Scientists Just Found What Keeps Plant Cells From Growing Out of Control
Researchers discovered that the membrane‑shaping protein PEX11 controls peroxisome size during the seed‑to‑seedling stage in Arabidopsis. Using CRISPR to delete all five PEX11 genes, they observed giant peroxisomes that failed to shrink because vesicle formation was impaired. Introducing yeast Pex11 restored normal organelle dimensions, indicating a conserved mechanism across species. The work links plant organelle dynamics to potential applications in crop improvement and human disease research.
A Donut-Shaped Protein Breaks Apart to Start Bacterial Cell Division
Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have uncovered how the donut‑shaped MraZ protein remodels to activate bacterial cell division. Using X‑ray crystallography and cryo‑electron microscopy, they visualized MraZ breaking apart so four subunits can engage four six‑nucleotide boxes in the...
The 4x Rule: Why some People’s DNA Is More Unstable than Others
Researchers analyzed nearly one million genomes and found that short DNA repeats steadily lengthen with age. Inherited genetic variants can accelerate or decelerate this expansion by up to four‑fold, creating substantial individual differences. The study uncovered a previously unknown repeat...