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Chemical biology is the study of the chemicals and chemical reactions involved in biological processes, incorporating the disciplines of bioorganic chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology and pharmacology. Chemicals – including natural small molecules, such as lipids, carbohydrates and metals, or non-natural probe or drug molecules – are used to gain insight into biological problems at a mechanistic level.
Liquid droplets form in cells to concentrate specific biomolecules (while excluding others) in order to perform specific functions. The molecular mechanisms that determine whether different macromolecules undergo co-partitioning or exclusion has so far remained elusive. Now, two studies uncover key principles underlying this selectivity.
Ferroptosis, a cell death mechanism induced by lipid peroxidation, is pivotal in tumor suppression. A recent study shows that tumor repopulating cells evade ferroptosis and develop resistance to therapy via subverting a lipid metabolism enzyme.
The Chilean soapbark tree is the source of QS-21 — a valuable but hard-to-obtain vaccine additive. Yeast strains engineered to express all components of the QS-21 biosynthetic pathway provide an alternative route to this therapeutic.
Methionine plays an essential role in various biological and cell regulatory processes, making its chemoproteomic profiling necessary to understand its function. Here, the authors present Copper(I)-Nitrene Platform (CuNiP) for robust and selective labelling of methionine to generate highly stable sulfonyl sulfimide conjugates under physiological conditions.
Ester-linked modifications are common but difficult to detect. Here, the authors present methods based on ester preservation and a sensitive antibody to reveal DNA damage-induced mono-ADP-ribosylation on aspartate and glutamate. This signal, part of the first wave of PARP1 signaling, is removed by PARG.
Multi-payload antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are an emerging class of targeted therapeutics. Comprising a monoclonal antibody with multiple unique payloads attached, these constructs have the potential to produce synergistic anticancer effects with reduced therapeutic resistance. In this Review, methods for generating multi-payload ADCs are discussed, highlighting some key preclinical results.
Liquid droplets form in cells to concentrate specific biomolecules (while excluding others) in order to perform specific functions. The molecular mechanisms that determine whether different macromolecules undergo co-partitioning or exclusion has so far remained elusive. Now, two studies uncover key principles underlying this selectivity.
Ferroptosis, a cell death mechanism induced by lipid peroxidation, is pivotal in tumor suppression. A recent study shows that tumor repopulating cells evade ferroptosis and develop resistance to therapy via subverting a lipid metabolism enzyme.
The Chilean soapbark tree is the source of QS-21 — a valuable but hard-to-obtain vaccine additive. Yeast strains engineered to express all components of the QS-21 biosynthetic pathway provide an alternative route to this therapeutic.
A hallucinogenic compound secreted by toads has served as a springboard for research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. The findings suggest that these compounds exert antidepressant effects in part by binding an under-appreciated target in the brain.
An artificial metalloenzyme based on streptavidin with a biotinylated Rh(III) cofactor provides enantioselective access to various isoindolones with different functional groups. Rational engineering of the streptavidin scaffold reverses the stereoselectivity, offering an enantiodivergent method for the synthesis of isoindolones.