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This is a searchable collection of scientific photos, illustrations, and videos. The images and videos in this gallery are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0. This license lets you remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit and license your new creations under identical terms.

2556: Dicer generates microRNAs
2556: Dicer generates microRNAs
The enzyme Dicer generates microRNAs by chopping larger RNA molecules into tiny Velcro®-like pieces. MicroRNAs stick to mRNA molecules and prevent the mRNAs from being made into proteins. See image 2557 for a labeled version of this illustration. Featured in The New Genetics.
Crabtree + Company
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3558: Bioluminescent imaging in adult zebrafish - lateral view
3558: Bioluminescent imaging in adult zebrafish - lateral view
Luciferase-based imaging enables visualization and quantification of internal organs and transplanted cells in live adult zebrafish. In this image, a cardiac muscle-restricted promoter drives firefly luciferase expression (lateral view).
For imagery of both the lateral and overhead view go to 3556.
For imagery of the overhead view go to 3557.
For more information about the illumated area go to 3559.
For imagery of both the lateral and overhead view go to 3556.
For imagery of the overhead view go to 3557.
For more information about the illumated area go to 3559.
Kenneth Poss, Duke University
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3786: Movie of in vitro assembly of a cell-signaling pathway
3786: Movie of in vitro assembly of a cell-signaling pathway
T cells are white blood cells that are important in defending the body against bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Each T cell carries proteins, called T-cell receptors, on its surface that are activated when they come in contact with an invader. This activation sets in motion a cascade of biochemical changes inside the T cell to mount a defense against the invasion. Scientists have been interested for some time what happens after a T-cell receptor is activated. One obstacle has been to study how this signaling cascade, or pathway, proceeds inside T cells.
In this video, researchers have created a T-cell receptor pathway consisting of 12 proteins outside the cell on an artificial membrane. The video shows three key steps during the signaling process: phosphorylation of the T-cell receptor (green), clustering of a protein called linker for activation of T cells (LAT) (blue) and polymerization of the cytoskeleton protein actin (red). The findings show that the T-cell receptor signaling proteins self-organize into separate physical and biochemical compartments. This new system of studying molecular pathways outside the cells will enable scientists to better understand how the immune system combats microbes or other agents that cause infection.
To learn more how researchers assembled this T-cell receptor pathway, see this press release from HHMI's Marine Biological Laboratory Whitman Center. Related to image 3787.
In this video, researchers have created a T-cell receptor pathway consisting of 12 proteins outside the cell on an artificial membrane. The video shows three key steps during the signaling process: phosphorylation of the T-cell receptor (green), clustering of a protein called linker for activation of T cells (LAT) (blue) and polymerization of the cytoskeleton protein actin (red). The findings show that the T-cell receptor signaling proteins self-organize into separate physical and biochemical compartments. This new system of studying molecular pathways outside the cells will enable scientists to better understand how the immune system combats microbes or other agents that cause infection.
To learn more how researchers assembled this T-cell receptor pathway, see this press release from HHMI's Marine Biological Laboratory Whitman Center. Related to image 3787.
Xiaolei Su, HHMI Whitman Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory
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5872: Mouse retina close-up
5872: Mouse retina close-up
Keunyoung ("Christine") Kim National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR)
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3525: Bacillus anthracis being killed
3525: Bacillus anthracis being killed
Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) cells being killed by a fluorescent trans-translation inhibitor, which disrupts bacterial protein synthesis. The inhibitor is naturally fluorescent and looks blue when it is excited by ultraviolet light in the microscope. This is a color version of Image 3481.
Kenneth Keiler, Penn State University
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6613: Circadian rhythms and the SCN
6613: Circadian rhythms and the SCN
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms are influenced by light and regulated by the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), sometimes referred to as a master clock. Learn more in NIGMS’ circadian rhythms fact sheet. See 6614 for the Spanish version of this infographic.
NIGMS
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2498: Cell cycle
2498: Cell cycle
Cells progress through a cycle that consists of phases for growth (blue, green, yellow) and division (red). Cells become quiescent when they exit this cycle (purple). See image 2499 for a labeled version of this illustration.
Crabtree + Company
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2308: Cellular metropolis
2308: Cellular metropolis
Like a major city, a cell teems with specialized workers that carry out its daily operations--making energy, moving proteins, or helping with other tasks. Researchers took microscopic pictures of thin layers of a cell and then combined them to make this 3-D image featuring color-coded organelles--the cell's "workers." Using this image, scientists can understand how these specialized components fit together in the cell's packed inner world.
Kathryn Howell, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
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3612: Anthrax bacteria (green) being swallowed by an immune system cell
3612: Anthrax bacteria (green) being swallowed by an immune system cell
Multiple anthrax bacteria (green) being enveloped by an immune system cell (purple). Anthrax bacteria live in soil and form dormant spores that can survive for decades. When animals eat or inhale these spores, the bacteria activate and rapidly increase in number. Today, a highly effective and widely used vaccine has made the disease uncommon in domesticated animals and rare in humans.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
Camenzind G. Robinson, Sarah Guilman, and Arthur Friedlander, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
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3425: Red Poppy

6999: HIV enzyme
6999: HIV enzyme
These images model the molecular structures of three enzymes with critical roles in the life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). At the top, reverse transcriptase (orange) creates a DNA copy (yellow) of the virus's RNA genome (blue). In the middle image, integrase (magenta) inserts this DNA copy in the DNA genome (green) of the infected cell. At the bottom, much later in the viral life cycle, protease (turquoise) chops up a chain of HIV structural protein (purple) to generate the building blocks for making new viruses. See these enzymes in action on PDB 101’s video A Molecular View of HIV Therapy.
Amy Wu and Christine Zardecki, RCSB Protein Data Bank.
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5866: Structure of a key antigen protein involved with Hepatitis C Virus infection
5866: Structure of a key antigen protein involved with Hepatitis C Virus infection
A three-dimensional representation of the structure of E2, a key antigen protein involved with hepatitis C virus infection.
Mansun Law Associate Professor Department of Immunolgy and Microbial Science The Scripps Research Institute
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6591: Cell-like compartments from frog eggs 4
6591: Cell-like compartments from frog eggs 4
Cell-like compartments that spontaneously emerged from scrambled frog eggs, with nuclei (blue) from frog sperm. Endoplasmic reticulum (red) and microtubules (green) are also visible. Image created using confocal microscopy.
For more photos of cell-like compartments from frog eggs view: 6584, 6585, 6586, 6592, and 6593.
For videos of cell-like compartments from frog eggs view: 6587, 6588, 6589, and 6590.
Xianrui Cheng, Stanford University School of Medicine.
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3274: Human embryonic stem cells on feeder cells
3274: Human embryonic stem cells on feeder cells
This fluorescent microscope image shows human embryonic stem cells whose nuclei are stained green. Blue staining shows the surrounding supportive feeder cells. Image and caption information courtesy of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. See related image 3275.
Michael Longaker lab, Stanford University School of Medicine, via CIRM
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2417: Fly by night
2417: Fly by night
This fruit fly expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the same pattern as the period gene, a gene that regulates circadian rhythm and is expressed in all sensory neurons on the surface of the fly.
Jay Hirsh, University of Virginia
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3308: Rat Hippocampus
3308: Rat Hippocampus
This image of the hippocampus was taken with an ultra-widefield high-speed multiphoton laser microscope. Tissue was stained to reveal the organization of glial cells (cyan), neurofilaments (green) and DNA (yellow). The microscope Deerinck used was developed in conjunction with Roger Tsien (2008 Nobel laureate in Chemistry) and remains a powerful and unique tool today.
Tom Deerinck, NCMIR
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2567: Haplotypes (with labels)
2567: Haplotypes (with labels)
Haplotypes are combinations of gene variants that are likely to be inherited together within the same chromosomal region. In this example, an original haplotype (top) evolved over time to create three newer haplotypes that each differ by a few nucleotides (red). See image 2566 for an unlabeled version of this illustration. Featured in The New Genetics.
Crabtree + Company
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2758: Cross section of a Drosophila melanogaster pupa
2758: Cross section of a Drosophila melanogaster pupa
This photograph shows a magnified view of a Drosophila melanogaster pupa in cross section. Compare this normal pupa to one that lacks an important receptor, shown in image 2759.
Christina McPhee and Eric Baehrecke, University of Massachusetts Medical School
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2362: Automated crystal screening system
2362: Automated crystal screening system
Automated crystal screening systems such as the one shown here are becoming a common feature at synchrotron and other facilities where high-throughput crystal structure determination is being carried out. These systems rapidly screen samples to identify the best candidates for further study.
Southeast Collaboratory for Structural Genomics
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3402: Hsp33 Heat Shock Protein Inactive to Active
3402: Hsp33 Heat Shock Protein Inactive to Active
When the heat shock protein hsp33 is folded, it is inactive and contains a zinc ion, stabilizing the redox sensitive domain (orange). In the presence of an environmental stressor, the protein releases the zinc ion, which leads to the unfolding of the redox domain. This unfolding causes the chaperone to activate by reaching out its "arm" (green) to protect other proteins.
Dana Reichmann, University of Michigan
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3411: O2 reacting with a flavin-dependent enzyme
3411: O2 reacting with a flavin-dependent enzyme
Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan
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2735: Network Map
2735: Network Map
This network map shows the overlap (green) between the long QT syndrome (yellow) and epilepsy (blue) protein-interaction neighborhoods located within the human interactome. Researchers have learned to integrate genetic, cellular and clinical information to find out why certain medicines can trigger fatal heart arrhythmias. Featured in Computing Life magazine.
Seth Berger, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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1015: Lily mitosis 05
1015: Lily mitosis 05
A light microscope image of a cell from the endosperm of an African globe lily (Scadoxus katherinae). This is one frame of a time-lapse sequence that shows cell division in action. The lily is considered a good organism for studying cell division because its chromosomes are much thicker and easier to see than human ones. Staining shows microtubules in red and chromosomes in blue. Here, condensed chromosomes are clearly visible.
Related to images 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, and 1021.
Related to images 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, and 1021.
Andrew S. Bajer, University of Oregon, Eugene
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3498: Wound healing in process
3498: Wound healing in process
Wound healing requires the action of stem cells. In mice that lack the Sept2/ARTS gene, stem cells involved in wound healing live longer and wounds heal faster and more thoroughly than in normal mice. This confocal microscopy image from a mouse lacking the Sept2/ARTS gene shows a tail wound in the process of healing. See more information in the article in Science.
Related to images 3497 and 3500.
Related to images 3497 and 3500.
Hermann Steller, Rockefeller University
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2535: Kinases (with labels)
2535: Kinases (with labels)
Kinases are enzymes that add phosphate groups (red-yellow structures) to proteins (green), assigning the proteins a code. In this reaction, an intermediate molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) donates a phosphate group from itself, becoming ADP (adenosine diphosphate). See image 2534 for an unlabeled version of this illustration. Featured in Medicines By Design.
Crabtree + Company
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7014: Flagellated bacterial cells
7014: Flagellated bacterial cells
Vibrio fischeri (2 mm in length) is the exclusive symbiotic partner of the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes. After this bacterium uses its flagella to swim from the seawater into the light organ of a newly hatched juvenile, it colonizes the host and loses the appendages. This image was taken using a scanning electron microscope.
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, Carnegie Institution for Science/California Institute of Technology, and Edward G. Ruby, California Institute of Technology.
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3772: The Proteasome: The Cell's Trash Processor in Action
3772: The Proteasome: The Cell's Trash Processor in Action
Our cells are constantly removing and recycling molecular waste. This video shows one way cells process their trash.
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6549: The Structure of Cilia’s Doublet Microtubules
6549: The Structure of Cilia’s Doublet Microtubules
Cilia (cilium in singular) are complex molecular machines found on many of our cells. One component of cilia is the doublet microtubule, a major part of cilia’s skeletons that give them support and shape. This animated video illustrates the structure of doublet microtubules, which contain 451 protein chains that were mapped using cryo-electron microscopy. Image can be found here 6548.
Brown Lab, Harvard Medical School and Veronica Falconieri Hays
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6795: Dividing yeast cells with nuclear envelopes and spindle pole bodies
6795: Dividing yeast cells with nuclear envelopes and spindle pole bodies
Time-lapse video of yeast cells undergoing cell division. Nuclear envelopes are shown in green, and spindle pole bodies, which help pull apart copied genetic information, are shown in magenta. This video was captured using wide-field microscopy with deconvolution.
Related to images 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6797, 6798, and video 6796.
Related to images 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6797, 6798, and video 6796.
Alaina Willet, Kathy Gould’s lab, Vanderbilt University.
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7020: Bacterial symbionts colonizing the crypts of a juvenile Hawaiian bobtail squid light organ
7020: Bacterial symbionts colonizing the crypts of a juvenile Hawaiian bobtail squid light organ
A light organ (~0.5 mm across) of a Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, stained blue. At the time of this image, the crypts within the tissues of only one side of the organ had been colonized by green-fluorescent protein-labeled Vibrio fischeri cells, which can be seen here in green. This image was taken using confocal fluorescence microscopy.
Related to images 7016, 7017, 7018, and 7019.
Related to images 7016, 7017, 7018, and 7019.
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, Carnegie Institution for Science/California Institute of Technology, and Edward G. Ruby, California Institute of Technology.
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2331: Statistical cartography
2331: Statistical cartography
Like a world of its own, this sphere represents all the known chemical reactions in the E. coli bacterium. The colorful circles on the surface symbolize sets of densely interconnected reactions. The lines between the circles show additional connecting reactions. The shapes inside the circles are landmark molecules, like capital cities on a map, that either act as hubs for many groups of reactions, are highly conserved among species, or both. Molecules that connect far-flung reactions on the sphere are much more conserved during evolution than molecules that connect reactions within a single circle. This statistical cartography could reveal insights about other complex systems, such as protein interactions and gene regulation networks.
Luis A. Nunes Amaral, Northwestern University
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7011: Hawaiian bobtail squid
7011: Hawaiian bobtail squid
An adult Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, swimming next to a submerged hand.
Related to image 7010 and video 7012.
Related to image 7010 and video 7012.
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, Carnegie Institution for Science/California Institute of Technology, and Edward G. Ruby, California Institute of Technology.
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2523: Plasma membrane
2523: Plasma membrane
The plasma membrane is a cell's protective barrier. See image 2524 for a labeled version of this illustration. Featured in The Chemistry of Health.
Crabtree + Company
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1272: Cytoskeleton
1272: Cytoskeleton
The three fibers of the cytoskeleton--microtubules in blue, intermediate filaments in red, and actin in green--play countless roles in the cell.
Judith Stoffer
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3518: HeLa cells
3518: HeLa cells
Scanning electron micrograph of just-divided HeLa cells. Zeiss Merlin HR-SEM. See related images 3519, 3520, 3521, 3522.
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research
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6929: Mouse brain 1
6929: Mouse brain 1
A mouse brain that was genetically modified so that subpopulations of its neurons glow. Researchers often study mice because they share many genes with people and can shed light on biological processes, development, and diseases in humans.
This image was captured using a light sheet microscope.
Related to image 6930 and video 6931.
This image was captured using a light sheet microscope.
Related to image 6930 and video 6931.
Prayag Murawala, MDI Biological Laboratory and Hannover Medical School.
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5877: Misfolded proteins in mitochondria, 3-D video
5877: Misfolded proteins in mitochondria, 3-D video
Three-dimensional image of misfolded proteins (green) within mitochondria (red). Related to image 5878. Learn more in this press release by The American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Rong Li, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
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6604: Enzyme reaction
6604: Enzyme reaction
Enzymes speed up chemical reactions by reducing the amount of energy needed for the reactions. The substrate (lactose) binds to the active site of the enzyme (lactase) and is converted into products (sugars).
NIGMS
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2399: Bence Jones protein MLE
2399: Bence Jones protein MLE
A crystal of Bence Jones protein created for X-ray crystallography, which can reveal detailed, three-dimensional protein structures.
Alex McPherson, University of California, Irvine
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1241: Borrelia burgdorferi
1241: Borrelia burgdorferi
Borrelia burgdorferi is a spirochete, a class of long, slender bacteria that typically take on a coiled shape. Infection with this bacterium causes Lyme disease.
Tina Weatherby Carvalho, University of Hawaii at Manoa
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3556: Bioluminescent imaging in adult zebrafish - lateral and overhead view
3556: Bioluminescent imaging in adult zebrafish - lateral and overhead view
Luciferase-based imaging enables visualization and quantification of internal organs and transplanted cells in live adult zebrafish. In this image, a cardiac muscle-restricted promoter drives firefly luciferase expression. This is the lateral and overhead (Bottom) view.
For imagery of the overhead view go to 3557.
For imagery of the lateral view go to 3558.
For more information about the illumated area go to 3559.
For imagery of the overhead view go to 3557.
For imagery of the lateral view go to 3558.
For more information about the illumated area go to 3559.
Kenneth Poss, Duke University
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3408: Kluyveromyces polysporus Argonaute bound to guide RNA
3408: Kluyveromyces polysporus Argonaute bound to guide RNA
A segment of siRNA, shown in red, guides a "slicer" protein called Argonaute (multi-colored twists and corkscrews) to the target RNA molecules.
Kotaro Nakanishi and David Weinberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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2737: Cytoscape network diagram 1
2737: Cytoscape network diagram 1
Molecular biologists are increasingly relying on bioinformatics software to visualize molecular interaction networks and to integrate these networks with data such as gene expression profiles. Related to 2749.
Keiichiro Ono, Trey Ideker lab, University of California, San Diego
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1166: Leptospira bacteria
1166: Leptospira bacteria
Leptospira, shown here in green, is a type (genus) of elongated, spiral-shaped bacteria. Infection can cause Weil's disease, a kind of jaundice, in humans.
Tina Weatherby Carvalho, University of Hawaii at Manoa
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2440: Hydra 04
2440: Hydra 04
Hydra magnipapillata is an invertebrate animal used as a model organism to study developmental questions, for example the formation of the body axis.
Hiroshi Shimizu, National Institute of Genetics in Mishima, Japan
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2683: GFP sperm
2683: GFP sperm
Fruit fly sperm cells glow bright green when they express the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP).
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6489: CRISPR Illustration Frame 5
6489: CRISPR Illustration Frame 5
This illustration shows, in simplified terms, how the CRISPR-Cas9 system can be used as a gene-editing tool. This is the fifthframe in a series of five. The CRISPR system has two components joined together: a finely tuned targeting device (a small strand of RNA programmed to look for a specific DNA sequence) and a strong cutting device (an enzyme called Cas9 that can cut through a double strand of DNA). For an explanation and overview of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, see the NIGMS Biomedical Beat blog entry, Field Focus: Precision Gene Editing with CRISPR and the iBiology video, Genome Engineering with CRISPR-Cas9: Birth of a Breakthrough Technology.
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2431: Fruit fly embryo
2431: Fruit fly embryo
Cells in an early-stage fruit fly embryo, showing the DIAP1 protein (pink), an inhibitor of apoptosis.
Hermann Steller, Rockefeller University
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3597: DNA replication origin recognition complex (ORC)
3597: DNA replication origin recognition complex (ORC)
A study published in March 2012 used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of the DNA replication origin recognition complex (ORC), a semi-circular, protein complex (yellow) that recognizes and binds DNA to start the replication process. The ORC appears to wrap around and bend approximately 70 base pairs of double stranded DNA (red and blue). Also shown is the protein Cdc6 (green), which is also involved in the initiation of DNA replication. Related to video 3307 that shows the structure from different angles. From a Brookhaven National Laboratory news release, "Study Reveals How Protein Machinery Binds and Wraps DNA to Start Replication."
Huilin Li, Brookhaven National Laboratory
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6346: Intasome
6346: Intasome
Salk researchers captured the structure of a protein complex called an intasome (center) that lets viruses similar to HIV establish permanent infection in their hosts. The intasome hijacks host genomic material, DNA (white) and histones (beige), and irreversibly inserts viral DNA (blue). The image was created by Jamie Simon and Dmitry Lyumkis. Work that led to the 3D map was published in: Ballandras-Colas A, Brown M, Cook NJ, Dewdney TG, Demeler B, Cherepanov P, Lyumkis D, & Engelman AN. (2016). Cryo-EM reveals a novel octameric integrase structure for ?-retroviral intasome function. Nature, 530(7590), 358—361
National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy http://nramm.nysbc.org/nramm-images/ Source: Bridget Carragher
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