December 2021

A recent study published in Nature Immunology, highlighted how the loss of TET enzymes can lead to B cell lymphoma. The study by Shukla, et al., may provide us with opportunities for designing novel drug treatment strategies to target cancerous cells.

In a recent preprint, Warwicker investigated the degree to which the D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) allows access of spike (S) protein trimers to conformations/forms similar to the linoleic acid (LA)-bound locked conformations without LA binding. 

In a recent study, Schumann, et al., made use of selection-linked integration (SLI) in combination with glmS ribozyme-tagging and established a purification protocol for recombinant PfKelch13 to study the relevance of the abundance, conformational stability, and redox state of PfKelch13 for the artemisinin susceptibility in P. falciparum.

A recent study by Allen, et al., reported a positive genetic correlation between IPF and severe COVID-19 risk. However, it must be noted that some of the IPF-related pathways may have a contrasting effect on severe COVID-19 risk. An interesting paper where limitations have been noted.

In a new study from Nature Communications, Mistry, et al., have reported on how our immune cells use Free Fatty-acid (FFA) transport to fight infection. These insights could help develop new methods of treating bacterial infections.

In a recent study, researchers investigated the antibody profile of maternal serum and neonatal cord blood antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 virus exposure in mothers.

A study by Su et al has demonstrated that using a Mendelian randomization approach reduce environmental bias on the causal relationship between genetically elevated CRP levels and postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

In a recent review, Rios-Tamayo, et al., summarize the current basic laboratory testing in multiple myeloma patients and propose a new algorithm to manage and follow up the MP based on the heavy/light chain assay.