Potential target for developing anti-viral drugg Amrita Ojha et al. described how the elevated level of a platelet cytokine, PF4 enhanced the replication and infection of Dengue and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in patients and in mice. They have described that the treatment with AMG487, a small molecule antagonist to CXCR3 (the receptor of PF4) abrogated […]

Bacteria often assemble and use hair-likeorganelles known as pili or fimbriae on their cell surface to quickly and effectively mediate attachment to the host surfaces.This initial attachment is the critical event in bacterial colonization, which may benefit or harm the host depending on nature of their relationship.Dr. VengadesanKrishnan’s structural microbiology research group has begun structural […]

Tumor suppressor cylindromatosis protein (CYLD), which specifically cleaves lysine 63-linked ubiquitin chain from its substrate molecules, contributes to myriad of important cellular events including cellular differentiation, oncogenesis, DNA repair and cell cycle control. It is a ubiquitously expressed protein, which negatively regulates NF-kB and JNK signaling pathways and mediates caspase dependent apoptosis through RIP1 deubiqutination. […]

Kottur J, Nair DT. Pyrophosphate hydrolysis is an intrinsic and critical stepof the DNA synthesis reaction. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 May 30 DNA synthesis by DNA polymerases (dPols) is central to duplication and maintenance of the genome in all living organisms. dPols catalyze the formation of a phosphodiester bond between the incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate and […]

Transposons are mobile genetic elements and their movement give rise to changes in the genome. These elements were discovered by Barbara McClintock and she was awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1983. The transposons usually code for enzymes known as transposases which are responsible for the movement of these mobile genetic elements. The […]