Stanford study reveals new biomolecule stanford.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stanford.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Date Time
Researchers make ‘bombshell’ discovery of an entirely new kind of biomolecule
A newfound biomolecule, consisting of RNA modified by sugars, could be present in all forms of life and might contribute to autoimmune disease. By Holly Alyssa MacCormick
Stanford researchers have discovered a new kind of biomolecule that could play a significant role in the biology of all living things.
The novel biomolecule, dubbed glycoRNA, is a small ribbon of ribonucleic acid (RNA) with sugar molecules, called glycans, dangling from it. Up until now, the only kinds of similarly sugar-decorated biomolecules known to science were fats (lipids) and proteins. These glycolipids and glycoproteins appear ubiquitously in and on animal, plant and microbial cells, contributing to a wide range of processes essential for life.