Deadly combination: New direct trigger for cell death discovered:
Scientists led by Professor Ana J. Garcia-Saez at the CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research at the University of Cologne have shown that apoptosis, the programmed cell death, involves a direct physical interplay between the two proteins BAX and DRP1. DRP1 can serve as a direct cell death activator by binding to BAX without the need for other cell death triggers. This finding could lead to the development of new cell death regulators for cancer therapies, for example. The article, 'DRP1 interacts directly with BAX to induce its activation and apoptosis' was published in The EMBO Journal.
It is known that the so-called 'apoptotic enforcer protein' BAX encounters DRP1 in the cell at the mitochondrial membrane. The latter is a dynamin-like protein that plays a critical role in mitochondrial division. However, the functional implications of their interaction and the contribution of DRP1 to apoptosis have been highly controversial.
BAX is a key protein in the pathway to cell death. Understanding the mechanism of action of BAX is critical for therapeutic regulation of apoptosis. Using super-resolution confocal fluorescence microscopy and biochemical as well as biophysical methods in model membrane systems, the research team was able to demonstrate the direct interaction of the two proteins in dying cells. In addition, using a system that artificially brings the two proteins together, they investigated the functional consequences of the interaction of BAX and DRP1.
"When we artificially force the interaction of the two proteins, they move from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria, where the protein complex triggers a reorganization of the mitochondria. This leads to pores in the membrane. The contents of the mitochondria enter the cell plasma, which ultimately leads to cell death," said Andreas Jenner, first author of the study.
Apoptosis at Wikipedia.
Journal Reference:
Andreas Jenner, Aida Peña-Blanco, Raquel Salvador-Gallego, et al. DRP1 interacts directly with BAX to induce its activation and apoptosis [open], The EMBO Journal (DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108587)
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 15 2022, @06:27AM
This is something that should interest all soylentils who are not yet dead. But, I am not sure that is a majority, yet. SoylentZombies. SoylentSockPuppets. Mere shades of real on-line discussants, and many of them just copies of liberals, since everyone knows that SJWs and Antifa are not real. Except in your dreams.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 15 2022, @07:53AM (7 children)
Does anyone else feel, that they are watching Broadcast Television, for Boomers, which is full of ads for "not dying" drugs and things? I want to ask my doctor about so-o-o- many things. But, I will probably die anyway. Life-extension? Ok, what creepy soylentil is behind this editorial bias? Chromas is of a certain age? Janrinok is there, but does not sound like him. Say it ain't so, martyb!
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Saturday January 15 2022, @09:22AM (5 children)
If you want life extension, get a Valve Index and play Beat Saber. Two weeks of playing at least half an hour a day, and I feel back to normal after almost two years of long COVID. Now I just have to relearn how to fall asleep when not completely exhausted.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Saturday January 15 2022, @12:19PM (4 children)
OK. I've read this enough times.
What is a time foliation?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 15 2022, @01:57PM
And, are you related to "P. Hajicek" ?
Curious minds want to know!
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Saturday January 15 2022, @06:13PM
I believe I'm related distantly. The quote is from a paper about the fuzziness of black hole event horizons.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @05:26AM (1 child)
A time foliation is a foliation where the smooth function is time. Very roughly, you can think of space as a four dimensional (or more) hypershape of spacetime. This hypershape is composed of an uncountable number of points differing in at least one dimensions. In order to help make sense of that hypershape, it is easier to cut it into smaller pieces based on time, similar to slicing a loaf of bread based on length.
So think of a loaf of bread. It is a three dimensional shape. Let's say you want to describe that shape. It is pretty hard to do when you consider all of it at once, so instead you make a series of thin slices and map how the points change as you go from one heel to the other. Those points share an equivalence relation (their relative X, Y coordinates) and the smooth function of the slices is Z coordinate along the bread. With the bread in slices, you can better follow how things change as you move along the bread, but you can also consider the whole or (magically or mathematically) glue the bread back together and slice it another way (make a different foliation).
So back to a time foliation. That is spacetime cut into slices (foliated) with the spacial equivalence relation intact but with cuts to divide it along one time dimension. It can make it easier to think about spacetime, but you can run into situations where it does the opposite. Black holes can be one of those situations.
Interpreting this totally out of context: "The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity." This means something like "When you take space time and cut it into a series of slices cut along the time dimension, the space surfaces of those slices can (Cusp has two meanings) suddenly transition from one state to another on a different dimension (or) reverse the direction they are curved (end cusp) on whatever surface had a break in the function that describes it. Looking at the whole thing, the second "cusp" makes more sense, but they might mean the first. That was very rough, but should get you most of the way there.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Monday January 17 2022, @01:06AM
I see. That actually makes sense.
Thank you.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 15 2022, @09:25PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 15 2022, @01:38PM
Kills you slowly one cell at a time.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 15 2022, @02:43PM
What amazes me (as a child of the mid-1950s) is the ability to image molecular motions!
It doesn't sound like they can view the same process happening in live cells yet, but maybe that will be next?
(Score: 0, Troll) by linkdude64 on Saturday January 15 2022, @05:05PM (3 children)
Remember, ye Faithful! TRUST THE SCIENCE™ and Report, Downvote, Mod as Troll, and ignore ALL unbelievers! Our beloved Science fears all investigation!
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday January 15 2022, @06:41PM (2 children)
That is a skyscraper-sized strawman. And it says more about how you and your kind "think" than how actual scientists think.
Here's a free clue, fuckboy! Just because YOU are an unthinking drone who prioritized herd mentality above all else doesn't mean everyone else thinks like you! Everything a "conservative" complains about is projection, confession, or both.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Troll) by linkdude64 on Saturday January 15 2022, @09:42PM (1 child)
"Everything a "conservative" complains about is projection, confession, or both."
Pot, meet kettle.
(Score: 2, Troll) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday January 16 2022, @04:50AM
And see, this is your other problem: you not only think everyone else works like you, but because of that, all your arguments eventually boil down to "you're just as bad as me deep down." Which...is one king hell mountain of an own goal, first of all. And second, it's not true. Sorry, snowflake, but facts don't care about your feelings :)
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Subsentient on Saturday January 15 2022, @09:06PM
I'm sure it will never be aerosolized and used as a biochemical weapon of mass murder by nations ranging from Iran to China. No, sir.
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 16 2022, @02:51PM
I can't wait until all cell phones die!
die, die, die, die!