Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered tiny “folding factories” in cells. Without them, proteins such as insulin cannot be produced properly. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Proteins perform a variety of tasks in cells, from transporting substances to digestion. In order for them to fulfil their tasks, they must be correctly folded, as the University of Basel explained in a press release published on its website on Monday. To fold the proteins, the body has helper proteins known as chaperones. Until now, the researchers assumed that these folding helpers float around individually in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) – the part inside cells where proteins are folded. However, the researchers have now discovered that the chaperones organise themselves independently and form droplet-like structures known as condensates. According to the university, these condensates correspond to a conveyor belt on which the machines for protein folding are ...
