Kyoto, Japan -- Toward the right side of the periodic table below oxygen you'll find the chalcogens, or "ore-forming" elements. The chalcogens that occur naturally, including sulfur, selenium and tellurium, are all somehow involved in biological processes. Molecules containing sulfur, like the antioxidant glutathione, play a central role in redox regulation, the balance between oxidation and reduction that is essential for maintaining cellular health.

Recent studies have suggested that the heavier selenium and tellurium are active in biological redox systems as well, but the instability of molecules containing chains of different chalcogen atoms has made structural analysis difficult. Traditional methods have largely relied on mass spectrometry, which cannot be used to directly observe molecular bonds. This limitation motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to develop a method that would allow them to more clearly observe chains of chalcogens.

"We have long been interested in understanding how subtle atomic substitutions can alter biological function," says corresponding author Kazuma Murakami. "Chalcogen chemistry offers a unique window into redox biology that remains largely unexplored."

WEHI researchers have led a major global effort to create the first authoritative atlas for a class of enzymes that regulate almost every cellular process in the human body.

A new study published in Science China Life Sciences reveals a scent-mediated “push–pull” strategy that helps a famous fragrant tree sweet osmanthus protect its pollen while securing effective pollination.

Researchers have discovered that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), known as the "youth hormone," can regulate male reproductive function by activating its specific membrane receptor ADGRG2. The study shows that DHEA, on one hand, enhances the activity of the CFTR chloride pathway by activating ADGRG2, thereby regulating the chloride homeostasis and fluid balance essential for sperm maturation. On the other hand, it can directly act on ADGRG2 expressed on X chromosome-bearing sperm, significantly improving sperm motility and survival rate through the Gs–cAMP–PKA signaling pathway. This research reveals the rapid regulatory mechanism of DHEA in male reproduction, providing key scientific insights into its physiological functions.

A large-scale phylogenomic study reconstructs the evolutionary history of ciliates by analyzing genomic data from 190 species, spanning nearly all known classes. The research resolves long-standing taxonomic controversies, proposes a revised classification of the phylum Ciliophora, and estimates its origin at approximately 1.05 billion years ago in the Mesoproterozoic era. The findings provide a robust framework for understanding the diversification and ecological adaptations of these essential single-celled eukaryotes and offer a curated set of core gene families for future evolutionary studies.

Scientists have uncovered how the toxic protein that drives Huntington’s disease spreads through the brain. The study shows that neurons pass the harmful huntingtin protein through tiny cellular tunnels called tunneling nanotubes. Researchers also discovered that a partnership between two proteins, Rhes and SLC4A7, helps build these tunnels. When this pathway was disrupted in cells and mice, the spread of the toxic protein dropped sharply – revealing a promising target for therapies designed to slow or stop the disease.

Variation in tissue mechanical properties play an important role in generating animal body shape diversity, as a new study from EMBL researchers and their collaborators has shown. Using a combination of theoretical modelling and experimental perturbations, the researchers showed how a combination of such properties results in a unique 'mechanotype’ for a species. Mechanotypes can help us predict body shape, and the scientists hypothesise that evolution might act on mechanotypes to give rise to the diversity of animal body shapes that we see around us today.