Cellular and Molecular Biology for Research
Episodes
Other RNA Processing Events and Post-Transcriptional Control of Gene Expression (CMB part 14)
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ribosomal RNAs are synthesized in the nucleoli of eukaryotic cells as precursors that require processing to yield mature rRNAs. The sequence of RNAs i...
RNA Processing II: Capping and Polyadenylation (CMB part 13)
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Capping occurs in several steps: initially, RNA triphosphatase removes the terminal phosphate from pre-mRNA. Subsequently, guanylyl transferase adds t...
RNA Processing I: Splicing (CMB part 12)
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nuclear mRNA precursors undergo splicing through a lariat-shaped or branched intermediate. In addition to the consensus sequences at the 5′ and 3′...
Chromatin Structure and Its Effects on Transcription( CMB part 11)
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Eukaryotic DNA associates with basic protein molecules called histones to form nucleosomes. Each nucleosome consists of four pairs of histones (H2A, H...
Transcription Activators in Eukaryotes( CMB part 10)
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Eukaryotic activators consist of at least two domains: a DNA-binding domain and a transcription-activating domain. DNA-binding domains include motifs ...
General Transcription Factors in Eukaryotes (CMB part 9)
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Transcription factors bind to class II promoters in vitro in the following sequence: (1) TFIID, with assistance from TFIIA, attaches to the TATA box. ...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases and Their Promoters (CMB part 8)
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Eukaryotic nuclei house three distinct RNA polymerases, which can be separated using ion-exchange chromatography. RNA polymerase I resides in the nucl...
DNA–Protein Interactions in Bacteria(CMB part 7)
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The repressors of the λ-like phages possess recognition helices that fit sideways into the major groove of the operator DNA. Specific amino acids on ...
Major Shifts in Bacterial Transcription (CMB part 6)
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bacteria undergo significant shifts in transcription patterns during various processes, such as phage infection or sporulation, and have evolved mult...
Operons: Fine Control of Bacterial Transcription (CMB part 5 )
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lactose metabolism in E. coli is facilitated by two essential proteins, β-galactosidase and galactoside permease. The genes encoding these proteins, ...
The Mechanism of Transcription in Bacteria (CMB part 4 )
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The catalytic agent in the transcription process is RNA polymerase. In E. coli, this enzyme consists of a core, which houses the fundamental transcrip...
Molecular Tools for Studying Genes and Gene Activity (CMB part 3)
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Methods for purifying proteins and nucleic acids are fundamental in molecular biology. DNA, RNA, and proteins of varying sizes can be effectively sepa...
Molecular Cloning Methods (CMB part 2)
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To clone a gene, it must be inserted into a vector capable of carrying the gene into a host cell and ensuring its replication. This insertion is typic...
An intro to Molecular and Functional Properties of gene and it's history (CMB part 1)
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The three primary functions of genes are storing information, replication, and the accumulation of mutations. Proteins, also known as polypeptides, ar...
Cancer and the Immune System ( Immunology final part )
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cancer is characterized as a malignant tumor, defined by its ability to grow progressively, invade surrounding healthy tissues, and spread to distant ...
Immunodeficiency Diseases( immunology part 18)
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Immunodeficiency diseases underscore the critical role of the immune system's cells and molecules in maintaining overall protection against disease. P...
Infectious Diseases and Vaccines( Immunology part 17)
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Infectious agents are incredibly diverse and resilient. These predominantly free-living organisms possess several advantages over their human hosts, i...
Tolerance, Autoimmunity, and Transplantation (Immunology Part 16)
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Significant progress has been made in understanding the principles of immune tolerance over the past decade. Previously, tolerance was primarily perce...
Allergy, Hypersensitivities, and Chronic Inflammation( immunology part 15)
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Immune responses are often a double-edged sword. Their essential role in protecting against infections is critical for survival, as shown by the fatal...
The Adaptive Immune Response in Space and Time( immunology part 14)
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We conclude our extensive exploration of the cellular and molecular biology of the immune response by emphasizing studies that unveil the dynamic chor...
Barrier Immunity: The Immunology of Mucosa and Skin( immunology part 13)
04 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The barrier immune systems, comprising tissues and cells in the intestinal, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary tracts (mucosal-associated lymphoid...
Effector Responses: Antibody- and Cell Mediated Immunity( immunology part 12)
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The adaptive immune system is renowned for its vast diversity of antibody and T-cell receptor specificities. The mechanisms generating this diversity—...
B-Cell Activation, Differentiation, and Memory Generation( immunology part 11)
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
B cells are defined by the presence of a membrane-bound immunoglobulin receptor, which binds antigens. Upon antigen binding and receiving auxiliary si...
b-cell development ( Immunology part 10
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The initial critical challenge in B-cell development is the creation of B cells with an extensive repertoire—billions of B-cell receptor specificiti...
T-Cell Activation, Helper Subset Differentiation, and Memory (immunology part 10)
20 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The fate of a mature, naïve T cell depends on the signals it encounters. Most naïve T cells perish within days or weeks after exiting the thymus, as...
T-Cell Development (Immunology part 8)
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mature T lymphocytes possess a diverse T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire that is self-tolerant while being restricted to self-MHC. This delicate balanc...
The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Antigen Presentation (Immunology Part 7)
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If antigen-presenting cells serve as the bridge between innate and adaptive immunity, then MHC molecules act as the essential tools enabling this conn...
The Organization and Expression of Lymphocyte Receptor Genes (Immunology part 6)
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since the early twentieth century, when it was first recognized that antibody molecules could specifically identify and bind to a vast array of antige...
The Complement System (Immunology part 5)
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The complement system is a collection of serum proteins, many of which circulate in inactive forms and require cleavage or conformational changes for ...
Innate Immunity (immunology part 4)
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It is fitting that an introduction to the nature and mechanisms of immune responses begins with innate immunity, as the cells, tissues, and molecules ...
Recognition and Response (Immunology part 3)
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the primary challenges in initiating an immune response is coordinating cells distributed across different areas, often separated by physical b...
Cells, Organs, and Microenvironments of the Immune System (Immunology Part 2)
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
All blood cells arise from hematopoietic stem cells, which reside primarily in the adult bone marrow. Immune cells differentiate in primary lymphoid ...
Diving into immunology
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Diving into Immunology takes you beneath the surface of one of biology’s most intricate defense systems. From the frontline soldiers of innate immun...
Genetic Engineering
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starting with the basics and important stuff.