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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.

 

Self-Assembly of a Programmable DNA Lattice

The use of DNA for nanotechnology has gained interest because it is a highly “programmable” polymer with “sticky ends,” allowing the self-assembly of molecular scaffolds for other proteins and molecules. Their high-resolution structures will help map new routes toward the rational design of self-assembling 3D DNA crystals. Read more »

Two Basic Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Drugs

The structures of proteins controlling calcium-ion transport through cell membranes have been revealed, bound to two drugs known as calcium channel blockers. The discovery might accelerate the development of safer and more effective drugs for treating cardiovascular disorders such as high blood pressure, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

The Smectic Phase of DNA “Nano-Nunchaku”

Researchers designed DNA sequences that self-assemble into a nanoparticle about 50 nm long, composed of two double-stranded DNA duplexes linked together by a single-stranded DNA filament. The nanoparticle resembles nunchaku—a traditional weapon of several martial arts—but 30 million times smaller. Read more »

Evolutionary drivers of thermoadaptation in enzyme catalysis

With early life likely to have existed in a hot environment, enzymes had to cope with an inherent drop in catalytic speed caused by lowered temperature. Here, researchers characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying thermoadaptation of enzyme catalysis in adenylate kinase using ancestral sequence reconstruction spanning 3 billion years of evolution.  Read more »

X-Rays Help Evaluate Quality of 3D-Printed Repairs

Laser 3D printing is a promising way to repair machine parts (such as jet-engine turbine blades) made of single-crystal superalloys. But microstructural inhomogeneities created by the high-power laser are a major reliability concern, so researchers employed x-ray Laue microdiffraction to probe the microstructure. Read more »

A New Way to Determine the 3D Structure of Molecules

Researchers have created a sort of nanoscale display case that enables new atomic-scale views of hard-to-study chemical and biological samples. The work could help to reveal new structural details for a range of challenging molecules by stabilizing them inside sturdy structures known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Glowing Crystals Can Detect, Cleanse Contaminated Drinking Water

Tiny, glowing crystals designed to detect and capture heavy-metal toxins such as lead and mercury could prove to be a powerful new tool in locating and cleaning up contaminated water sources. The crystals function like miniature, reusable sensors and traps, and are known as luminescent metal-organic frameworks, or LMOFs. Read more »

A Molecular View of Sperm–Egg Fusion

Researchers have uncovered the first interactions between the human sperm and egg—the initial steps in the creation of human life. The discovery lays a foundation to better understand fertilization and could lead to the development of non-hormonal contraceptives. Read more »

Designed Protein Nanocages Inspired by Nature

Inspired by protein molecules observed in nature, researchers have now engineered ten large, 120-subunit, two-component protein complexes. These designed nanomaterials are attractive starting points for new approaches to targeted drug delivery, vaccine design, and bioenergy. Read more »