Articles in the Journal of Biological Chemistry investigate immune receptor binding; barrel-shaped organelles called vaults; de novo dNTP synthesis; and a specific SNARE inhibitor.

Scientists have found that a rice immune receptor triggers reactions in response to fungal proteins, a first step toward using gene editing to prevent the crop destruction caused by rice blast disease.

Chasing the structure of a histone’s N-terminus tail. Highlighting the role of lipids in mediating endoplasmic reticulum structure. Defining the components of a bacteria’s biofilm matrix. Researchers tackle these tasks and more in our latest roundup…

What is mitochondria’s role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease? What’s the best way to differentiate embryonic and mesenchymal stem cells to use MSCs in therapy? How do fatty acids reduce melanin in tumor cells? Researchers tackle these questions …

Nobel laureate Aziz Sancar and colleagues found that DNA in noncancerous tissue damaged by the chemotherapy drug cisplatin is mostly good as new within two days. Their work was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

“Lipoprotein (a): Many strides made, yet there is a long road ahead” is a virtual issue of the Journal of Lipid Research assembled by Gissette Reyes–Soffer.

What’s the role of ECM proteins in heart regeneration? How can an acid be converted to boost biofuel production? How does the “many ceramides” hypothesis lead to new tools for studying sphingolipid metabolism? Read about these questions and more.

A protein that could bring us closer to fertilizer-free farming. A link between cholesterol efflux in cerebral spinal fluid and Alzheimer’s. A protein that causes prostate tumor cells to thrive. Read these research highlights and more.

In a new study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers demonstrate that in addition to glutamine, a well-known cancer food source, TNBC cells can use fatty acids to grow and survive.

Curbing the neurotoxic effects of beta-amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s. Using proteomics to find targets to treat leishmaniasis, a sometimes-deadly parasitic disease. Turning white fat cells brite to treat obesity. Read about this work and more.

To pinpoint which kinase targets are most therapeutically relevant in cancer cells, researchers in Boston write in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that they used a new method exploiting the multitargeted nature of a chemical inhibitor.

July is UV Safety Month. See a collection of recent papers (except for one very cool one we just had to include at the end) related to UV light and published in ASBMB journals.

Tackling an incurable blood cancer. Sharpening an arthritis drug’s aim. Preventing atherosclerosis. Read about this work and more in our latest roundup.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have engineered T cell receptors that float freely in the body like antibodies, then bind tightly to cells infected with cytomegalovirus, they write in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Volatile organic compounds released by herbivore-infested plants. Protein phosphorylation in sperm development. Sphingosine in mitochondrial dysfunction after traumatic brain injury. Read about these and other papers in ASBMB journals.

What structural features of a cortisol-producing enzyme could help in treating Cushing’s disease? Can melatonin be used to treat obesity? How does a gut pathogen evade antibiotic treatment? These and other questions are addressed in our roundup.