by University of Bergen Carnosine and its precursor beta-alanine increase muscle strength, and have recently become extremely popular as dietary supplements in competitive sports. Researchers at University of Bergen, Norway, have recently discovered an enzyme that forms beta-alanine from the common amino acid aspartic acid. “This contrasts conventional wisdom that most beta-alanine is generated by...
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For more than 40 years, scientists have hypothesized the existence of enzyme clusters, or “metabolons,” in facilitating various processes within cells. Using a novel imaging technology combined with mass spectrometry, researchers at Penn State, for the first time, have directly observed functional metabolons involved in generating purines, the most abundant cellular...
PHILADELPHIA -A twist on the molecular mechanism of how a new cancer drug works could aid in better identifying the best treatments for patients for an array of cancers. The finding is described in Molecular Cell in a study led by Eric J. Brown, PhD, an associate professor of Cancer Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine...
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The Cas9 enzyme is known to have certain problems with binding to off-target DNA sequences, but for the most part, it is still considered to be the gold standard CRISPR enzyme for genome editing. However, in a new study in Molecular Cell today, researchers from the University of Texas at Austin...
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have identified an enzyme that controls how much our cells secrete collagen. As collagen imbalance is linked to a range of human diseases, the study provides clues to new therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the findings could facilitate efficient production of collagen for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. IMAGE: ELECTRON...
We are our own worst enemy when it comes to developing obesity. The body is naturally geared to assimilate energy from the food we eat and store it as fat until it is needed. This is the result of millions of years of evolution under the pressure of low food availability. But today, where many...
Brooke Emerling, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Cancer Metabolism and Signaling Networks at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, California. Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute One major hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to adapt to stressful conditions such as nutrient deprivation. Rapidly growing tumor cells must compete...
