News

Proteins that drive activation of our immune response, by acting as a ‘clutch’ to move clusters of proteins within cells, have been identified. This could open opportunities to design immune cells to combat specific problems.

A reactive oxygen species produced by one type of phytoplankton, the diatom Thalassiosira oceanica, associated with cellular damage actually aids photosynthesis, according to a recent study.

In a study using yeast cells and data from cancer cell lines, scientists report they have found a potential weak spot among cancer cells that have extra sets of chromosomes. The vulnerability is rooted in their high intracellular protein concentrations – that make them appear bloated.

Cells dispose of harmful "trash" through autophagy, a normal and necessary process in which aggregated proteins and dysfunctional structures are handled. If any part of this fails, waste builds up inside cells, eventually killing them. According to a new study, as cells age, their ability to shed harmful refuse declines.

Scientists have uncovered a crucial change in cancer cells that allows them to spread around the body – by switching from sugar to fatty acids to fuel their growth.

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, so the saying goes. The differences between the sexes have been explored across a variety of disciplines over many years: philosophy, literature and, of course, science. From a biological perspective, however, the effect that sex has on gene expression, particularly in autosomal (sex-linked) genes, has been a relatively unmapped area – until now.

Genetic analysis has revealed that the ancestors of modern humans interbred with at least five different archaic human groups as they moved out of Africa and across Eurasia. Researchers have mapped the location of past “mixing events” (analyzed from existing scientific literature) by contrasting the levels of archaic ancestry in the genomes of present-day populations around the world.

Many babies with eczema go on to develop food allergies, asthma and hay fever, and researchers say it’s not a coincidence. The cracks caused by eczema weaken the skin barrier, allowing allergens to penetrate the skin and cause a sequence of allergic diseases.

Researchers have attempted or explored the possibility of genetic rescue in several species. Now, a new paper examines the potential and uncertainties of attempting genetic rescue

Ten species of red algae stole about 1 percent of their genes from bacteria to cope with toxic metals and salt stress in hot springs, according to a study.