Tag: Biophysics
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RNA Folding under the Microscope: How Molecular Dynamics Shapes Understanding
Introduction: Why RNA Folding Matters Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is more than a messenger of genetic information. It plays diverse roles in gene regulation, processing, and maintenance across life’s domains. Understanding how RNA folds into its functional three-dimensional shapes is central to biology and medicine. In recent years, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have emerged as a…
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Advancing RNA Folding Insights with Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Introduction: The Power of Atomistic MD in RNA research Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is one of life’s most versatile molecules, orchestrating gene regulation, processing, and maintenance across diverse biological systems. To fully understand RNA function, researchers increasingly rely on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that use atomistic force fields to capture the subtleties of folding, dynamics, and…
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Ribosome Formation: Near-Continuous Molecular Movie Reveals Assembly
New window into a cellular factory Ribosomes are legendary for turning genetic instructions into life-sustaining proteins. For decades, scientists have watched these tiny workhorses in action, but understanding how the ribosome itself is assembled has remained a frontier. In a groundbreaking study, researchers have captured a near-continuous molecular movie of ribosome formation, offering an unprecedented…
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Tiny genome loops persist in dividing cells, reshaping mitosis understanding
Overview: A surprise in the mitotic genome For decades, scientists believed that as cells prepare to divide, their chromosomes condense into a tightly packed, featureless slate. Once division finished, the genome would gradually reestablish its complex 3D structure to regulate which genes are active in each daughter cell. A groundbreaking study from MIT challenges this…
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Researchers Unveil How a Membrane Protein Motif Stabilizes Protein Architecture
New Insights into Membrane Protein Architecture Scientists at Scripps Research have unlocked fresh understanding of how membrane proteins—crucial players in transport, signaling, and cellular adhesion—achieve and maintain their complex shapes within the cell’s lipid envelope. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on October 7, 2025, the study presents a computer-guided approach…
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McGill Physicists Unveil an Electrokinetic DNA Trapping Device
<h2Breakthrough in Electrokinetic DNA Trapping Researchers at McGill University’s Department of Physics have introduced a breakthrough device that can trap and study DNA molecules without touching them or causing damage. By employing carefully tuned electric fields, the tool gives scientists unprecedented, real-time control over how individual DNA strands move and behave in tiny spaces. The…
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Density in Living Cells: New Findings on Nucleus-Cytoplasm Ratios Across Species
Density as a fundamental property of living cells In a collaborative effort spanning major research hubs in Berlin and London, scientists report a striking finding: the density balance between a cell’s nucleus and its surrounding cytoplasm appears remarkably consistent across diverse species. The study, which leveraged state-of-the-art imaging and quantitative analysis, places cell density at…
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Cell Density in Living Cells: New Insights into Nuclear-Cytoplasm Balance
What the study found A new international study, conducted by teams in Berlin and London, identifies density as a fundamental property of living cells. Using a suite of imaging and biophysical techniques, the researchers measured the density of the cell nucleus and the surrounding cytoplasm across a wide range of species—from simple yeast to human…
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Density Ratios in Living Cells: New Cross-Species Insights
Understanding density in living cells A new study highlights the importance of density relationships inside living cells, particularly between the nucleus and the surrounding cytoplasm. Researchers report that the ratio of nuclear density to cytoplasmic density remains remarkably constant across a wide range of species, from simple single-celled organisms to complex multicellular life. This finding…
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A New Tool in the Battle Against Chronic Pain? The Holy Grail of Relief
The Holy Grail of Pain Relief: What Scientists Are Pursuing Chronic pain affects millions worldwide, and opioids, while powerful, bring a heavy toll in the form of dependence, tolerance, and life-threatening side effects. This has spurred researchers to seek a drug that can deliver opioid-level relief without the devastating risks. At the center of this…