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Articles
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Protein Machines
Protein machines are the core components of all life. They not only drive internal, cellular processes but are also key to understanding and interacting with the surrounding environment. Depending on their function, these machines differ in size and can be assembled from a range of different… |
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Tiny Fish, Big Answers: Zebrafish in Structural Biology
Zebrafish, small and unassuming, are a powerful model organism in biomedical research due to their genetic similarity to humans, rapid development, and transparent embryos. Researchers, including the Zhou lab, have used zebrafish to study the THEM2 protein, revealing its crucial role in cell… |
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Unwinding DNA: The Crucial Role of Helicases in Rare Human Diseases
Helicases are enzymes that unwind DNA during replication, repair, and transcription. Mutations in human helicases disrupt genome stability, causing diseases such as Bloom’s, Werner’s, and Rothmund-Thomson syndromes, which lead to cancer susceptibility, premature aging, and developmental disorders. |
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Unveiling disease early: How anti-citrullinated protein antibodies signal rheumatoid arthritis before symptoms
Scientific background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder primarily targeting the joints. |
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Slithering and coiling into a deadly snake toxin
Snakes coil into knots. A parallel process occurs at the atomic level for all living things where amino acid chains of proteins twist, turn, and weave into unique 3D shapes. This includes the snake venom metalloproteinase, which degrades other proteins, resulting in blood vessel damage. |
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Unveiling disease early: How anti-citrullinated protein antibodies signal rheumatoid arthritis before symptoms
Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) may emerge several years before the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), offering a window for early detection. While early symptoms of the disease are often nonspecific and make diagnosis difficult, ACPA provide critical insight into autoimmune… |
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MAP Kinases: From Cell Signals to Heartbeat
Protein kinases are crucial regulators in cellular signaling, controlling the activity of other proteins through the phosphorylation of specific amino acid residues. Dysregulation of these enzymes is associated with various diseases, including cardiomyopathy. |
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Serotonin Receptors: The brain's chemical communicators
Serotonin, a vital brain chemical, acts through diverse receptors to influence mood, sleep, appetite, and even social behaviours. Imbalances are linked to mental health disorders. Aripiprazole, a medication targeting these receptors, exemplifies therapeutic potential in this field. |
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The Fascinating World of Snake Venom Peptides
Evolution has equipped snakes with a potent weapon: venom, honed over millions of years. This lethal secretion serves snakes in both hunting and self-defence, allowing them to immobilize and digest prey as well as deter threats in their environment. |
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Serotonin receptors: The reason behind your happiness
What makes you happy? Good food, a good book or maybe exercising? Chemically, it all depends on the neurotransmitter, serotonin. This neurotransmitter is responsible for boosting your mood and low levels of serotonin are linked with depression. |
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The buzz behind bee venom therapy
In the world of nature's pharmacy, few substances are as intriguing and polarizing as bee venom. For centuries, bee venom, along with other bee products, have held a significant place in traditional medicine. |
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Molecular Architects of Stress: Unveiling Glucocorticoids and aGPCRs
In the vast and intricate world of biology, hormones play a pivotal role in regulating various bodily functions, including our emotions. One such group of hormones is the glucocorticoids, which are often spotlighted for their involvement in the stress response. |
