Infos

Understanding the interactions of biomolecules such as proteins or drugs with the membrane of cells is important in biomedical research and for the pharmaceutical industry. The sensitivity of neutrons to hydrogen atoms make neutron scattering a unique probe.

In an article published in ACS Macro Letters, a team of physicochemists describes a novel approach which uses neutron and light scattering to monitor in situ the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers in near-equilibrium conditions. These results offer a wealth of possibilities for observing and better understanding the organisation of complex biological and synthetic macromolecules in aqu…

The serum protein ApoE is known to bind to LNPs after administration and to be critical for cellular uptake and protein production in the liver. The acquisition of complementary SANS and SAXS data revealed the structural and compositional effects induced by this binding: a rearrangement of both t…

An experimental-computational approach develops a structurally stable model of the KaiABC complex and reveals a hitherto elusive mechanism in cyanobacterial circadian regulationAn international research team, including Kyoto University, ExCELLS, QST (Japan), the Institut Laue-Langevin, ILL (France…

Research has demonstrated the likely critical membrane fusion mechanism involved when the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infects human cells.SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is from a family of single-stranded positive sense RNA viruses named β-coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 and oth…

AAA+ ATPases are a large family of ubiquitous enzymes with multiple tasks, including the remodelling of the cellular proteome, i.e. the ensemble of proteins in a biological cell. A subfamily, so-called unfoldases, recognize, unfold, and address misfolded or dysfunctional proteins towards proteolyt…

Schematic, cross-sectional view of a PEM fuel cell. Hydrogen fuel is channelled to the anode, while oxygen from air is channelled to the cathode. At the anode, hydrogen is split into protons (H+) and electrons (e-). The PEM allows the protons to cross to the cathode, while the electrons travel vi…

Silk may well be the oldest biomaterial humans have exploited. The primary protein comprising silk is fibroin, and in the last century, it has been intensely studied for a variety of advanced applications beyond luxurious fabrics. Some of the most exciting current research is exploring the potential of this protein in a range of applications using neutrons.