Biosciences News

Division Director Blake Simmons announced that he has named Aindrila Mukhopadhyay as the new Deputy for Science of the Biological Systems and Engineering Division, effective Monday, December 6, 2021. She is taking over for Susan Celniker, a senior scientist and co-Director of the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project who served as the Division Deputy for five years.

A team of scientists, including many in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, uncovered new details about the reaction that powers photosynthesis. Understanding this reaction could lead to world-changing advances in technology, medicine, or energy––and also gives insight into how the enzyme photosystem II produces the oxygen we breathe. Their latest work was recently published in Nature Communications and two of the authors, Vittal Yachandra and Philipp Simon, spoke with Strategic Communications about that, shooting stuff with lasers, and why they chose this field of research.

One of the tools that researchers can apply to study the transcription factors that control how genes are turned on is known as DNA affinity purification sequencing or DAP-seq. The technology was developed by Ronan O’Malley, who leads the JGI Sequencing Technologies Group. In a Nature Methods article, JGI researchers led by co-first authors Leo Baumgart and Juna Lee developed two approaches that build upon the DAP-seq technology O’Malley developed.  Read more here on the JGI website.

The Agile BioFoundry (ABF) hosted its virtual 2021 Industry Day on November 19, 2021 to showcase its capabilities and opportunities for joint research efforts. ABF team members presented on a variety of topics, including ABF operations and capabilities, methods for collaboration, and engagement through directed funding opportunities. 

A team led by Eva Nogales, senior faculty scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division, has produced the first detailed 3D structure of human SAGA, a 20-piece molecular machine that’s crucial to life. The structure, reported in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, revealed some unexpected differences between the human and yeast versions of SAGA and could guide the development of drugs to treat diseases that arise when this complex malfunctions.