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ALS Work Using Scattering/Diffraction

These techniques make use of the patterns of light produced when x-rays are deflected by the closely spaced lattice of atoms in solids and are commonly used to determine the structures of crystals and large molecules such as proteins.

 

Antibody from SARS Survivor Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2

Using structural data from the ALS and cryo-electron microscopy, researchers have characterized how an antibody binds to and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2. This work provides the basis for therapeutic and vaccine development for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Study Gains New Insight Into Bacterial DNA Packing

When bacteria are put in different environments, their genes start to adapt remarkably quickly because the proteins making up their chromosomes can pack and unpack rapidly. Researchers have now imaged this process at the molecular level, a discovery that could eventually enable scientists to develop strategies to control microbial behavior. Read more »

This Enigmatic Protein Sculpts DNA to Repair Harmful Damage

Scientists have discovered that a DNA-repairing protein performs its functions by first marking and then further breaking damaged DNA. The surprising findings have provided much-needed insight into how DNA repair works in healthy human cells, as well as how different mutations can translate into different diseases and cancer. Read more »

Long Chains Stabilize Higher-Efficiency Solar Cells

Perovskite thin films have many attractive properties for use in photovoltaics, but their assembly into practical devices has led to trade-offs between efficiency and stability. The addition of surfactant-type molecules with hydrophobic chains helped produce perovskite solar cells that are both efficient and stable. Read more »

Off the Scales: Fish Armor Both Tough and Flexible

Humans have drawn technological inspiration from fish scales going back to ancient times: Romans, Egyptians, and other civilizations would dress their warriors in scale armor, providing both protection and mobility. Now, scientists have characterized carp scales down to the nanoscale, enabling them to understand how the material is resistant to penetration while retaining flexibility. Read more »

On-Off Switch for Regulating Tumor-Cell Growth

The mechanisms that affect the regulation of cell growth in certain tumor cells were revealed by a Genentech study of enzyme structures, conducted in part at the ALS. The work establishes a framework for the rational discovery of new therapeutics to improve upon currently existing treatments for certain cancers. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Energetics and Energy Loss in 2D Ruddlesden–Popper Perovskite Solar Cells

Qinye Bao and co‐workers systematically investigate the energetics and energy loss in 2D Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskite (RPP) solar cells. The crucial scenario found at the 2D RPP/electron transport layer interface is that the potential gradient across ligands promotes separation of the photogenerated carrier, with electrons transferring from the perovskite crystal to the electron transport layer. Read more »

How a Cancer Drug Targets Proteins for Degradation

Protein structures obtained by Novartis researchers helped reveal how a cancer drug promotes the degradation of proteins essential to cell proliferation. A detailed understanding of the drug’s mechanism of action is key to determining whether the protein-degradation system can be reprogrammed to degrade different targets. Read more »PPT-icon-35

X-Ray Experiments Zero in on COVID-19 Antibodies

In the fight against SARS-CoV-2, scientists have been working on identifying neutralizing antibodies that could be used in preventative treatments or as post-exposure therapies. The latest findings, which include data from the ALS, indicate that antibodies from SARS survivors could potently block entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells. Read more »PPT-icon-35