Tag: protein structure
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Protein Dark Energy: Revealing How Form Drives Function in Structure
Introduction: A new lens for protein structure Researchers are drawing an intriguing parallel between cosmology and biophysics. In astronomy, dark energy explains the universe’s accelerated expansion. In protein science, a similarly elusive force, colloquially termed protein dark energy, helps explain how a protein’s form governs its function. This emerging framework, championed by researchers including Rice…
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Newly Identified Protein Dark Energy Sheds Light on Form vs. Function in Protein Structure
Introduction: A fresh energy perspective in protein science Researchers have long studied how a protein’s shape determines its role in biology. Now a new concept—protein dark energy—promises to deepen our understanding of how form and function emerge from the tangled energetics of protein structures. Drawing on ideas inspired by cosmological “dark energy,” scientists are exploring…
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New protein insights pave way for malaria transmission-blocking vaccines
New protein insights offer a path to blocking malaria transmission Malaria remains a global health challenge, infecting hundreds of millions and causing hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. While existing vaccines reduce the risk of infection, they do not fully prevent the parasite from spreading from person to person via mosquitoes. A multinational team…
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New insights into malaria proteins offer pathway to blocking parasite transmission
Unlocking the blueprint for blocking malaria transmission Researchers have made a pivotal advance in the fight against malaria by revealing the detailed structures of two of the parasite’s surface proteins. Using millions of high-resolution images gathered with cryo-electron microscopy, scientists from Radboud university medical center in the Netherlands and The Hospital for Sick Children Research…