Category Archives: Biochemistry
The mechanochemistry of E. coli type 1 pilus
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is responsible for approximately 90% of urinary tract infections (UTI) seen in individuals with an ordinary anatomy. In ascending infections, fecal bacteria colonize the urethra and spread up the urinary tract to the bladder as […]
A new theory on the early building blocks of life
From nucleic acids to proteins and sugar chains, all life is made up of polymers, large molecules made up of sequences of small units called monomers. However, how these macromolecules first appeared on the surface of Earth is still controversial. […]
When we forget basic science. A jar is not a jug
Author: Adrián Matencio is pursuing a PhD at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – A, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, where he graduated in biotechnology.
Applicability or some usefulness is the mantra of new I+D research. However, […]
When we forget basic science. An example concerning solubility
Author: Adrián Matencio is pursuing a PhD at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – A, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, where he graduated in biotechnology.
Nowadays, most important news concerning science focuses on applicability; if […]
Modified DNA catalysts for chemical reactions in water
We all know that the main role of DNA is the storage of genomic information leading to the biosynthesis of proteins via diverse forms of RNA. In turn, proteins play multiple roles in living systems, catalysis being among the most […]
Novel methods of chiral separation
Author: Adrián Matencio is pursuing a PhD at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – A, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, where he graduated in biotechnology.
A long time ago, Aaron Burr Jr. (1756 –1836), the Vice-President […]
Holidays, drug addiction...and cancer research
Cell signalling is the mechanism by which cells communicate with each other and with their environment. Stimuli, which are generally chemical, are transmitted via a signalling cascade to effector molecules that orchestrate the appropriate response. Signalling pathways are not isolated […]
Lung cancer can be detected through your nose
There is a word everybody fears and that is because when you listen to it out loud, it could be too late. Even though we have likely coexisted with cancer since complex multicellular organisms evolved, to us human beings, it […]
Carotenoids, I see your true colours
When autumn arrives to temperate climate forests, deciduous trees lose their characteristic green tonalities and start showing a wide spectrum of new colours: yellow, brown, orange, red… Chlorophyll reabsorption takes place in the leaves and carotenoids, present in a lower […]
Graphene nanopore DNA sequencing
Nanopore DNA sequencing was one the ten scientific breakthroughs of 2016 highlighted by Science magazine. In principle, graphene is the perfect pore material for DNA sequencing . Its monoatomic thickness of 0.35 nm is similar to the DNA base spacing […]