When Protein Folding Goes Wrong

The standard for nanotechnology is nature's own proteins. These biomoleculare nanomachines - macromolecules made from peptide chains of amino acid -  are able to fold themselves into a multitude of shapes and forms that enable them to carry out an equally multitude of functions important to life. Asimportant as protein folding is to virtualy all biological systems, the mechanisms behind this process have remained a mystery. Protein folding is the process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation. A team of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy have determined the crystal structure of a critical control element within chaperonin,  the protein complex responsible for the correct folding of other proteins. The misfolding of proteins has been linked to many diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and some forms of cancer relating back to the projects we just did in Science

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD's)

       

STD's (Sexually Transmitted  Disease), STI's (Venereal diseases), and VD (venereal diseases), are diseases or infections that have a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact. Depending on the STD the person may or may not be able to spread the infection even if no signs of the disease is present. For an example, a person is much more likely to spread herpes infection when blister are present than when they are absent.

The search for a vaccine to prevent infection with two types of herpes simplex is under way. A new vaccine, previously thought to protect uninfected women who have infected partners, has now been found useless against one form. The failure of the vaccine really suggests that we need to look at new approaches to H.S.V. 

Molecular Link Established Between Genetic Defect and Heart Malformation

UNC researchers have discovered how the genetic defect underlying one of the most common heart diseases keeps the critical organ from developing properly. According to the new research the mutation sin the gene called SHP-2 distort the shape of cardiac muscle cells so they are unable to form a fully functioning heart. This study also shows that the treatment with a drug that regulates cell shape and rescues the cardiac defect. This could one day benefit Noonan syndrome patients.

I thought that this was very interesting because it reminded me of the open note test we had in science. The discovery will help save lives.