molecular-biology

All living things have a fleet of tiny copy machines that turn instructions from DNA into RNA, the molecules responsible for helping build proteins that keep organisms alive. One of these, called eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, performs a crucial early step required by nearly every biological process. A team led by Penn State researchers has captured a glimpse of this molecular machinery as it oper…

A conversation with Erin Adams, PhD, as she begins her tenure as Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

A conversation with Erin Adams, PhD, as she begins her tenure as Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

There has been a growing focus on ‘molecular chameleons’ possessing structural flexibility; compounds that can dynamically adjust their conformations depending on the characteristics of the medium to either conceal or reveal polar parts in aqueous/lipidic environments. Drug discovery has shifted in the past few decades toward more complex molecules, such as cyclic and macrocyclic peptides, as wel…

Scientific Reports, Published online: 18 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-67247-w DNA methylation as a complementary biomarker for HPV diagnostics in cervical lesions analyzed from FFPE material: new possibilities for stratification from pilot study

Scientists often describe life as a series of chemical reactions. Pallav Kosuri, PhD, describes life as movement. Chemical reactions are how you drive the movement of atoms, proteins, cells, and bodies-without movement, there is no life.

Researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal that two classes of antibiotics shut down RNA polymerase in bacteria by locking a key structural component in place. This discovery gives new insight into the basic biology of the enzyme, revealing a previously unknown moving part that may be essential across domains of life.

Researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal that two classes of antibiotics shut down RNA polymerase in bacteria by locking a key structural component in place. This discovery gives new insight into the basic biology of the enzyme, revealing a previously unknown moving part that may be essential across domains of life.

Researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal that two classes of antibiotics shut down RNA polymerase in bacteria by locking a key structural component in place. This discovery gives new insight into the basic biology of the enzyme, revealing a previously unknown moving part that may be essential across domains of life.

Scientific Data, Published online: 12 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41597-026-08094-2 A high-resolution RNA interaction atlas of Arabidopsis TUDOR STAPHYLOCOCCAL NUCLEASE1 by in vivo iCLIP

A multi-omics study has revealed distinct extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) features associated with postoperative recurrence in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). By integrating Circle-seq with genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and clinical data, the researchers characterized recurrence-associated eccDNA profiles and identified a seven-gene signature with potential value for recurrence risk str…

dc.title: Two studies in molecular and computational biology: ATM loss driving transcriptional disruption, and the practical limits of zero-shot evolutionary models dc.description.abstract: This dissertation contains two independent bodies of work in molecular biology and computational biology. The first investigates the mechanistic basis of cerebellar neurodegeneration in Ataxia-Telangiectasia (…

Brain health depends on the fine coordination of metabolic and neuronal pathways, and disturbances in this balance are recognized as major drivers of neurodegenerative, neurological, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs), as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, play important roles in the molecular networks underlying neurological…

MAGFLO NGS magnetic beads provide a cost-effective solution for nucleic acid purification, compatible with various fragment sizes and sequencing applications.

Nature Communications, Published online: 25 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-75985-8 The lncRNA Trdn-as regulates the formation of the cardiac-specific TRDN isoform through transcriptional interference and m6A modification. This is crucial for accurate cardiac dyad calcium release and prevents QT prolongation and cardiomyopathy.

Researchers have identified the first noncoding RNA derived from human cells that can bind to ATP. The team is looking now at that RNA's function, with hopes that its affinity to ATP resembles an ATPase function that could form the basis of a therapeutic nanoparticle.