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UMass Amherst Cell Biologists Show Molecular Forces Are Key to Proper Cell Division

By Guest PostJanuary 24, 2013Scienceanna ye, cell biologist, cell death, cell division, chromosome, chromosome microtubule interactions, culture cell, daughter cell, detection pathway, error rate, flawless cell, fluorescently tag chromosomes, fruit fly tissue, function, human disease, interaction error, kinetochore microtubule interaction, kinetochore regulator, kinetochores, massachusetts amherst, microtubule filament, mitotic spindle, modulate, molecular engine, molecular glue, molecular surveillance system, pef, polar ejection force, spindle, stuart cane, syntelic attachments, thomas maresca, university

AMHERST, Mass. – Studies led by cell biologist Thomas Maresca at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are revealing new details about a molecular surveillance system that helps detect and correct errors in cell division that can lead to cell death or human diseases. Findings are reported in the current issue of the Journal of Cell Biology.

The purpose of cell division is to evenly distribute the genome between two daughter cells. To achieve this, every chromosome must properly interact with a football-shaped structure called the spindle. However, interaction errors between the chromosomes and spindle during division are amazingly common, occurring in 86 to 90 percent of chromosomes, says Maresca, an expert in mitosis. (more…)

Super-Adhesive Geckskin Developed by UMass Amherst Scientists among CNN Money’s Top Science Breakthroughs of 2012

By Guest PostJanuary 4, 2013Science, Technology2012, alfred crosby, bartlett, biologist, cnn money, commercial products, darpa, drape, duncan irschick, everyday non spy, evolution, footpads, gecko, gecko feet, gecko like adhesion, gecko like performance, geckskin, high tech espionage, irschick, massachusetts amherst, michael bartlett, michael tomczyk, microscopic hairs, polymer scientist, replicate nature, reversible adhesion, science breakthroughs, setae, stiff fabric, super strong adhesive, supporting theory, synthetic design, top five, university, variation in anatomy, warfare gadgets

AMHERST, Mass. – Geckskin, a super–strong adhesive device developed by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers that can hold 700 pounds on a smooth wall, has been named one of the top five science breakthroughs of 2012 by CNN Money. (more…)

UMass Amherst Biochemists Trap a Chaperone Machine in Action, Opening Pathway to Possible New Cancer Treatment

By Guest PostJanuary 2, 2013Scienceadp, amino acid chains, anastasia zhuravleva, atp, bacteria, cancer cell, chemical environments, cycle, dnak, drug target, e coli bacteria, Environment, eugenia clerico, folding of proteins, heat shock protein, holding pattern, hsp, hsp70, humans, key step, lila gierasch, massachusetts amherst, mechanism, molecular chaperones, molecular machine, nanofactories, neurodegenerative diseases, nmr methods, nuclear magnetic resonance, origami like, ribosomes, stress, uncontrolled growth, university

AMHERST, Mass. – Molecular chaperones have emerged as exciting new potential drug targets, because scientists want to learn how to stop cancer cells, for example, from using chaperones to enable their uncontrolled growth. Now a team of biochemists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by Lila Gierasch have deciphered key steps in the mechanism of the Hsp70 molecular machine by “trapping” this chaperone in action, providing a dynamic snapshot of its mechanism.

She and colleagues describe this work in the current issue of Cell. Gierasch’s research on Hsp70 chaperones is supported by a long-running grant to her lab from NIH’s National Institute for General Medical Sciences. (more…)

UMass Amherst Climate Model is First to Study Climate Effects of Arctic Hurricanes

By Guest PostDecember 31, 2012Environment21st century, alan condron, arctic hurricane, arctic region, arctic seas, barometric pressure, central eye, climate, climate model, climate prediction models, climate scientist, conveyer belt, cyclone, east anglia, England, Europe, forecast climate change, gas exploration, higher resolution modeling, ian renfrew, massachusetts amherst, missing storms, model, North America, north atlantic, norwegian sea, ocean water circulation, oil, oxymoron, polar lows, satellite, thermohaline circulation, thick ice, university, wave

AMHERST, Mass. – Though it seems like an oxymoron, Arctic hurricanes happen, complete with a central “eye,” extreme low barometric pressure and towering 30-foot waves that can sink small ships and coat metal platforms with thick ice, threatening oil and gas exploration. Now climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in England report the first conclusive evidence that Arctic hurricanes, also known as polar lows, play a significant role in driving ocean water circulation and climate.

Results point to potentially cooler conditions in Europe and North America in the 21^st century than other models predict. (more…)

Tag Archives: massachusetts amherst

UMass Amherst Cell Biologists Show Molecular Forces Are Key to Proper Cell Division

Super-Adhesive Geckskin Developed by UMass Amherst Scientists among CNN Money’s Top Science Breakthroughs of 2012

UMass Amherst Biochemists Trap a Chaperone Machine in Action, Opening Pathway to Possible New Cancer Treatment

UMass Amherst Climate Model is First to Study Climate Effects of Arctic Hurricanes