Water, organic molecules, and inorganic ions are the constituents of cells. Water constitutes the greatest fraction of the three, accounting for almost three-quarters of the total mass of a cell. The ...

This image shows four types of macromolecules in cells. The nucleic acids DNA and RNA and proteins are on the left and glycans and lipids are on the right. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not ...

The three-dimensional structure adopted by biological macromolecules largely determines their role in different cellular processes. Several different imaging techniques ranging from X-ray ...

Chemists have succeeded in specifically controlling the setup of precision polymers by light-induced chemical reactions. The new method allows for the precise, planned arrangement of the chain links, ...

Our research in the Laboratory of Structural Biology aims at understanding the structure and function of biological macromolecules and their complexes, such as those involved in cellular cargo ...

In a discovery with wide-ranging implications, researchers recently announced that uniformly charged macromolecules -- or molecules, such as proteins or DNA, that contain a large number of atoms all ...

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of photosynthesis can enable significant progress in the fields of biotechnology and renewable energy. Photosystem II (PSII), a protein ...

The human skin protects the body from physical, mechanical, and chemical insults while preventing endogenous water loss. This function is predominantly achieved by a thin (10–30 µm) cornified ...

Chemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a method for producing new macromolecules with improved properties by modifying the polymers in discarded plastics.