Jason Chin’s group refactor the genetic code to create genetically isolated organisms which cannot exchange genetic information with naturally-occurring organisms in the environment.
Insight on Research
Pathway for making multipass membrane proteins elucidated
New research by the Hegde group and collaborators has used a combination of biochemical and structural approaches to reveal the key factors and steps cells use to embed multipass proteins, such as GPCRs and transporters, into the membrane.
Engineered polymerase enzyme presents new opportunity for quick and efficient modified nucleic acid synthesis
Modified polymerase enzyme produces xeno-nucleic acids efficiently and accurately, opening up possibilities in academic science, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
Identification of pathway that enables resistance to tuberculosis
Lalita Ramakrishnan’s group, LMB Cell Biology Division and University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, has determined that increased metabolism, prompted through mTOR kinase, is a crucial resistance factor against macrophage necrosis during TB infection.
Identical structures of α-synuclein filaments from Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies
The groups of Michel Goedert and Sjors Scheres, from the LMB’s Neurobiology and Structural Studies Divisions, have used cryo-EM to identify identical structures of α-synuclein filaments from Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
Cryo-EM reveals first high-resolution structure of the dynein-dynactin complex bound to microtubules
New structure from Andrew Carter’s group in the LMB’s Structural Studies Division reveals dynein’s interaction with microtubules and how cargo adaptors use conserved sequence motifs to scaffold the motor protein complex