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Displaying 171 of 2857 articles.

Linker histones tune the length and shape of chromosomes

A new study finds that proteins known as linker histones control the complex coiling process that determines whether DNA will wind into long and thin chromosomes, made up of many small loops, or short and thick chromosomes with fewer large loops.

Could future coronavirus variants fully dodge our immune system?

Studying dozens of naturally occurring and laboratory-selected mutations in SARS-CoV-2, researchers found that the virus will need to pull off a genetic feat to become fully resistant to antibodies.

Lonely flies, like many humans, eat more and sleep less

If COVID-19 lockdowns scrambled your sleep schedule and stretched your waistline, you're not alone. Fruit flies quarantined in test tubes sleep too little and eat too much after only one week of social isolation.

How cells draw on memories of past inflammation to respond to new threats

A new study uncovers a near-universal mechanism behind this phenomenon, known as inflammatory memory.

Paul Cohen, expert on fat, is promoted to associate professor

Cohen, a physician-scientist exploring obesity and metabolic disease, has conducted groundbreaking research on the complex inner workings of fat tissue.

Scientists capture the moving parts of the portal to the cell’s nucleus

The proteins of the nuclear pore complex flip-flop rapidly between two orientations as they let cargo through.

As COVID-19 vaccines emerge, the search for antiviral drugs continues

Scientists are digging through drug libraries of 430,000 compounds, in pursuit of an antiviral drug that can stop the novel coronavirus in its tracks.

Telomere shortening protects against cancer

Researchers have found the first evidence that telomere shortening is not just a sign of aging, but a key component of the body's cancer prevention system.

New atlas reveals the journey of human cells throughout development

The largest map of gene expression in over 4 million human cells charts the dynamic path to forming different organs.

How cells use mechanical tension sensors to interact with their environment

In a painstaking experiment, scientists suspended a single protein filament between two microscopic beads. Their results have shed light on an elusive process in which cells receive and respond to mechanical cues.