Journal Club

Highlighting recent, timely papers selected by Academy member labs

Author Archives: Jyoti Madhusoodanan

To find zoonotic viruses, researchers seek genomic signatures of virus adaptations to hosts

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

In light of the ongoing pandemic, researchers have stepped up efforts to identify new zoonotic threats—viruses that could make the leap from animals to humans and cause future epidemics. Studies aiming to identify such viruses often focus on a novel … Continue reading →

Prion-like protein acts as water sensor in seeds

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

The sprouting of a seed is clearly a crucial stage in a plant’s life. Yet one part of the process has long been shrouded in mystery: How do seeds know when there’s enough water to germinate? Researchers recently reported the … Continue reading →

Country-level assessment hides big variations in soy’s carbon footprint

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Analysts usually estimate a crop’s carbon footprint based on country-level factors. But that formulation isn’t adequate, according to a new analysis of soy exports from Brazil. Published in Global Environmental Change, the study tracked soy from specific production sites in … Continue reading →

PREVIEW News Feature: To counter the pandemic, clinicians bank on repurposed drugs

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Teams are pursuing a dizzying array of therapeutic strategies to stymie COVID-19. It’s not yet clear which approach, or combination of approaches, will work best. *Editor’s Note: We’re providing a preview of this content due to the urgent and rapidly … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Plants load extracellular vesicles with a new class of RNAs

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

A recent study in The Plant Cell found that plants release extracellular vesicles carrying a new class of RNA molecules, named “tiny RNAs.” The findings are among the first to reveal the contents of these vesicles, and may hint at … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Being less infectious pays off for lung pathogen

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

The human body is home to millions of commensal microbes, some of which—given the right circumstances—can cause disease. One such microbe, known as nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), infects the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition that … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Microglial protein trafficking could play a role in neurodegenerative disorders

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s are associated with a build-up of insoluble, toxic forms of proteins such as amyloid or tau in the brain. Normally, intracellular protein complexes known as retromers help with recycling and trafficking … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Enzyme helps to speedily create a key chemical bond in the lab, suggesting synthetic chemistry applications

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

With just a few chemical tweaks, cellular enzymes can turn some of the most common amino acids into unique compounds that possess antimicrobial or medicinal properties. But in the lab, it’s much harder to derive these molecules when using conventional … Continue reading →

Categories: Biochemistry | Chemistry | Journal Club | Tagged GRiE, manzacidin C, Streptomyces griseus, synthetic chemistry | Leave a comment

Journal Club: Macrophages help regenerate ear parts in spiny mice

Posted on June 10, 2017 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Salamander tails and fish fins are oft-cited examples of animals’ ability to regenerate a lost limb or organ. But one mammal—the African spiny mouse—has also emerged as a model of regenerative abilities. In a recent study, Ashley Seifert of the University … Continue reading →

Journal Club: ATP could help proteins dissolve in cells, prompting a rethink about its function and evolution

Posted on May 27, 2017 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is widely considered biology’s “energy currency”. A crucial player in cell function, it stores and releases energy for enzymatic reactions in its phosphate bonds. But cells typically hoard amounts of ATP several hundred-fold higher than that needed … Continue reading →

Categories: Biochemistry | Cell Biology | Journal Club | Tagged Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ATP, plaque | 1 Comment

Journal Club: Virus-infected plants create buzz among bees

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan

A bout of a viral infection can leave tomato plants stunted and their leaves sickly. But it might offer a surprising reproductive boost: infected plants release a different smell than healthy ones, and that unique aroma can draw more bees … Continue reading →

Categories: Journal Club | Plant Biology | Tagged bees, cmv, cucumber mosaic virus | Leave a comment