Connect with us

Published

4 years ago

on

Researchers have created new and more efficient genetic reporter proteins to detect specific proteins in cells, a step which is believed to help in the study of genetic material and intracellular processes, engineered or otherwise. Genetically encoded reporter proteins are of much use in the fields of biotechnology. These reporter proteins help detect certain proteins and decode engineered genetic circuits. However, conventional reporter proteins rely on the fluorescence of protein molecules, which makes it difficult to detect some strains. However, researchers at the University of Washington and Microsoft have developed reporter proteins that can be read by a ‘nanopore sensing device’.

Researchers call this new reporter protein ‘nanopore-addressable protein tags engineered as reporters’ (NanoporeTERs, or NTERs). The team has developed 20 such NTER tags and stored them in a library.

The research report was published in Nature Biotechnology. Reporter proteins can help researchers gather data about cell processes and anomalies. Conventionally, only optical proteins that showed fluorescent effects could be detected through the trial-and-error method. The maximum number of protein strands that could be simultaneously studied were also limited. This largely limited cellular-level research.

However, the new synthetic proteins are secreted outside a cell to gather information about the cellular environment. They carry distinct amino acid “barcodes” that respond to a nanopore detector. For the study, researchers used the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION device. With these reporter proteins, it is also possible to simultaneously read more protein strands, which give at least 10 times more multiplexing opportunities.

NTERs are proteins with charged “tails” that attract them to the sensors of a nanopore through an electric field. Researchers, then, use machine learning to decode these electrical signals and classify them into NTER barcodes.

“This is a fundamentally new interface between cells and computers,” a report by EurekAlert quoted Jeff Nivala, one of the nine authors and a University of Washington Research Assistant Professor, as saying.

Lead Co-author Karen Zhang saw a potential to expand these NTERs beyond 20 tags. “We are currently working to scale up the number of NanoporeTERs to hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions more,” he said in the same report.

NTERs can change the way we detect diseases or target therapeutics to specific areas in the body. And “debugging complicated genetic circuit designs” is another field that will benefit from this research.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Science

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru's Sierra del Divisor

The mysterious peak of Cerro El Cono, standing isolated in the Sierra del Divisor, a mountainous border between Peru and Brazil, has drawn attention of researchers for its mysterious pyramidal shape, emerging from the plain and protruding from the virgin lowland forest. In the Andes mountain range, the structure is visible from a distance of up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) on clear days. Because of its remote location, Cerro El Cono’s origins have remained a mystery. Some reports suggest that “The cone hill” may just be a peculiar rock structure, while others speculate that it may be an extinct volcano. 

Origin Theories

According to research featured in La República, the 1310-foot-tall Corro El Cono is a spiritual entity for the local tribes. It is respected as an Andean Apu, a secret mountain believed to hold protective powers for the people living in its vicinity.

Some researchers speculate it as an extinct volcano due to its distinct shape, but this hypothesis remains unconfirmed due to limited research and accessibility issues in this area.
Another explanation — one for which there is no evidence — is that Cerro El Cono sits on the ruins of a pyramid built by ancient Indigenous tribes.

Conservation challenges

The surrounding jungle of Cerro El Cono is a home to several vulnerable species, including giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), jaguars (Panthera onca) and various types of monkeys, according to The Guardian. This makes it environmentally significant and it is considered a Biodiversity hotspot.

To combat threats of environmental degradation due to illegal logging, gold mining, and poaching, Sierra del Divisor National Park was created in 2015. But recent surveys show, this protected park has failed to deliver the promised threat removal.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


Motorola Razr 60 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip, Moto AI Suite Confirmed to Launch in India Soon



iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Moniker Surfaces Online; Launch Timeline, Key Features Tipped

Continue Reading

Science

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis

NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope has captured a beautiful yet skewed-shaped spiral galaxy that resides about 190 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy, named Arp 184 or NGC 1961, is a part of the Camelopardalis or the Giraffe constellation. Its vivid and dazzling image reveals its asymmetric shape, and a single spiral arm stretched towards the viewer make it an interesting prospect for studies. The occurrence of multiple supernovae has drawn the attention of researchers to be a valuable target for research into galactic interactions and stellar explosions.

Cataloguing the galaxy

According to the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies compiled by astronomer Halton, Arp in 1966, the galaxy is named Arp 184. This catalogues about 338 galaxies that tend to be neither entirely spiral nor entirely elliptical-shaped. Dwarf galaxies without particular structures and the galaxies interacting with one another are also catalogued here. Arp 184 has a bright spot radiating light as the centre. A thick, stormy disc of material surrounds this, with swirling strands of dark dust and bright spots of star formation strewn through the disc.

A large spiral, star-speckled arm extends from the disc towards the viewer, for which it has earned a spot in this Atlas. The far side of Arp 184 does not have this impressive stretched arm, but it sports a few wisps of gas and stars on that side.

Hubble snapshot observing programs

The Hubble image showcases data from three Snapshot observing programs, one of which focused on Arp 184 for its unique appearance. The program surveyed galaxies listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and A Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations. The other two programs examined the aftermath of astronomical events like supernovae and tidal disruption events. Arp 184, having hosted four known supernovae in the past three decades, is a prime target for a supernova hunt.

Continue Reading

Science

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 6, 2025

By

NASA’s Don Pettit Returns to Earth with Russian Crewmates After ISS Science Mission

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft returned to Earth after a months-long mission on the International Space Station on April 19, 2025. Along with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, the spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Don Pettit too. Undocked from the ISS, the spacecraft drifted away and began descending three hours later to land in Kazakhstan. Pettit’s time in orbit was marked by numerous scientific investigations focused on future space missions, including experiments on metal 3D printing, advanced water sanitation, plant biology, and fire behaviour in microgravity.

Back to Earth: Soyuz Returns Don Pettit and Crewmates After Scientific Mission in Orbit

As per the NASA mission summary, Pettit logged hundreds of hours on research projects aimed at enhancing long-duration spaceflight technologies. Agency updates state that the 3D printing experiments advanced additive manufacturing in weightless conditions, while the fire dynamics tests offered critical data for onboard safety measures. Research on water purification and sustainable plant growth will help support life support systems on future lunar and Martian habitats.

The Soyuz‘s successful return added another chapter to routine international crew rotation efforts between NASA and Roscosmos. The landing site in Kazakhstan remains a standard recovery zone, where helicopters and ground teams met the crew for medical checks and post-flight evaluations. Despite the early morning landing, visibility was clear, ensuring a smooth retrieval.

Pettit’s mission emphasised how the ISS remains a critical platform for microgravity research. His investigations contribute directly to ongoing goals for sustainable space exploration and planetary habitation, aligning with NASA’s Artemis and Mars-forward objectives.

With the Soyuz MS-26 crew safely home, the ISS programme continues with its next phase of operations, including further earth science, space technology testing, and international crew collaboration.

Continue Reading

Trending