329 papers
Biophysics sits at the fascinating intersection where the laws of physics meet the complexity of living systems. This field uses tools like light, electricity, and mechanical forces to decode how cells move, how proteins fold, and how our senses translate the world around us. Rather than just observing biology, biophysicists measure and model life to understand the fundamental machinery that powers every organism.
On Gist.Science, we make these discoveries accessible by curating the latest preprints directly from bioRxiv. Our team processes every new submission in this category, providing both clear, plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries so readers of all backgrounds can grasp the cutting-edge science. Below are the most recent biophysics papers from bioRxiv, ready for you to explore.
The paper introduces ValDX, a rigorous validation framework that overcomes the limitations of current HDX-MS ensemble-fitting methods by employing uncertainty quantification and "Work Done" metrics to robustly test structural hypotheses and infer protein dynamics.
This paper presents a computational methodology for unstructuring proteins, revealing that susceptibility to unstructuring varies by fold topology, with alpha-helical structures proving more robust and the process typically initiating at exposed chain termini.
By combining experimental measurements with a thin-film extensional-flow mathematical model, this study demonstrates that increasing agar density inhibits nutrient uptake and enhances biofilm-substratum adhesion, with the latter identified as the most consistent factor driving changes in *Saccharomyces cerevisiae* colony biofilm growth.
This study reveals that the efficiency of mucociliary clearance in human airways is governed not by the bulk rheological properties of mucus, but by the hydration of a thin fluid layer at the cilia-mucus interface, offering a new framework for understanding transport failure and testing therapeutic agents.
The paper introduces SURFER, a lightweight, GPU-accelerated extension for UCSF ChimeraX that enables rapid, interactive segmentation and selective subtraction of membrane or membrane mimic densities from cryo-EM maps to facilitate clearer analysis and reporting of membrane protein structures.
Using optical tweezers and structural analysis, this study reveals that the XPD helicase exhibits damage-specific dynamics and identifies two structural regions sensitive to DNA modifications, clarifying how the enzyme senses and responds to lesions like cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers during nucleotide excision repair.
Fast MAS NMR spectroscopy reveals that GGGGCC RNA repeats associated with ALS and FTD form gel-like aggregates containing both G-quadruplex and double-stranded structures, with their relative abundance dynamically shifting based on the presence of divalent cations or nuclear extracts.
This study demonstrates that exposure to super-weak, frequency-specific mid-infrared light at 34 THz significantly extends the lifespan of *Caenorhabditis elegans* by enhancing cellular efficiency through resonant absorption in nucleic acids and mitochondrial phospholipids, thereby establishing a non-biochemical, physical strategy for systemic anti-aging.
By integrating molecular dynamics simulations, single-molecule FRET, and cell signaling assays, this study reveals that the membrane orientation dynamics of the endo-membrane-localized GTPase Rheb are critical for regulating mTORC1 activation, demonstrating that orientational transitions serve as a functional control mechanism for lipid-modified small GTPases.
This study reveals that while RNA i-motifs are globally unfolded at neutral pH in ensemble experiments, single-molecule techniques detect a small but potentially biologically significant population of folded structures, suggesting their possible relevance in cellular environments.