Αlpha¹

Issue 11

May 27, 20265 ArticlesΑlpha¹ Editorial

This issue: AI folds RNA, cryo-EM greens the planet, and a fly walks into a ring attractor.

First AI-generated RNA with novel atomically ordered 3D fold

Summary

In a sci-fi lab twist, AI dreams up the first synthetic RNA that folds into a crisp, never-before-seen 3D atomic structure—like a digital origami master crafting a brand-new molecular ballerina that actually stands up straight in real life.

Community Discussion

Shared by Das Lab (@RDasLab) with a cool video, sparking excitement among RNA folding and protein design folks including Eterna game players and structural biologists

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Article 2 of 5

Structure of chlorophyll synthase – a key enzyme in photosynthesis

Summary

Cryo-EM catches chlorophyll synthase in action like a molecular photographer snapping the enzyme that greens up the planet, revealing quirky assembly quirks in cyanobacteria that could inspire better solar-powered bio-factories.

Community Discussion

Shared by Dmitry Shvarev (@DmitryShvarev) celebrating the collaboration and cryo-EM visuals, drawing likes and congrats from photosynthesis and structural biology communities

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Article 3 of 5Α1On Αlpha¹

Accurate protein stability prediction for small domains using mega-scale experiments

Summary

Scientists measured a whopping 1.8 million protein stabilities in a massive data bonanza, then built a predictor so sharp it turns tiny domain design into a reliable game—think of it as a quirky molecular fortune-teller that actually gets the folding future right most of the time.

Community Discussion

Shared by Gabriel Rocklin (@grocklin) and Állan Ferrari (@ajrferrari) highlighting the dataset quality and modeling power, sparking praise from protein designers and biophysicists

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Article 4 of 5Α1On Αlpha¹

AlphaFold 3 reveals transient immune receptor complex in plant NLR networks

Summary

AlphaFold 3 finally unmasks a slippery plant immune receptor handshake that dodged labs for years—like a molecular detective catching a fleeting high-five between sensor and helper proteins in a dramatic NLR family reunion.

Community Discussion

Posted by Mauricio Contreras (@mpcontreras4) with an impressive video thread, drawing strong engagement from plant immunity researchers celebrating the structural breakthrough

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Article 5 of 5Α1On Αlpha¹

Ring attractor dynamics with heterogeneous connectivity in the fly head direction network

Summary

Fly brains pull off elegant navigation with messy, uneven neural wiring instead of perfect symmetry— a quirky real-world hack that keeps their internal compass spinning smoothly like a wonky but reliable fidget spinner.

Community Discussion

Shared by Brad Hulse (@BradKHulse) in a detailed story thread, loved by neuroscientists for the clever circuit insights

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