Compound called lolamicin targets a group of harmful microbes but does not disturb those that live peacefully in the gut. Compound called lolamicin targets a group of harmful microbes but does not disturb those that live peacefully in the gut.
Instead of bursting like a balloon, the protein ninjurin-1 provides a breaking point in the cell membrane, causing rupture at specific sites, said Hiller.Using highly sensitive microscopes and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the scientists have elucidated the cells destruction mechanism by which ninjurin-1, a small protein embedded in the cell membrane, induces membrane rupture at the level of individual atoms.They found that upon receiving the suicide command, two ninjurin-1 proteins initially clustered together and drove a wedge into the membrane.Large lesions and holes are formed by many further proteins attaching to the initial wedge.
Every day, millions of cells die in our body. Other than generally assumed, cells do not simply burst at the end of their lives but rather, a specific protein serves as a breaking point for cell membrane rupture. Researchers at the University of Basel have now been able to elucidate the exact mechanism at the atomic level. They have published their results in “Nature”.
Every day, millions of cells die in our body. Other than generally assumed, cells do not simply burst at the end of their lives but rather, a specific protein serves as a breaking point for cell membrane rupture. Researchers have now been able to elucidate the exact mechanism at the atomic level.