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Genetics

Human Genome. Image: depositphotos.com

A new comprehensive map links every human gene to its function

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The study of genetics has progressed rapidly in recent decades. For example, just a few months ago, the first complete, gap-free sequencing of the human genome was announced. Now the researchers have made progress again and created the first comprehensive functional map of genes expressed in human cells
How ketamine works: a schematic diagram of the new mechanism discovered in the study alongside the known mechanism. Ketamine molecule directly inhibits a certain type of receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate (top left) and produces a chain reaction that leads to increased expression of potassium ion channels (KCNQ) in neurons of the glutamate system in the anterior hippocampus (right)

Crossing the canal: how does today's most promising molecule for the treatment of depression work?

Using advanced methods for genetic sequencing at the single cell level, Weizmann Institute of Science scientists reveal a new molecular mechanism of action of ketamine - and show that combining it with another drug may lead to improved performance and reduced side effects
Cells that produce bone tissue (in red) and lymphatic vessels (in green) in a developing fin of a young zebrafish

Blood relationship

How are blood vessels born? The institute's scientists revealed surprising findings following observations of the fins of young zebrafish
Prof. Michael Sela, 2016. Photo: Yael Ilan

Prof. Michael Sela, former president of the Weizmann Institute, one of the developers of Copaxone and other drugs, has passed away.

From childhood in a factory yard in Poland to the top of world science and the development of best-selling drugs that have helped millions around the world
Winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere / NASA Worldview

Warning storms: the truth data reveals - the climate crisis is progressing faster than expected

A new study led by Weizmann Institute of Science scientists reveals that the intensification of winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere has already reached the level of predictions for the end of the 21st century
Schematic diagram of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDC) protein complex. Responsible for the transition between the metabolic pathways for the breakdown of sucralose and the production of energy in the mitochondrion ("Krebs cycle"). On the left: the classic move as it was known until now with the addition of the research hypothesis (marked with a question mark), on the right: the move as observed in transgenic mice without enzymes from the PDK family. The backup plan revealed in the study is highlighted with an exclamation mark

Opening a circle

Institute scientists are updating a version of one of the most classic diagrams in biochemistry books - the Krebs circle
Quantum tunneling. Photo: depositphotos.com

Does quantum tunneling cause genetic mutations?

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The human DNA molecule contains about three billion bases and replicates every day about two trillion times. For the cellular structure to be preserved, the replication process must be incredibly precise, but at the same time, the appearance of mutations shows that the process is not immune to errors. With the help of computer simulations, physicists and chemists from the University of Surrey In England they showed that errors in replication may occur due to quantum tunneling. 
Schematic diagram of the bacterial operon (top) versus the eukaryotic transferron (bottom). According to the researchers, instead of "beads on a string" a kind of genetic "stroke-na" game developed during evolution that allows using the same "letters" - that is, messenger RNA molecules originating from genes located on different chromosomes - to create different "words", i.e. different transferrons

make from an elephant bacterium

How did evolution overcome the lack of order in the storage of genetic information in the transition from bacteria to more developed creatures?
genetic editing. Photo: depositphotos.com

protect the cell from the immune system

Between the genetic editing mechanism of RNA and the evolution of DNA
Prof. Yosef Shaul. The virus ignited his imagination

FDA approval for a third generation vaccine for viral hepatitis B

The component was developed based on the research of Prof. Yosef Shaul
Spirulina. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Breakfast of champions

When did unicellular algae become so nutritious - and how the change paved the way for an evolutionary leap
XNUMXD structure of an enzyme from the versatile peroxidase family generated through artificial intelligence-based prediction. The yellow dots mark mutations introduced by the algorithm developed in Prof. Fleishman's laboratory, with the aim of increasing the stability of the enzyme

The proteins of the future are already here

A combination of artificial intelligence and protein design algorithms allows for the first time access to a gold mine: millions of natural proteins that can be used in a variety of environmental, medical and industrial applications
Human Genome. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The Human Genome Project deciphered only 92% of the DNA - now scientists have finally filled in the remaining 8%, a scientist who participated in the project explains

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In healthy skin tissue samples (left) ScAF cells show thin and elongated "tails" (in green), while in patients with limited scleroderma (center) - and even more so in patients with diffuse scleroderma (right) - there are fewer and fewer ScAF cells, and those that remain gradually lose their Their elongated tails show different expression levels of some proteins (marked in blue and red)

In a new skin: transforming every cell on the way to understanding a rare autoimmune disease

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists in collaboration with Hadassah and Rambam doctors present a new road map for the study of diseases in which there is still much that is hidden on the open
Microglial cells that were "ripened" in the laboratory from stem cells derived from ALS patients (in green), the cell nuclei - in blue. Photographed using a confocal microscope

The good mutation

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists have discovered a new pathway that may protect nerve cells in the brain and slow down the development of degenerative brain disease
A new study sheds light on an important mechanism in the degradation of white blood cells. Illustration: Maya Factor, courtesy of Tel Aviv University

A new study sheds light on an important mechanism in the degradation of white blood cells

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Natural cancer antibodies (green) bind to ovarian cancer cells. Cell nuclei in blue. Photographed using a confocal microscope

The new players in the war on cancer

Our immune system has a powerful and accurate weapon to destroy bacteria and viruses. It is possible that in the future it will also be possible to harness it against malignant tumors
The Fantastic Five: strontium ions in a vacuum chamber trapped in an array of electric fields and cooled using laser beams to a temperature several millionths of a degree above absolute zero

Israel enters the quantum computing club

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists present the first Israeli quantum computer; In its construction, innovative methods were applied that will help advance the field towards unprecedented computational capabilities
How the body packs 2 meters of DNA into a tiny cell nucleus. Courtesy of Tel Aviv University

How does the human body pack 2 meters of DNA into a tiny nucleus that is only a few thousandths of a millimeter in size

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Since the genes are found along the length of the DNA, then the staggered way in which the DNA is arranged inside the nucleus separates the genes according to the content of their building blocks and thus the DNA is actually packed inside the tiny nucleus
Antibodies attack the corona virus. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Not all antibodies are created equal

Critically ill, recovering or vaccinated - how do the antibodies to corona that each of the groups produces differ and what are the unique characteristics of the antibodies acquired following vaccination
Breast cancer cells that express high levels of NUP93 (left) develop fingers that help them move; In contrast, cells without NUP93 are much more stationary (right)

The fight against breast cancer violence

A mouse intestinal mucosa lined with finger-like protrusions (in white) and containing lymphoid organs (in red) that contain germinal centers (in green). Photographed by confocal microscopy

There is no doubling of promotions: the immune system must choose - short term or long term

When the body's defense systems sacrifice the long term for short term victories
The institute's scientists revealed a communication channel between two key players in the cell - the nucleus and the mitochondria - and showed that the two organelles exchange messages with each other through molecular communication lines

Mitochondria answer, it's me

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The institute's scientists revealed a communication channel between two key players in the cell - the nucleus and the mitochondria - and showed that the two organelles exchange messages with each other through molecular communication lines
Immune system cells fight viruses. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The 2022 Wolf Prize in Chemistry promotes the understanding of the chemistry of intercellular communication

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The laureates also worked on inventing chemical methods to study the role of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in these biological processes.
The beginning of life. Illustration - shutterstock

In the beginning there was soap

What was the first chemical entity that met the basic conditions for life?
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