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Blog – Page 57

Controlling the uniformity in size and quantity of macroscopic three-dimensional (3D) DNA crystals is essential for their integration into complex systems and broader applications. However, achieving such control remains a major challenge in DNA nanotechnology. Here, we present a novel strategy for synthesizing monodisperse 3D DNA single crystals using microfluidic double-emulsion droplets as nanoliter-scale microreactors. These uniformly sized droplets can shrink and swell without leaking their inner contents, allowing the concentration of the DNA solution inside to be adjusted. The confined volume ensures that, once a crystal seed forms, it rapidly consumes the available DNA material, preventing the formation of additional crystals within the same droplet. This approach enables precise control over crystal growth, resulting in a yield of one DNA single crystal per droplet, with a success rate of up to 98.6% ± 0.9%. The resulting DNA crystals exhibit controlled sizes, ranging from 19.3 ± 0.9 μm to 56.8 ± 2.6 μm. Moreover, this method can be applied to the controlled growth of various types of DNA crystals. Our study provides a new pathway for DNA crystal self-assembly and microengineering.

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After more than five decades of mystery, scientists have finally unveiled the detailed structure and function of a long-theorized molecular machine in our mitochondria — the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier.

This microscopic gatekeeper controls how cells fuel themselves by transporting pyruvate, a key energy source, across mitochondrial membranes. Now visualized using cryo-electron microscopy, the carrier’s lock-like mechanism could be the key to tackling diseases like cancer, diabetes, and even hair loss. By blocking or modifying this gateway, researchers believe we could reroute how cells generate energy and develop powerful, targeted treatments.

Unlocking a Mitochondrial Mystery.

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It’s no wonder engineers have long dreamed of harnessing these powers in human-made structures. Now, scientists have combined fungus and bacteria to create a living material that stays alive for up to a month and can form bone-like structures. The researchers say this approach could one day be used to create structural components that repair themselves.

“We are excited about our results and look forward to engineering more complex and larger structures,” Chelsea Heveran at Montana State University, who led the study, told New Scientist. “When viability is sufficiently high, we could start really imparting lasting biological characteristics to the material that we care about, such as self-healing, sensing, or environmental remediation.”

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Researchers have long studied quantum entanglement to understand how photons appear to influence each other instantaneously.

This peculiar link first emerged when Albert Einstein pointed to what he called “spooky action at a distance,” suggesting that this peculiar behavior contradicted intuitive views of cause and effect.

The conversation around these phenomena has evolved through the decades.

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Measles, a highly contagious viral infection, continues to pose a significant public health threat worldwide. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, outbreaks persist, particularly in regions with low immunization rates. In 2023, the World Health Organization observed up to a 30-fold increase in measles cases in Europe. There are currently no treatment options for measles. Instead, patients must allow the virus to take its course and let the immune system naturally clear the infection.

Erica Ollmann Saphire, a structural biologist, and her research team at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology uncovered the structure of the measles glycoprotein and engineered a neutralizing antibody against it. This therapy could be implemented to manage measles outbreaks worldwide.

Researchers uncovered the structure of the measles fusion glycoprotein and identified a neutralizing antibody capable of decreasing its virulence.

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