Matrix stones are an unusual type of soft kidney stone closely associated with the presence of bacteria from unchecked urinary tract infections. Researchers conducted a comprehensive study of surgically extracted matrix stones, work that highlights how host defense mechanisms against microbes can simultaneously encourage harmful stone formation. Read more »
How Structure Affects the Activity of Lipid Nanoparticles
Berkeley Lab and Genentech scientists related the internal structures of lipid nanoparticles to their efficacy at drug delivery, using a combination of methods including x-ray scattering at the ALS. The work promises to expedite the development of drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases such as COVID-19 and cancer. Read more »
A New Pathway for Clearing Misfolded Proteins
Researchers integrated several approaches, such as cryogenic 3D imaging at the ALS, to define a novel cellular pathway—involving a shared “garbage dump”—for clearing misfolded proteins from cells. The pathway is a potential therapy target for age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. Read more »
Breaking Barriers in Drug Delivery with Better Lipid Nanoparticles
A collaboration between Berkeley Lab and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, is working to break through some of the drug delivery bottlenecks by designing the most effective lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)—tiny spherical pouches made of fatty molecules that encapsulate therapeutic agents until they dock with cell membranes and release their contents. Read more »
A Molecular-Scale Understanding of Misorientation Toughening in Corals and Seashells
Researchers reveal that the toughness of polycrystalline seashells and coral skeletons is increased by small misorientation of adjacent crystals. The findings pave the way toward bioinspired materials with tunable toughness. Read more »
In Fruit-Fly Gut, Bacterial Niche Gets Remodeled for New Arrivals
Researchers found that fruit flies have a specialized niche in their digestive tracts that selects, maintains, and controls bacteria that benefit the fly. Colonization by one type of bacteria physically remodels the niche, promoting secondary colonization by unrelated bacteria. The results will help dissect the mechanisms of host-microbe symbiosis. Read more »
Plant Enzyme Builds Polymers That Fortify Cell Walls
With data obtained at the ALS, researchers gained insight into how an enzyme orchestrates the synthesis of a pectin polymer that imparts strength and flexibility to plant cell walls. The work could lead to improved biofuel production and guide the design of polymers with tailored functionalities for industrial or biomedical applications. Read more »
Gemini Beamline 2.0.1 Banks Its First Protein Structure
A protein structure obtained from ALS Beamline 2.0.1 (“Gemini”) has recently been published in the literature and deposited into the Protein Data Bank (PDB)—two significant firsts for this beamline. The structure helped provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in triggering certain inflammatory diseases. Read more »
Chatbot-Style AI Designs Novel Functional Protein
Researchers used an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, similar to those used in natural-language (“chatbot”) models, to design a functional protein that was then structurally validated at the ALS. The work could speed the development of novel proteins for almost anything from therapeutics to degrading plastic. Read more »
Structural Investigation of Therapeutic Antibodies Using Hydroxyl Radical Protein Footprinting Methods
Well-known high-resolution structural methods are often used to characterize antibody structures, but many require specialized sample preparation that may perturb antibody structure. We describe here the relatively new method of hydroxyl radical protein footprinting, a solution-state method that can provide structural and kinetic information on antibodies or antibody–antigen interactions useful for therapeutic antibody design. Read more »
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