In the world of tiny creatures, the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, has a clever way to protect itself from harmful microbes. It uses a special protein called CgC3 to tag and trap invaders. This protein can stick to various sugars and microbes, acting like a sticky note that marks the bad guys fo
Inside the brain, there's a sneaky fight happening. Glioblastoma, a tough type of brain cancer, is always finding ways to survive. Scientists have spotted a clever trick it uses. A tiny helper inside cells, called SH3GLB1, is part of this trick. It helps cells clean up and recycle their own parts. T
Microsporidia are tiny parasites that must live inside other cells to survive. They have a knack for manipulating the host's cellular processes to their advantage. One such process is autophagy, which is like the cell's recycling system. It usually helps the host cell get rid of unwanted stuff, in
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, but they can also cause trouble when things go wrong. Two key factors that can indicate mitochondrial issues are levels of NAD(P)H and pH. These factors are closely linked to a process called mitochondrial autophagy, which is the cell's way of cleaning up d
The human body is a battleground. Every day, cells face off against invading bacteria. One such invader is Salmonella, a sneaky pathogen that can slip into the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. When this happens, the cell's defense system kicks into gear. This system is called xenophagy, a type of auto
Plants have their own ways of staying healthy. Two key players in this defense system are ATG6 and NPR1. ATG6 is a gene linked to a process called autophagy, which helps plants break down and recycle their own components. NPR1, on the other hand, is a master regulator that coordinates the plant's im
Ever heard of SIRT6? It's like a superhero protein in your cells, helping them stay young and healthy. So, how does it do this? Well, first, it helps fix damaged DNA. Imagine your cells have roads that sometimes get potholes; SIRT6 finds those potholes and fixes t
Imagine tiny factories inside our body cells, constantly making proteins and repair kits to stay healthy. We all know that these factories in our cells produce and break down proteins. There are different ways to clean out old or damaged proteins. One of those cle
You know those painful knee issues many people deal with as they age? It turns out, there’s a surprising connection to how our cells manage energy. Scientists discovered that a protein called FTO helps control a process in our cells called autophagy. Autophagy keeps cells healthy by recycling old pa
Diabetic heart disease, a common issue for people with type 2 diabetes, is still hard to prevent and treat. Scientists are exploring ways to protect the heart from this condition. One promising solution is GYY4137, a special molecule that slowly releases a gas called hydrogen sulfide. This gas can h
