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The François Jacob Institute of Biology brings together five departments and three services
The last two years in scientific news
Researchers from MIRCen have shown that inhibiting reactive astrocytes is beneficial for certain characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. Their results could lead to novel therapies that act upon astrocytes to improve neuron function.
Rad52 has garnered great attention lately as a promising target in the battle against certain types of breast cancer. A team from IRCM, in partnership with researchers from the Frédéric-Joliot and Gustave Roussy Institutes, has shed new light on this protein.
Researchers at Genoscope's Genomics Metabolics Mixed Research Unit recently elucidated the degradation pathway of trigonelline, a molecule naturally present in plants that ensures resistance to water stress (osmoprotective role). The study, published in PNAS, revealed previously unknown enzymes and metabolites.
Researchers discovered a novel interaction between two proteins from the measles virus. This ultra-weak interaction, involving only four amino acids situated in a very flexible and dynamic protein region, is essential for measles virus replication. This newly discovered interaction constitutes a new target to treat measles infection, but also infection by other viruses from the same family, that comprises highly dangerous human pathogens.
By sequencing more than 246 genomes of African rice, researchers from the François Jacob Institute of Biology and their partners have shown that the species was first domesticated 3,000 years ago in Mali.
Bringing successive mutations to DNA and RNA in test tubes has been possible for several decades now. A MIRCen team has shown that high throughput sequencing can, with unequaled precision, reconstitute the evolutionary path taken by these macromolecules during their in vitro selection process, and furthermore that this path respects Darwinian theory.
Three new species have joined the curious genus of viral giants called Pandoravirus. Both freak shows and innovators in evolution, the giant viruses continue to shake the phylogenetic tree!
The François Jacob Institute of Biology participated in a study showing that caloric restriction greatly increases longevity in a small primate called the mouse lemur.
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CEA is a French government-funded technological research organisation in four main areas: low-carbon energies, defense and security, information technologies and health technologies. A prominent player in the European Research Area, it is involved in setting up collaborative projects with many partners around the world.