News by Subject Biology

Just as the skeleton and muscles move the human body and hold its shape, the cells of the body are stabilised and moved by a cellular skeleton. This cellular skeleton is a dynamic structure, constantly changing and renewing. It consists of different types of protein filaments, which include intermediate filaments and microtubules. Researchers from Göttingen University are the first to succeed in observing a direct interaction between microtubules and intermediate filaments outside the cell, and in measuring this.

A new scientific study published in Nature Catalysis shows that baker's yeast can be designed and optimised to produce polyamines and polyamine analogues for tackling grand challenges in both the health and agricultural sector.

Researchers from Kanazawa University have found that gasdermin D, a protein known to be involved in cell death, is crucial for maturation and release of interleukin-1α, an important inflammatory mediator. When the inflammasome is activated, caspase-1 cleaves gasdermin D into two parts: one of these parts travels to the membrane, where it forms a pore that allows calcium influx and activation of calpains, promoting interleukin-1α activation and exit from cells.

A signaling protein thought to be able to treat liver damage in paracetamol toxicity could actually worsen it. Instead, Singapore scientists discovered, blocking its effects could be the way forward.

Researchers at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Biological Sciences Division have developed a combined imaging and machine learning technique that can, for the first time, measure a metabolic process at both the cellular and sub-cellular levels.