DNA – My WordPress Site

Energetics associated with the occupancy of the K1 site and the position of the M2 ion. (A) Free energy surface of the concerted motions of Prp11 Lys10 and M2, with the initial PDB conformation marked by a yellow star. (B–D) Representative structures of three metastable states from metadynamics simulations. State 1 (B) represents a PDB-like arrangement where Lys10 (slate blue sticks) remains at the K1 site, and M2 (yellow sphere) is properly positioned at the U6 snRNA triple-helix (yellow cartoon). State 2 (C): Lys10 leaves the K1 site, allowing a K+ ion to occupy it and stabilize M2 in place. State 3 (D): M2 directly coordinates G52, losing its catalytic position and partially occupying the K1 site. -- PNAS

Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio

Computational Chemistry And Supercomputers To Help Understand The Mechanisms Of Life

by Keith CowingApril 13, 2026April 13, 2026

A new study from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), in collaboration with Uppsala University (Sweden) and AstraZeneca, shows how computational chemistry and supercomputers can help scientists better understand the fundamental mechanisms of life, specifically those of human cells.

Community composition and functional profiles of 152 samples. a, The relative abundance of archaea and bacteria in 152 samples. b, The proportion of all archaea in all samples. Bars in different colors represented different classes of archaea. c, The proportion of all bacteria in all samples. Bars in different colors represented different phyla of bacteria. d, the relative abundance of KEGG standard categories (level B) in all samples. e-f, Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of all RMAGs, archaea, bacteria, and KOs in different sites based on Bray–Curtis distances. -- biorxiv.org

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

The Recovery Of 12,789 Genomes Revealed The Diversity, Function, And Microbial Interactions Of The Geothermal Spring Microbiome

by Keith CowingApril 12, 2026April 13, 2026

Heatmap analysis of bacterial community composition across cave samples at phylum (A) and class (B) levels. A Euclidean dendrogram visualizes the hierarchical clustering of both samples and taxa. -- Microorganisms via PubMed

Analog Studies, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return

Evaluation Of The Bacterial Diversity In The World’s Deepest Cave—Veryovkina, Arabika Massif, Western Caucasus

by Keith CowingApril 10, 2026April 10, 2026

Proteins — large molecules with a specific biological function — are created by stringing together smaller molecular building blocks (amino acids) into chains which fold into complex 3D shapes. Credit Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life

Identifying The Limits Of Protein Evolution

by Keith CowingApril 2, 2026April 2, 2026

The schematic depiction of the dual role of amino acid monomers in nonenzymatic RNA replication (left panel, blue dotted box) and prebiotic compartmentalization (right panel, green dotted box). The background is of a hypothetical early Earth geothermal pool niche, which depicts molecules in a heterogeneous prebiotic milieu. In the case of nonenzymatic replication (left panel), the coexistence of amino acid monomers (stick models) along with the template sequence and the primer RNA (the brown and green colour strands, respectively, in the RNA cartoon), impacts the incoming monomers’ addition during the copying of information (activated nucleotides, multicoloured floating molecules). In case of prebiotic compartmentalization (right panel), these amino acid monomers act as a buffering agent while coexisting with fatty acids, and facilitate robust vesicle formation even at suboptimal pH. -- Astrobiology

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life

Amino Acids as Molecular Linchpins in the Fundamental Prebiotic Processes of RNA Copying and Vesicle Formation

by Keith CowingApril 1, 2026April 1, 2026

Mineral deposits, mud and hot gases at Krýsuvík-Seltún geothermal field on 2019-07-08. Alexander Grebenkov CC BY 3.0 Wikipedia

Analog Studies, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Icelandic Hot Springs as a Prebiotic Analog: Wet-Dry Cycling Effects on the Stability of Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids

by Keith CowingMarch 30, 2026March 30, 2026

Surface of Mars - NASA Perseverance

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

DNA Fragments Could Survive In Martian Rocks For More Than 100 Million Years

by Keith CowingMarch 24, 2026March 24, 2026

A synthesized false color image of Venus using 283-nm and 365-nm images taken by UVI. Images are colorized as follows: 283 nm → blue; 365 nm → red; mixture of both → green. In the 283 nm band observed by UVI, there is an absorption band of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Also, there is an absorption band of an unidentified chemical substance in the 365 nm band. For example, it can be said that the amount of SO2 is relatively low in the bluish areas in this image. © PLANET-C Project Team — JAXA Larger image

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Origin & Evolution of Life, Venus

Stability and Reactivity of Alternative Nucleobases in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid.

by Keith CowingMarch 24, 2026March 24, 2026

DNA-encoded Edman degradation on magnetic beads. (A) Reaction scheme for barcoding PTC amino acids via DNA-encoded Edman degradation on magnetic beads -- Nature Biotechnology

Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Tricorders & Sensors

Tricorder Tech: Protein Sequencing Advance Offers New Insights Into Life’s Foundations

by Keith CowingMarch 19, 2026March 19, 2026

Phylogeny of the 284 species of plants included in Conservatory data set. Conservatory uncovered ~2.3 million conserved non-coding DNA sequences across 284 plant species from 72 families including eudicots, monocots, gymnosperms, and algae. Credit Professor Madelaine Bartlett.

Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Plant Biology

Uncovering Ancient DNA Sequences That Control Gene Function Across Plant Evolution

by Keith CowingMarch 15, 2026March 15, 2026