Scientists are always on the lookout for novel chemical compounds with medicinal properties to fight many of the diseases we know. In one such effort, researchers from the Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, and their collaborators have developed three compounds with steroids and pyrimidines with remarkable biological applications. The results of the study are published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.
The study from IISc found a previously unidentified yeast-like symbiont inside the lac insect Kerria lacca, which gives the insect its distinctive red colour and, may also provide other nutrients in return for shelter.