http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ Read the latest research in biochemistry -- protein structure and function, RNA and DNA, enzymes and biosynthesis and more biochemistry news. en-us Thu, 15 May 2008 01:05:01 EDT Thu, 15 May 2008 01:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080513125210.htm Protein crystallographers have only scratched the surface of the human proteins important for drug interactions because of difficulties crystallizing the molecules for synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Scientists have devised a way to eliminate the need for crystallization by using lasers to align large groups of molecules. Wed, 14 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080513125210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512121227.htm The Hofmeister series governs the strengths of ions in inducing protein unfolding and many other phenomena and remains vital to protein chemistry to this day. Although it dates from the late 19th century, its mechanism has never been properly understood. Scientists have now found strong experimental support for a new explanation of Hofmeister effects, known as the Law of Matching Water Affinities. Wed, 14 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512121227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512145232.htm Engineers have developed software toolbox that is intended to help bioscience researchers characterize protein patterns in human tissues. The automated protein pattern recognition tool and its underlying methods as important for identifying biomarkers that could be useful for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Tue, 13 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512145232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512172317.htm Plants have an ambivalent relationship with light. They need it to live, but too much light leads to the increased production of high-energy chemical intermediates that can injure or kill the plant. The intermediates do this because the efficient conversion of sunlight into chemical energy cannot keep up with sunlight streaming into the plant. Tue, 13 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512172317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508164408.htm A new method of magnetic resonance imaging, much faster, more selective -- able to distinguish even among different target molecular species -- and many thousands of times more sensitive, has just been developed. The new technique has the capacity to choose among targets by slight adjustments in temperature. Mon, 12 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508164408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508145501.htm Now that the genome of humans and many other organisms have been sequenced, biologists are turning their attention to discovering how the many thousands of structural and control genes -- the "worker bees" of living cells that can turn genes on and off -- function. Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508145501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509170224.htm Recognizing the distinction between healthy and cancerous cells has traditionally been up to the eye of highly-trained cytologists and pathologists. While the majority of the resulting diagnoses are accurate, new technology can enhance the accuracy and alleviate the physical strain on the human observer. Now scientists have developed an automatic method based on vibrational microspectroscopy that identifies the presence of metastatic cancer cells without the need for staining, and without human input. Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509170224.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505093416.htm Researchers in Korea report development of a way to double production of a sticky protein from marine mussels destined for use as an antibacterial coating to prevent life-threatening infections in medical implants. The coating, produced by genetically-engineered bacteria, could cut medical costs and improve implant safety, the researchers say. Thu, 08 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505093416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506100318.htm Stem cells can differentiate into 220 different types of body cell. The development of these cells can now be systematically observed and investigated with the aid of two new machines that imitate the conditions in the human body with unprecedented accuracy. Thu, 08 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506100318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505120710.htm Methanol fuel cells are an efficient and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but they are still not economically viable. Now, a research chemist has developed new materials that enable the manufacture of cheaper and more efficient methanol fuel cells. Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505120710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505093226.htm A specially coated metal tube, no larger than a cigarette, could be the key to developing an artificial pancreas to help millions of people with diabetes avoid insulin injections, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News. The so-called "bioartificial pancreas" also could help keep blood sugar closer to normal levels, and perhaps reduce the risk of diabetic complications, which include blindness, kidney failure, and premature death, the article suggests. Tue, 06 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505093226.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429171003.htm Researchers report on a novel, 3-D screening method for analyzing interactions between cells and new biomaterials could cut initial analysis times by more than half. The technique, an advance over flat, two-dimensional screening methods, enables rapid assessment of the biocompatibility and other properties of materials designed for repairing -- or even rebuilding -- damaged tissues and organs. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429171003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501110025.htm Fingerprints that used to escape detection could soon help point to the killer. Using a field portable system investigators at crime scenes will be able to detect latent prints on human skin. The system takes advantage of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based agents to visualize latent prints. Sat, 03 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501110025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501093523.htm Computational Biologist have discovered how to significantly speed up critical steps in an automated method for analyzing cell cultures and other biological specimens. The new technique promises to enable higher accuracy analysis of the microscopic images produced by today's high-throughput biological screening methods, such as the ones used in drug discovery, and to help decipher the complex structure of human tissues. Sat, 03 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501093523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085916.htm Australian researchers are a step closer to turning plants into 'biofactories' capable of producing oils which can be used to replace petrochemicals used to manufacture a range of products. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085916.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430134238.htm Scientists from Arizona State University and the University of Oxford, whose work appears in the April 30 advanced online publication of the journal Nature, have synthesized and studied a sophisticated molecule that, under illumination, is sensitive to both the magnitude and the direction of magnetic fields as tiny as the Earth's, which is, on average, one-twenty thousandth as strong as a refrigerator magnet. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430134238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085910.htm Researchers have discovered a new class of fatty acids -- alpha-hydroxy polyacetylenic fatty acids -- that could be used as sensors for detecting changes in temperature and mechanical stress loads. Researchers believe the discovery has opened up an entirely new class of chemistry. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429085910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429075327.htm In the rapid and fast-growing world of nanotechnology, researchers are continually on the lookout for new building blocks to push innovation and discovery to scales much smaller than the tiniest speck of dust. While scientists are fully exploring the promise of DNA nanotechnology, some researchers are working to give scientists brand new materials to aid their designs. One team has now made the first self-assembled nanostructures composed entirely of glycerol nucleic acid -- a synthetic analog of DNA. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429075327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429130931.htm Researchers have demonstrated a way to manufacture minuscule closed containers that might be used to deliver precise micro- or even nano-quantities of drugs. First the scientists create flat patterns, origami, of exactly the fold up shapes familiar to kindergarten children making paper pyramids, cubes or other solids, except that these are as small as 30 micrometers on a side. (1 inch = 25,400 micrometers) Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429130931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428085757.htm Imagine a technology that would not only provide a green and renewable source of electrical energy, but could also help scrub the atmosphere of excessive carbon dioxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. That's the promise of artificial versions of photosynthesis, the process by which green plants have been converting solar energy into electrochemical energy for millions of years. The first direct experimental links between atomic and electronic structures in pigment-protein complexes while energy is being transferred during photosynthesis have been attained. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428085757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423093249.htm A Dutch chemist has developed two attractive alternatives for allowing protein crystals to grow under weightless conditions. If the crystals are grown upside down in a strong magnetic field, fluid flows that disrupt crystal growth are suppressed. Therefore, high-quality proteins no longer need to be grown in space, but can be grown here on earth. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423093249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416211436.htm Every year, more than 30 billion water bottles are added to America's landfills, creating a mountainous environmental problem. But if new research is successful, the plastic bottles of the future could literally disappear within four months of being discarded. Scientists are constructing new breeds of biodegradable and bioavailable plastics in an effort to reduce the tons of plastic waste that ends up in the nation's landfills each year. Bioavailable plastics contain substances that can be absorbed by living systems during their normal physiological functions. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416211436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080418105534.htm Researchers have developed a new strategy for the formation of hybrid materials from synthetic polymers and proteins. They can fuse the specific biological functions of proteins with the advantageous bulk and processing properties of plastics. They have successfully synthesized a green-fluorescing biodegradable gel that responds to changes in pH value and temperature. Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080418105534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154819.htm Researchers have demonstrated a new device that creates nanodroplet "test tubes" for studying individual proteins under conditions that mimic the crowded confines of a living cell. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415115349.htm They may never win an Oscar, but scientists have developed techniques for creating accurate movies of biological and chemical molecules, a feat only theorized up until now. Biological and organic molecules in solution are far more complex than the standard crystalline structures of salt or metals since they are constantly moving and changing over time. These motions have not yet been seen directly, but scientists using the high intensity x-rays at the Advanced Photon Source have measured images that are "blurred" by these motions and have used them to create more accurate movies of molecular motions. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415115349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411101936.htm Some of the most challenging problems in science concern the behavior of the most commonplace compound on the planet's surface -- water. But some of the mysteries are now being unravelled by the latest analysis and imaging techniques in an unfolding story that was presented at a recent conference organized by the European Science Foundation focusing on interaction between water and other compounds at the molecular level. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411101936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416111556.htm Early diagnosis of a heart attack may now be possible using only a few drops of saliva and a new nano-bio-chip, according to new research. The nano-bio-chip assay could some day be used to analyze a patient's saliva on board an ambulance, at the dentist's office or at a neighborhood drugstore, helping save lives and prevent damage from cardiac disease. The device is the size of a credit card and can produce results in as little as 15 minutes. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416111556.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414113207.htm Researchers are mimicking bacteria to produce high quality magnetic nanoparticles at room temperature. The technique uses proteins derived from the bacteria to affix iron and other metals which form into nanoparticles in the presence of self-assembling polymers. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414113207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414094156.htm The European Space Agency has chosen the GSI accelerator facility to assess radiation risks that astronauts will be exposed to on a Mars mission. GSI was selected because its accelerator is the only one in Europe able to create ion beams similar to those found in space. To determine possible health risks of manned space flights, scientists from all over Europe have been asked to investigate the effects of ion beams in human cells and organs. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414094156.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408132144.htm The Protein Data Bank has reached a significant milestone in its 37-year history. The 50,000th molecule structure was released into its archive, joining other structures vital to pharmacology, bioinformatics and education. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408132144.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408100542.htm Fullerenes, also fondly known as buckyballs, are showing an ugly side. It appears that the hydrophobic, or water hating, carbon molecules clump together in water, forming aggregates of thousands of molecules. And there are reports that these aggregates can be toxic. Now researchers have demonstrated that this behavior can be changed. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408100542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410101128.htm Nanotechnology could improve the life of the lithium batteries used in portable devices, including laptop computers, mp3 players and mobile phones. New research demonstrates that carbon nanotubes can prevent such batteries from losing their charge capacity over time. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410101128.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408085453.htm An enzyme from a microbe that lives inside a cow's stomach is the key to turning corn plants into fuel. The enzyme that allows a cow to digest grasses and other plant fibers can be used to turn other plant fibers into simple sugars. These simple sugars can be used to produce ethanol to power cars and trucks. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408085453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409170347.htm Sugar-powered cars may be in your future. Chemists report development of a "revolutionary" process for converting plant sugars into hydrogen, which could be used to cheaply and efficiently power vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells without producing any pollutants. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409170347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401141539.htm As gas prices continue to soar to record highs, motorists are crying out for an alternative that won't cramp their pocketbooks. Scientists are answering that call by working to chemically manipulate algae for production of the next generation of renewable fuels -- hydrogen gas. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401141539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095236.htm A novel type of nanomachine that traps molecules such as anticancer drugs inside tiny pores and releases them inside cancer cells in response to light has been developed. It's the first light-powered nanomachine created that operates inside a living cell, a development that has strong implications for use in treating cancer. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331172528.htm Medical scientists have developed a new type of imaging system that can illuminate tumors in living subjects-getting pictures with a precision of nearly one-trillionth of a meter. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331172528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331090921.htm n a finding that could provide controlled motion in futuristic nanomachines used for drug delivery, fuel cells, and other applications, researchers report that chemical signaling between synthetic microcapsules can trigger and direct movement of these capsules. Researchers theorize that synthetic capsules can communicate with each other by physically shuffling chemical signals from capsule to capsule, much like passing water through a fireman's bucket brigade. Scientists recently suggested that this same signaling process also appears capable of sending cues to direct cell movement. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331090921.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331084128.htm Determining the structure of unknown natural compounds is a slow and expensive part of drug screening and development -- but this may now change thanks to a new combination of experimental and computational protocols just developed. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331084128.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330213945.htm The production of complex, multicellular tissues such as skin or blood vessels can now be envisaged, due to the development of a bioreactor with a "decoy effect." This novel, patented bioreactor enabling the culture and co-culture of cells of different types is a world first. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330213945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330211108.htm Researchers have succeeded in synthesizing porous nanoparticles that are capable of absorbing the energy of two photons in the near infrared spectrum, and then re-emitting radiation used for medical imaging by fluorescence. These two-photon nanoparticles should enable the more precise detection of tumor cells and, in the longer term, better-targeted therapy. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330211108.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330221014.htm Using hydrogen as an energy vector and in fuel cells may provide solutions to the specific energy challenges of the 21st century. Hydrogen production is currently based on the catalytic properties of "noble" metals such as platinum. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080330221014.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172303.htm Researchers have discovered a new and unexpected mode of self-assembly involving a polymer (hyaluronic acid) and a small molecule (peptide amphiphiles). When brought together, the two instantly assemble into a flexible but strong sac in which the researchers can grow human stem cells, creating a sort of miniature laboratory. The sacs can survive for weeks in culture, and their membranes are permeable to proteins. The method also can produce thin films whose size and shape can be tailored. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320182932.htm Researchers are developing an integrated system of thermochemical and catalytic technologies to efficiently produce ethanol from plant biomass. It will use a nanotechnology-based catalyst to produce ethanol fuel. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320182932.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172149.htm Finding a simple and convenient technique that combines nanoscale structural measurements and chemical identification has been an elusive goal. With current analytical instruments, spatial resolution is too low, signal-to-noise ratio too poor, sample preparation too complex or sample size too large to be of good service. Now, researchers have demonstrated a method for simultaneous structural and chemical characterization of samples at the femtogram level. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326161647.htm Data by the National Oncologic PET Registry showing that positron emission tomography produced scans revealing disease at a molecular level, which then caused physicians to change treatment plans for more than one-third of participating patients, has corroborated decades of nuclear medicine research. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326161647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325083344.htm One day soon a biosensing nanodevice may eliminate long lines at airport security checkpoints and revolutionize health screenings for diseases like anthrax, cancer and antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Even more incredible than the device itself, is that it is based on the world's tiniest rotary motor: a biological engine measured on the order of molecules. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325083344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326200653.htm Mankind triumphed in a recent "competition" against nature when scientists succeeded in creating a new type of enzyme for a reaction for which no naturally occurring enzyme has evolved. This achievement opens the door to the development of a variety of potential applications in medicine and industry. Enzymes are, without a doubt, a valuable model for understanding the intricate works of nature. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326200653.htm