Without a key extracellular protein, neuronal axons break and synaptic connections fall apart
Scientists find a protein common to flies and people is essential for supporting the structure of axons that neurons project to make circuit connections.
New model offers a way to speed up drug discovery
By applying a language model to protein-drug interactions, researchers can quickly screen large libraries of potential drug compounds.
Tiny diamond rotor could improve protein studies
A new way of machining microscale rotors from diamond crystal can enable ultrasensitive NMR devices for probing proteins and other materials.
AI system can generate novel proteins that meet structural design targets
These tunable proteins could be used to create new materials with specific mechanical properties, like toughness or flexibility.
Bacterial injection system delivers proteins in mice and human cells
With further development, the programmable system could be used in a range of applications including gene and cancer therapies.
New purification method could make protein drugs cheaper
MIT engineers find specialized nanoparticles can quickly and inexpensively isolate proteins from a bioreactor.
Self-assembling proteins can store cellular “memories”
Using these engineered proteins, researchers can record histories that reveal when certain genes are activated or how cells respond to a drug.
New tool can assist with identifying carbohydrate-binding proteins
Groundbreaking research can help alleviate the challenges affiliated with studying carbohydrates.
Nanosensors target enzymes to monitor and study cancer
By analyzing enzyme activity at the organism, tissue, and cellular scales, new sensors could provide new tools to clinicians and cancer researchers.
A “door” into the mitochondrial membrane
Study finds the protein MTCH2 is responsible for shuttling various other proteins into the membrane of mitochondria. The finding could have implications for cancer treatments and MTCH2-linked conditions.
Probing how proteins pair up inside cells
MIT biologists drilled down into how proteins recognize and bind to one another, informing drug treatments for cancer.
Study reveals a protein’s key contribution to heterogeneity of neurons
Tomosyn’s tight regulation of neurotransmitter release distinguishes functions of two neuron classes at the fly neuromuscular junction.
Cellular environments shape molecular architecture
Researchers glean a more complete picture of a structure called the nuclear pore complex by studying it directly inside cells.
Playing with proteins
At the MIT Edgerton Center, educators are quietly transforming the way biology is taught in schools.
The power of two
Graduate student Ellen Zhong helped biologists and mathematicians reach across departmental lines to address a longstanding problem in electron microscopy.