https://molcellbiol.com/blog.htmlDaily research briefs and articles in molecular biology, molecular therapeutics and cancer metabolism.enhttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-20-cas13b-fusion-transcripts.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-20-cas13b-fusion-transcripts.htmlTue, 20 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200By guiding Cas13b to the breakpoint where two genes join, researchers silenced nine oncogenic fusions in cell lines, according to a Science Advances paper.Molecular therapeuticsCRISPRRNA therapeuticsGene fusionsDrug resistanceChronic myeloid leukemiahttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-20-nobel-medicine-optogenetics.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-20-nobel-medicine-optogenetics.htmlTue, 20 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel share the prize for discoveries that let researchers switch nerve cells on and off with light, according to the Nobel Assembly.Nobel PrizeOptogeneticsNeuroscienceIon channelsMolecular therapeuticshttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/pten-glutaminolysis-codeletion.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/pten-glutaminolysis-codeletion.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200Across 14 tumor types, a five-gene glutaminolysis signature fell, rather than rose, as PTEN copy number fell. Thirty-seven neighboring genes with no role in glutaminolysis tracked PTEN just as closely, which points to co-deletion on chromosome 10q, not a metabolic program.PTENGlutaminolysisTCGABioinformaticsBiomarkersCancer metabolismhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/ammonium-glutamine-starved-cells.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/ammonium-glutamine-starved-cells.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200Ammonium salts raised the viability of glutamine-starved mouse hybridoma cells from 30% to as much as 72%. They did not block caspase-3 activation or cytochrome c release, but they reduced nuclear condensation and fragmentation.GlutamineAmmoniumGlutaminolysisApoptosisHybridoma cellshttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/mcl1-obatoclax-apoptosis.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/mcl1-obatoclax-apoptosis.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200In a mouse hybridoma cell line, glutamine starvation lowered levels of the survival protein MCL-1, and obatoclax, a drug that targets MCL-1, made starved cells more sensitive to apoptosis.ApoptosisCell deathBCL-2 familyObatoclaxGlutamineHybridoma cellshttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/glutamine-pancreatic-phase1.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/glutamine-pancreatic-phase1.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200In 16 people with advanced pancreatic cancer, taking oral glutamine alongside standard chemotherapy was feasible at the highest planned dose. The trial was not designed to show benefit.GlutaminePancreatic cancerClinical trialsChemotherapyCancer metabolismhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/glutamine-addiction.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/posts/glutamine-addiction.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200GlutamineGlutaminolysisCancer metabolismMYCMitochondriahttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-19-mito-ferroptosis-tetraoxanes.htmlhttps://molcellbiol.com/briefs/2026-10-19-mito-ferroptosis-tetraoxanes.htmlMon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0200The compounds induce iron-dependent cell death without targeting GPX4 or FSP1, the proteins conventional strategies target, according to a Cell paper.FerroptosisMitochondriaLipid peroxidationCancer metabolismImmunotherapyCell death