1. Biochemistry

Category Archives: Biochemistry

The World of Microbes with Dr. B. Brett Finlay, Peter Wall Distinguished Professor – Video

Posted on by


The World of Microbes with Dr. B. Brett Finlay, Peter Wall Distinguished Professor
Dr. B. Brett Finlay is a Distinguished Professor at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at The University of British Columbia. He also holds appoin...

By: WallInstitute

Follow this link:
The World of Microbes with Dr. B. Brett Finlay, Peter Wall Distinguished Professor - Video

New methodology for the analysis of proteins

Posted on by

The enrichment of urea (in purple) around the protein favours its unfolding. Credit: M Candotti, IRB Barcelona

A study led by the professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Faculty of Chemistry of the UB Modesto Orozco, and by Xavier Salvatella, from the Department of Biochemistry, both ICREA scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), has devised a new strategy to study the shape of proteins.

According to Orozco, "by combining computational modeling and experimental physicochemical techniques, we have revealed the structures of proteins, which, until now, were unachievable because of technical barriers". Results have been published on the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The research, carried out within the joint programme IRB Barcelona - Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) centres located at the BKC, represents an advance in protein structure research. Michela Candotti, the first author of of the paper, states that "to know the shape that proteins have is essential to perform any analysis. A wire can be a paperclip, a staple or a spring, depending how it is folded". This remark is especially relevant given the multi-functional nature of many proteins.

In the study researchers have been able to describe the chemical mechanisms by which compounds such as urea unfold proteins. "This was a debate that started in the 60s and now, with this work, it can be considered closed", explains Orozco. Furthermore, they have established a new strategy that will allow them to decipher the conformation of the Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP). IDPs are a group of proteins without a rigid structure that comprise a large part of the proteome; however, little is known about them. "Our results will contribute to research into diseases that involve IDPs, such as cancer, Parkinson's or Alzheimer", affirms Salvatella. Finally, scientists have identified the first steps in protein folding, another aspect which is discussed at great lenght.

More information: Candotti, M. et al. Towards an atomistic description of the urea-denatured state of proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), (early edition) 25th March 2013. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216589110

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by University of Barcelona

See the article here:
New methodology for the analysis of proteins

Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities at Harvard University Origins of Life

Posted on by

The Harvard Origins of Life Initiative is a multi-disciplinary research program at the intersection of biochemistry and planetary astronomy. Our goal is to discover how the initial conditions on planets, including our Earth, determined their biochemistry and life forms. This knowledge will eventually allow targeted studies of planets that might harbor life, including Earth twins. The Initiative is an active, vibrant community of students, faculty and researchers in this exciting new field.

We invite applications for Origins Postdoctoral Fellows who will pursue independent research on topics related to origins of life in collaboration with one or more Harvard faculty members in biochemistry, chemistry, geobiology, planetary science, and astrophysics. For a complete list of Origins team members, labs, and projects: http://origins.harvard.edu/AssocFaculty.html

Application Requirements: Candidates should have received their terminal degree within the 5 years prior to the application date. They should secure the commitment of at least one Harvard faculty member to host their work (a letter of support is required). A CV, a research proposal (3 pages), and a letter of recommendation from a current or former advisor should be sent to Carol Knell (cknell@cfa.harvard.edu) by April 15, 2013. Offers are expected to be made by the end of May, 2013. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The appointment will be for 1 year initially, with opportunity for renewal for up to 2 additional years, contingent upon performance. We offer a competitive compensation and allowance package. For more information on the fellowships, send questions to: cknell@cfa.harvard.edu.

Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

Read this article:
Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities at Harvard University Origins of Life

Cassava researchers fight famine

Posted on by

The cassava, a food staple for Tanzanians, has recently been struck by a class of viruses called geminiviruses, causing famine across the country. However, N.C. State has been bringing aid to those suffering by aiding in the research effort.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored a grant to fund research. It awarded $9.4 million to the Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, which is funding international teams of researchers, including a team at N.C. State.

Cassavas are ideal for the Tanzanian ecosystem as they require very little water and can be grown year-round.

It is the sole crop grown by the majority of Tanzanian farmers, who practice monoculture. The people of Tanzania depend on it for survival and as a source of income.

There have been reports of problems with the cassava crops for at least the past ten years, but recently the threat became much more serious. There has been a recorded movement of the African cassava mosaic virus, one of the geminiviruses, from East Africa westward.

Geminiviruses are DNA viruses, which are rarer than their counterparts, RNA viruses, Niki Robertson, a professor of plant biology involved in the research, said. There are a multitude of new diseases appearing in plants due to geminiviruses.

For several years it was thought there was a line of cassavas resistant to geminiviruses. However, recently that resistance has been broken, which has resulted in countless plants going through root necrosis. The crops are rotting in the ground.

Therefore, researchers at N.C. State are looking into what makes certain cassava plants resistant and how the DNA viruses are breaking their resistance. To do this, the researchers are comparing certain genes in different lines of crops and identifying resistant breeding lines to pinpoint the allele responsible. Once researchers know where the crops resistance is breaking, they hope to be able to prevent it.

Robertson and her colleagues want to have the resistance gene mapped out within the next two years there are people who are in desperate need of results. Once resistance can be understood, the researchers hope to introduce it into cassava crops through breeding or genetic engineering.

Because of the fast pace of the research, researchers are in need of participation by N.C. State students, according to Trino Ascencio-Ibanez, an assistant professor in biochemistry who has been working with geminiviruses for many years.

Go here to read the rest:
Cassava researchers fight famine

Dorm degrees prove bothersome

Posted on by

By Brantly Houston Posted on April 2, 2013 | News | No comment

Several residents of A.B. Barret Hall have experienced discomfort in their rooms due to inconsistencies with the temperature of the air conditioning.

Kealey Fabian, sophomore biochemistry major from San Antonio, has noticed many problems with the halls air conditioning system.

When its hot outside you walk into the dorm and have to put on a sweatshirt, Fabian said. And during the cold months you walk in and its like walking into Mordor and its really uncomfortable.

Fabian said this problem has been occurring all school year. However, she said not all days are unpleasant.

Sometimes its not running at all and well open our window, she said. Its glorious.

Fabian said she has sent several maintenance requests addressing the problem, even emailing as late as 2 a.m. after being woken up by extreme temperatures. She also said it seems to be a general consensus among the residents that the air conditioning system does not work well.

Caroline Gafford, sophomore biochemistry major from Dallas, has noticed other problems with the system.

This past week it was cold outside in the morning and at night, but in the afternoon it was super hot, Gafford said. Wed walk into our room at night but the air would still be cold even though it was 30 degrees outside and then wed have no way to heat our room.

Its really been kind of frustrating trying to sleep at night because Im either freezing in the morning or burning up in my covers at night, said Aaron Vaught, sophomore vocal music education major from Fort Worth.Its not a very good situation.

View original post here:
Dorm degrees prove bothersome

Community News: New principal named at Georgetown High School; Power outage interrupts STAAR test

Posted on by

TRAVIS COUNTY

AUSTIN

Professor presents latest in self-diagnosis

University of Texas biochemistry professor Dr. Andrew Ellington is hosting a free lecture highlighting how low-cost technology can help with medical self-diagnosis at 7 p.m. Thursday at the universitys Student Activity Center, located on Speedway near 21st Street.

Ellington will describe how low-cost, personalized diagnostics can help people with little or no medical background detect ailments such as viruses. He will also describe how advances in biotechnology are being made to help us gain a better understanding of our own physiology.

The event is part of the universitys Hot Science-Cool Talks outreach series of lectures that allow leading researchers to share their discoveries with the general public.

For those who cannot attend in person, a live broadcast of the lecture as well as broadcasts of previous lectures can be viewed at http://www.hotsciencecooltalks.org.

Wes Gardner, American-Statesman

PFLUGERVILLE

Master Gardeners discuss oak-wilt treatment

Continued here:
Community News: New principal named at Georgetown High School; Power outage interrupts STAAR test

Q & A

Posted on by

Hello sir,

I am a graduate of biochemistry with little knowledge about the business world.

I believe in being self-employed and, in view of this, I have this idea about investing in the auto industry. However, I have been having headaches on how to develop a business plan for this. I will be grateful if you can give me a guideline or highlight some key points on how I can come up with a business plan. I have already noted some points you made in the last two paragraphs of your article in The PUNCH of Wednesday, March 27. Thank you.

Adesanya A.

Dear Adesanya,

You will need an experienced hand to help you do a good business plan; as it is not a document that is done anyhow because the business plan is meant to serve as the template for the business. My advice is that when you find the person to help you do the business plan, please dont look for free service. Since you need useful information to make money from, you should be willing to exchange it for value. Also, the fee a good consultant may charge you may not be that cheap, therefore, you should be prepared to pay. It is part of your investment, which you want to make profit from. Regards.

Emmanuel

Dear Ola,

I agree 100 per cent with your view on economies of scale to attain a global brand model hinged on applying laws of leverage, co-operative, alliance, and synergy like the restless ants that ride on economies of scale.

Kowontan O.

See the original post:
Q & A

Seahorse Bioscience Launches First Product from the Partnership with Baystate Medical Center and UMass Amherst

Posted on by

BILLERICA, Mass., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Seahorse Bioscience, the world leader in instruments and assay kits for measuring cell metabolism recently launched the XF Plasma Membrane Permeabilizer (PMP), a reagent that enables scientists to measure the biochemistry and mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction, without the need for mitochondrial isolation or detergent-based permeabilization methods.

XF PMP was developed in partnership with the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute (PVLSI), a joint venture of Baystate Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with the dual missions of biomedical research and economic development. The technology was exclusively licensed to Seahorse Bioscience by UMass Amherst and Baystate Health, the parent organization of Baystate Medical Center.

XF PMP can be used with the Seahorse XFe Extracellular Flux Analyzer, an instrument for measuring cell metabolism, in real-time, in a microplate. The reagent was developed for XF technology in part by Dr. Nagendra Yadava, the John Adams Investigator at PVLSI; and Dr. Alejandro Heuck, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UMass Amherst.

"In the development of this potent new tool in biomedical analysis, we see the tremendous potential of collaborations between clinical and academic researchers and ingenuitive companies like Seahorse," said Richard Friedberg, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Pathology and chair of the Intellectual Property Committee at Baystate Health, who represented Baystate in working with Seahorse and UMass to establish the licensing agreement.

XF PMP creates pores in the cell plasma membrane, and delivers a degree of precision and ease-of-use that has not been available to scientists researching cell metabolism. A key element of XF PMP is the ability to assess mitochondrial function in adherent monolayers of permeabilized cells without damaging the mitochondrial membrane. By doing so, XF PMP enables metabolic substrates, compounds, and small proteins that otherwise would not cross the plasma membrane to reach the mitochondria.

"Seahorse's new XF Plasma Membrane Permeabilizer [PMP] enabled us to demonstrate that clinically-relevant concentrations of thiazolidinediones, a class of insulin sensitizers that includes Actos, specifically inhibited the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, a protein at the hub of cellular metabolism. The simplicity and reliability of XF PMP made it easy to interrogate the mitochondrial function of small clinical samples and genetically modified cells without mitochondrial isolation, experiments that are traditionally difficult or impossible. Our work is providing a new understanding of the mechanism of action of an important class of drugs, and opens a new avenue for the development of drugs to treat diseases including type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and heart failure," stated Anne N. Murphy, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacology at University of California, San Diego.

About Seahorse Bioscience

Seahorse Bioscience provides industry-leading analytical instruments, cell-based assay kits, and consumable labware products for biological research and drug discovery. Scientists worldwide use these tools to advance their research in understanding the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer, neuroscience, immunology, obesity, diabetes, ageing, cardiovascular function, and safety toxicity. Seahorse is headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts; has its manufacturing facilities in Chicopee, Massachusetts; and regional headquarters in Copenhagen and Shanghai. For more information visit: http://www.seahorsebio.com.

About Baystate Medical Center

Baystate Medical Center is an academic, research and teaching hospital that serves as the western campus of Tufts University School of Medicine. It is the major referral care center and only Level 1 trauma center for western Massachusetts, and is home to one of New England's busiest emergency rooms. One of Thomson Reuters/Truven Health Analytics' top 50 U.S. hospitals for cardiovascular care and top 100 U.S. hospitals, Baystate Medical Center is also designated a Leapfrog Top Hospital for quality and safety, is a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and is a six-time winner of the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence. http://www.baystatehealth.org/bmc

See the article here:
Seahorse Bioscience Launches First Product from the Partnership with Baystate Medical Center and UMass Amherst

New technique detecting ‘sugar-coated’ proteins could identify diseases earlier

Posted on by

Marta Pereira Morais.

(Phys.org) Scientists from our Departments of Biology & Biochemistry and Chemistry have developed a new technique that could be used in blood tests to detect a range of age-related conditions such as diabetes, dementia and Alzheimer's.

In the process of ageing, proteins in the body react with sugars in a process called glycation. This damages the protein's function which in some diseases can trigger complications such as inflammation and premature aging.

The team of chemists and biochemists at Bath have developed a technique that detects levels of glycated proteins in blood and tissue samples, which can be used to assess the damage caused by sugars in age-related diseases.

The technique, published today in the Nature Group journal Scientific Reports, is based on gel electrophoresis, where samples are put into a thin gel layer and an electric current is applied. The gel acts like a molecular sieve, sorting proteins from the samples according to their size and shape, allowing scientists to identify whether specific proteins are present in the sample.

The system, patented by the research team, uses boronic acid labelled with a fluorescent tag to distinguish between the glycated and unmodified proteins. The method also, allows them to distinguish glycated proteins from proteins that have been glycosylated; a normal process in healthy cells where sugars are added using enzymes.

Researchers are now looking for industrial partners to collaborate and develop the system to detect levels of glycated proteins in human blood samples, leading to a simple test for a variety of age-related diseases.

Dr Jean Van Den Elsen, from the University's Department of Biology & Biochemistry, explained: "We are currently using our technique to understand how these age-related diseases work, by identifying new biomarkers for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and testing how new treatments affect levels of glycated proteins.

Marta Pereira Morais, the post-doctoral researcher on the project added: "So far we've proven this test is able to detect glycated proteins in blood and in a caterpillar model for diabetes. We have also been able to distinguish between brain material from healthy mice and those with AD pathology.

"We hope in the future to develop this technology into a simple blood test for diseases such as AD, so that patients with the condition can be diagnosed and treated earlier."

Go here to see the original:
New technique detecting 'sugar-coated' proteins could identify diseases earlier


  1. Biochemistry