquito’s tendency to feed on humans has a huge influence on potential for malaria transmission. Crucially, mosquitoes differ in their
Selecting for selective enzymes: Engineering P450s to produce chiral alcohols
Hydroxylation is the insertion of an oxygen atom into a C-H bond, to give chemicals with a C-O-H linkage (commonly known as alcohols). The process of hydroxylation is one difficult for chemists to achieve due to the
Two male forms vs one female form in a new black fly discovered from Malaysia
A new species of black fly (tiny, two-winged biting fly with its body 2–3 mm long) discovered from Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia, was given a new name, Simulium mirum. Simulium is a genus name and mirum is
The tripartite cognitive model of panic disorder
Panic attacks (PA) are very common phenomena and represent a nonspecific risk factor for psychopathology. Approximately 5% of individuals who experience unexpected PA develop panic disorder (PD), a chronic clinical condition of recurrent unexpected PA and persistent
DNA unwinding mechanism of helicases
Helicases are a class of proteins that are responsible for separating DNA duplex into single strands, which is a precursor to many types of DNA transactions in the cell. According to the structures, helicases fall broadly into
A benevolent anionic ZnII-MOF to purify water and make medicines
Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) are well-known crystalline porous materials comprising metal ions or metal clusters bridged by different types of organic linkers. MOFs have been in the spotlight globally owing to their tunable surface area, functionalizable pore surface,
Obligatory intracellular bacterium exploits evolutionarily conserved host signaling pathway to survive
In order to survive, obligately intracellular pathogens exploit host cellular signaling pathways and other cellular processes via molecular interactions between pathogen – secreted “effectors” and host target proteins to reprogram host cell functions. However, the molecular mechanisms
Resveratrol: A natural product that kills the parasite responsible for Chagas disease
Chagas disease is a neglected illness affecting approximately 10 million people in the Americas, caused by a parasitic microorganism called Trypanosoma cruzi. There are only two drugs used against Chagas disease, which are effective only in the
Lupus Nephritis: Are you taking your medicine?
Lupus Nephritis is a serious disease affecting primarily young women that can lead to kidney disease and dialysis. Despite knowing this fact, many patients don’t take medicines regularly. This may be due to several reasons, some known
Automatic identification of genes driving microevolution in evolution experiments
Scientists in the lab often perform so-called “evolution experiments”, in which they put a microbe in a condition it is not used to and wait until it adapts to the condition on a genetic level (evolution). Because
Can solar driven processes effectively control antibiotic resistance and cytotoxicity during drinking water treatment?
Antibiotics, antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes have been detected in various aquatic environments because of the disposal of both treated and untreated wastewater. Their occurrence in water is a threat for human and animal health
Embryonic stem cells go against aging
The dream of regenerative medicine is now becoming true by the usage of versatile stem cells that are capable of differentiating into all types of cells in the body. This capability is called ‘pluripotency’ and there are
Indiscriminately ordering blood tests for rare heparin reaction can lead to patient harm and increased costs
Testing for rare heparin reaction is unnecessary for most cases and can be potentially harmful and lead to increased costs, according to an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Heparin is a common blood thinner used in
Movements networks in field biology
We live in a world that is more and more connected. Fundamentally, this reflects a world of increasing information, of big data, where we use technology to log our health, our journeys, even our calorie intake and
Microbes paralyze immune system
About every fourth child is suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD) (often called atopic eczema) and adults are also often affected by this disease. The skin of AD patients is strongly damaged (Fig. 1). It is dry, itchy,
Heart defects before birth: Why are most cases still being missed (and what can we do about it)
Heart defects occur in roughly 1 in 100 live births—far more than any other kind of birth defect. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that babies with major forms of heart disease have must
