Huping Wang and Manu Hegde, in the LMB’s Cell Biology Division, have found a factor that helps nascent secretory and membrane proteins quickly access the protein translocation machinery when they arrive at the endoplasmic reticulum.
Insight on Research
Cryo-ET reveals new molecular insights into tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease
Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon’s group in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division have used cryo-ET to discover that tau filaments are tethered to the membranes of extracellular vesicles in Alzheimer’s disease. These findings introduce membrane tethering of amyloid filaments as a potential target to interfere with their accumulation in disease.
Why do infectious and autoimmune diseases result in joint pain or inflammation?
Tetsuo Hasegawa and Menna Clatworthy, in the University of Cambridge’s Molecular Immunity Unit house at the LMB, studied a synovial knee joint, finding porous capillaries which allow access by circulating immune stimuli, which is in turn policed by a blood-joint barrier of macrophages and nociceptor neurons.
Whole brain connectome of fruit fly is most complex brain ever mapped
An international collaboration, including Greg Jefferis’ group in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division, have published the connectome of the Drosophila fly – the most complex brain to be mapped in its entirety, including 140,000 neurons and over 15 million connections.
Using ultrasound to determine pregnancy in mice
Introduction of ultrasound machines has allowed LMB animal technicians to accurately detect pregnancy in mice as early as 5.5 days, which ultimately reduces the number of mice needed for research.
New potential therapy for neurodegeneration removes tau aggregates and improves motor function
Leo James’ group, in the LMB’s PNAC Division, have worked with Will McEwan’s group at the UK Dementia Research Institute to design two new therapeutics which harnesses cellular machinery to remove tau aggregates, improving motor skills in mice affected by neurodegenerative disease.