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Article
| Open AccessA single diiron enzyme catalyses the oxidative rearrangement of tryptophan to indole nitrile
Nitrile-containing molecules and their biosynthetic enzymes are uncommon in nature. Now, a nitrile-forming diiron enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of aetokthonotoxin—the ‘eagle-killing’ neurotoxin—has been characterized using biochemical, structural and biophysical methods. High-resolution protein crystal structures together with the identification of catalytically relevant tryptophan-based products provide mechanistic insights into this unusual nitrile-forming reaction.
- Sanjoy Adak
- , Naike Ye
- & Bradley S. Moore
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Article
| Open AccessSmall-molecule properties define partitioning into biomolecular condensates
Biomolecular condensates compartmentalize molecules without membranes. Understanding condensate composition is important given that their function relies on the selective exclusion or enrichment of molecules. Now, investigating small-molecule partitioning reveals variations across compounds, yet correlations indicate physical similarities between disparate condensates. Machine learning accurately predicts partitioning on the basis of physicochemical features, demonstrating the role of a hydrophobic environment in driving enrichment and exclusion.
- Sabareesan Ambadi Thody
- , Hanna D. Clements
- & Michael K. Rosen
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Article |
A metalloenzyme platform for catalytic asymmetric radical dearomatization
Catalytic asymmetric radical dearomatization has remained a daunting task due to the challenges in exerting stereocontrol over highly reactive radical intermediates. Now, using metalloredox biocatalysis, new-to-nature radical dearomatases P450rad1–P450rad5 have been engineered to facilitate asymmetric dearomatization of a broad spectrum of aromatic substrates, including indoles, pyrroles and phenols.
- Wenzhen Fu
- , Yue Fu
- & Yang Yang
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Article |
Discovery of the selenium-containing antioxidant ovoselenol derived from convergent evolution
Although biosynthetic pathways of selenium-containing macromolecules have been known for decades, pathways for specific incorporation of selenium into small molecules have only recently begun to be uncovered. Now the selenometabolome is expanded further through the discovery and biosynthetic elucidation of ovoselenol, a selenium-containing antioxidant found in marine microorganisms.
- Chase M. Kayrouz
- , Kendra A. Ireland
- & Mohammad R. Seyedsayamdost
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Article |
Protein semisynthesis reveals plasticity in HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase mechanisms
Lysine ubiquitination, catalysed by E3 ubiquitin ligases, is pivotal for regulating protein stability and cell signalling. Using protein semisynthesis, the roles of the C-terminal carboxylate and conformational interconversion in HECT-domain E3 catalysis are now characterized, revealing evolutionary plasticity in side chain versus backbone utilization.
- Hanjie Jiang
- , Bryant D. Miller
- & Philip A. Cole
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Article
| Open AccessDe novo DNA-based catch bonds
Whereas bonds that strengthen under mechanical stress occur frequently in nature, all synthetic bonds weaken under force. Now, an artificial supramolecular catch bond has been shown to strengthen the particle–surface interface under increasing shear flow in a rolling adhesion assay, thereby mimicking biological adhesion processes.
- Martijn van Galen
- , Annemarie Bok
- & Joris Sprakel
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Article
| Open AccessDiscovery of isoquinoline sulfonamides as allosteric gyrase inhibitors with activity against fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria
Global antibiotic scarcity looms owing to bacterial resistance. Now the discovery of a class of allosteric inhibitors targeting DNA gyrase—essential for bacteria—yields a compound LEI-800 that exhibits activity against fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli. The compound’s unique mode of action, revealed through cryo-EM, makes it a promising candidate for countering bacterial resistance.
- Alexander T. Bakker
- , Ioli Kotsogianni
- & Mario van der Stelt
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Article
| Open AccessA folding motif formed with an expanded genetic alphabet
Standard DNA is limited by low information density and functional diversity. Now it has been shown that an expanded genetic alphabet—incorporating a synthetic nucleotide, dZ—allows for the creation of stable three-dimensional DNA structures under mild alkaline conditions. Such stable structures enrich our understanding of DNA’s structural diversity and its potential in synthetic biology applications.
- Bang Wang
- , James R. Rocca
- & Steven A. Benner
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Article |
Global profiling of functional histidines in live cells using small-molecule photosensitizer and chemical probe relay labelling
Chemical probes that selectively react with histidine could afford functional insight for those located in vital protein regions, but the moderate nucleophilicity of histidine and interference from other residues pose challenges. A singlet oxygen and chemical probe relay labelling approach demonstrates high selectivity, enabling comprehensive histidine profiling and providing crucial functional insights.
- Yansheng Zhai
- , Xinyu Zhang
- & Gang Li
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News & Views |
Reversing the charge of lysine by genetic code expansion
Posttranslational modifications alter the structure and function of proteins. Now, genetic code expansion enables encoding of ε-N-succinyllysine and ε-N-glutaryllysine residues to decipher the effects of these modifications on enzymatic activity, protein–protein interactions and protein–DNA interactions.
- Daniela Danková
- & Christian A. Olsen
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Article |
Stereodivergent photobiocatalytic radical cyclization through the repurposing and directed evolution of fatty acid photodecarboxylases
Despite their intriguing photochemical activities, natural photoenzymes have not yet been repurposed for new-to-nature activities. Now, by leveraging the strongly oxidizing excited-state flavoquinone cofactor, fatty acid photodecarboxylases were engineered to catalyse unnatural decarboxylative radical cyclization with excellent chemo-, enantio- and diastereoselectivities.
- Shuyun Ju
- , Dian Li
- & Yang Yang
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In Your Element |
Call me serotonin
Serotonin is known by many names — in science as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or enteramine, and in popular culture as the ‘feel good’ chemical or the ‘happy hormone’. Cameron Movassaghi and Anne Andrews discuss the knowns and unknowns of this well-studied yet elusive neurotransmitter.
- Cameron S. Movassaghi
- & Anne Milasincic Andrews
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Article
| Open AccessDeciphering functional roles of protein succinylation and glutarylation using genetic code expansion
Negatively charged lysine acylations—malonylation, succinylation and glutarylation—impact protein structure and function, which can affect cellular processes. Now temporarily masked thioester derivatives of succinylation and glutarylation can be used for site-specific modification of diverse bacterial and mammalian proteins, which can facilitate the study of how these lysine modifications impact enzymatic activity and control protein–protein and protein–DNA interactions.
- Maria Weyh
- , Marie-Lena Jokisch
- & Kathrin Lang
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Article |
Non-modular fatty acid synthases yield distinct N-terminal acylation in ribosomal peptides
Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) can have vast structural diversity and biological functions enabled by disparate post-translational modifications (PTMs). However, unconventional PTMs derived from non-RiPP biosynthesis are rarely reported. Now a class of lipopeptides featuring a distinct fatty-acyl-modified N terminus and the responsible RiPP/fatty-acid hybrid biosynthetic machinery have been characterized.
- Hengqian Ren
- , Chunshuai Huang
- & Huimin Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessRNA modulates hnRNPA1A amyloid formation mediated by biomolecular condensates
The underlying mechanism for how heterotypic protein–RNA interactions modulate the liquid to amyloid transition of hnRNPA1A, a protein involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has so far remained elusive. Now characterization of hnRNPA1A condensate formation and aggregation in vitro reveals that the RNA/protein stoichiometry affects the molecular pathways leading to amyloid formation.
- Chiara Morelli
- , Lenka Faltova
- & Paolo Arosio
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Article |
Diazobutanone-assisted isobaric labelling of phospholipids and sulfated glycolipids enables multiplexed quantitative lipidomics using tandem mass spectrometry
Lipidomics aims to uncover lipid functions in biological systems and disease. Quantifying lipids is challenging due to highly diverse chemical structures. Here a diazobutanone-assisted isobaric labelling method is developed that relies on diazobutanone and isobaric mass tags to target phosphate- and sulfate-containing lipids, enabling multiplexed lipidomic quantification in complex mixtures.
- Ting-Jia Gu
- , Peng-Kai Liu
- & Lingjun Li
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Article |
Biocatalytic strategy for the construction of sp3-rich polycyclic compounds from directed evolution and computational modelling
The use of biocatalysis to support early-stage drug discovery campaigns remains largely untapped. Here, engineered biocatalysts enable the synthesis of sp3-rich polycyclic compounds through an intramolecular cyclopropanation of benzothiophenes, affording a class of complex scaffolds potentially useful for fragment-based drug discovery campaigns.
- David A. Vargas
- , Xinkun Ren
- & Rudi Fasan
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News & Views |
Discovering cryptic natural products by substrate manipulation
Cryptic halogenation reactions result in natural products with diverse structural motifs and bioactivities. However, these halogenated species are difficult to detect with current analytical methods because the final products are often not halogenated. An approach to identify products of cryptic halogenation using halide depletion has now been discovered, opening up space for more effective natural product discovery.
- Ludek Sehnal
- , Libera Lo Presti
- & Nadine Ziemert
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Article |
Subdomain dynamics enable chemical chain reactions in non-ribosomal peptide synthetases
Many natural products are produced by non-ribosomal peptide synthetases in an assembly-line fashion. How these molecular machines orchestrate the biochemical sequences has remained elusive. It is now understood that an extended-conformation ensemble is needed to coordinate chemical-transformation steps whereas the biosynthesis directionality is driven by the enzyme’s innate conformational free energies.
- Xun Sun
- , Jonas Alfermann
- & Haw Yang
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Article |
Remote stereocontrol with azaarenes via enzymatic hydrogen atom transfer
The inherent rigidity of the azaarene ring structure has made it challenging to achieve remote stereocontrol through asymmetric catalysis on these substrates. Now, through a photoenzymatic process, an ene-reductase system facilitates the production of diverse azaarenes with distant γ-stereocentres, highlighting the potential of biocatalysts for stereoselectivity at remote sites.
- Maolin Li
- , Wesley Harrison
- & Huimin Zhao
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Article |
RNAs undergo phase transitions with lower critical solution temperatures
The physicochemical driving forces of protein-free, RNA-driven phase transitions were previously unclear, but it is now shown that RNAs undergo entropically driven liquid–liquid phase separation upon heating in the presence of magnesium ions. In the condensed phase, RNAs can undergo an enthalpically favourable percolation transition that leads to arrested condensates.
- Gable M. Wadsworth
- , Walter J. Zahurancik
- & Priya R. Banerjee
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Article
| Open AccessThe interface of condensates of the hnRNPA1 low-complexity domain promotes formation of amyloid fibrils
Understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the maturation of protein condensates into amyloid fibrils associated with neurodegenerative diseases has so far remained elusive. Now it has been shown that in condensates formed by the low-complexity domain of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated protein hnRNPA1, fibril formation is promoted at the interface, which provides a potential therapeutic target for counteracting aberrant protein aggregation.
- Miriam Linsenmeier
- , Lenka Faltova
- & Paolo Arosio
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Article
| Open AccessMapping protein dynamics at high spatial resolution with temperature-jump X-ray crystallography
Shifts in temperature alter the structure and dynamics of macromolecules. Now, infra-red laser-induced temperature jump is combined with X-ray crystallography to observe protein structural dynamics in real time. Using this method, motions related to the catalytic cycle of lysozyme, a model enzyme, are visualized at atomic resolution and across broad timescales.
- Alexander M. Wolff
- , Eriko Nango
- & Michael C. Thompson
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Article |
DNAzyme-based faithful probing and pulldown to identify candidate biomarkers of low abundance
The discovery of biomarkers remains challenging owing to a lack of methods sensitive enough to identify such rare molecules. Now, by simultaneously exploiting the catalysis and affinity of a DNAzyme, candidate biomarkers with low abundance in cancers can be pulled down for identification and validation.
- Qinqin Hu
- , Zongxuan Tong
- & Hongzhou Gu
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Article
| Open AccessProtein–lipid charge interactions control the folding of outer membrane proteins into asymmetric membranes
Biological membranes are asymmetric bilayers, but little is known about how this asymmetry modulates membrane protein folding or stability. Now, folding and stability assays with bacterial outer membrane proteins reveal an exquisite sensitivity to asymmetric membrane charge distribution and a required matching of protein charge for efficient folding.
- Jonathan M. Machin
- , Antreas C. Kalli
- & Sheena E. Radford
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News & Views |
RNA as an off-target for FDA-approved drugs
Medicinal chemistry efforts typically focus on drug–protein interactions and overlook RNA binding as a source of off-target pharmacology. Now, a new method has been developed to map the interactions of small-molecule drugs with RNA in cells and characterize how these interactions can exert functional effects.
- Christopher R. Fullenkamp
- & John S. Schneekloth Jr
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Article
| Open AccessA SAM analogue-utilizing ribozyme for site-specific RNA alkylation in living cells
Ribozyme-mediated post-transcriptional RNA modification is a powerful method for site-specific RNA labelling and analysis of RNA functions. Now, an alkyltransferase ribozyme—termed SAMURI—has been shown to catalyse the transfer of a propargyl group from a stabilized synthetic S-adenosylmethionine analogue to a specific adenosine on the target RNA within cells.
- Takumi Okuda
- , Ann-Kathrin Lenz
- & Claudia Höbartner
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Article
| Open AccessPrecisely patterned nanofibres made from extendable protein multiplexes
Molecular systems with coincident cyclic and superhelical symmetry axes have considerable advantages for materials design as they can be lengthened or shortened by changing the length of the monomers. Now a systematic approach to generate modular repeat protein oligomers with combined symmetry that can be extended by repeat propagation has been developed.
- Neville P. Bethel
- , Andrew J. Borst
- & David Baker
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Article |
Discovering covalent inhibitors of protein–protein interactions from trillions of sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange-modified oligonucleotides
Covalent inhibitors offer high potency but their potential is hindered by off-target reactivity. Now, an in vitro selection method has been developed to enable the discovery of covalent inhibitors from trillions of oligonucleotides endowed with the sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange chemistry. This strategy generates covalent inhibitors of protein–protein interactions with optimally balanced selectivity and reactivity.
- Zichen Qin
- , Kaining Zhang
- & Yu Xiang
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News & Views |
Engineering yeast to produce plant-derived anti-obesity agent
Plants produce a wide range of compounds with important bioactivities. Celastrol, an anti-obesity agent found in the root of certain plants, can now be produced de novo in yeast.
- Jens Nielsen
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Article |
Enhanced active-site electric field accelerates enzyme catalysis
The design and improvement of enzymes based on physical principles remain challenging. Now, the vibrational Stark effect has been used to demonstrate how an electrostatic model can unify the catalytic effects of distinct chemical forces in a quantitative manner and guide the design of enzyme variants that outperform their natural counterpart.
- Chu Zheng
- , Zhe Ji
- & Steven G. Boxer
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News & Views |
Back-to-back cycloadditions in nature
Tandem cycloaddition reactions have significant applications in organic synthetic chemistry. Now, two enzymes are shown to catalyse tandem hetero-Diels–Alder reactions with a synergistic interplay between a calcium cofactor and N-glycan post-translational modifications during the biosynthesis of bistropolone-sesquiterpene secondary metabolites.
- Richiro Ushimaru
- & Ikuro Abe
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Article |
Direct mapping of ligandable tyrosines and lysines in cells with chiral sulfonyl fluoride probes
Most chemoproteomic screening approaches are indirect. Now, a chemoproteomic platform based on chiral sulfonyl fluoride probes has been developed for the direct identification of probe-modified tyrosines and lysines in live cells. Stereoselective modification by structurally diverse probes was observed for 634 tyrosines and lysines across functionally diverse protein sites.
- Ying Chen
- , Gregory B. Craven
- & Jack Taunton
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Article
| Open AccessDesign of allosteric sites into rotary motor V1-ATPase by restoring lost function of pseudo-active sites
Allostery produces concerted functions of protein complexes by orchestrating the cooperative work between the constituent subunits. By restoring functions of pseudo-active sites that have been lost through evolution, allosteric sites have now been designed into a rotary molecular motor, V1-ATPase, resulting in its rotation being boosted allosterically.
- Takahiro Kosugi
- , Tatsuya Iida
- & Nobuyasu Koga
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News & Views |
Establishing the fundamental rules for genetic code expansion
Genetic code expansion beyond α-amino acids is a major challenge, in which stitching together non-natural building blocks within the ribosome is a critical barrier. Now, the molecular determinants for the efficient incorporation of non-natural amino acids into the ribosome have been unlocked, accelerating ribosomal synthesis.
- Souvik Sinha
- , Mohd Ahsan
- & Giulia Palermo
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Article |
Tubulin engineering by semi-synthesis reveals that polyglutamylation directs detyrosination
Microtubules carry patterns of post-translational modifications that are important for the regulation of key cellular processes. Now a semi-synthetic method facilitates the production of tubulins with defined post-translational modifications. Using these designer tubulins, polyglutamylation of α-tubulin is found to promote its detyrosination by enhancing the activity of the carboxypeptidase vasohibin/small vasohibin-binding protein.
- Eduard Ebberink
- , Simon Fernandes
- & Charlotte Aumeier
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Article |
Tandem intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloadditions are catalysed by glycosylated enzymes for natural product biosynthesis
Two glycosylated enzymes, EupfF and PycR1, have now been characterized and shown to independently catalyse the tandem intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition in the biosynthesis of bistropolone-sesquiterpenes. Through analysis of enzyme–substrate co-crystal structures, together with computational and mutational studies, the origins of their catalytic activity and stereoselectivity were elucidated.
- Jiawang Liu
- , Jiayan Lu
- & Youcai Hu
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Research Briefing |
Synthesis of oligosaccharide libraries for systematic explorations of heparan sulfate sequence space
Challenges in the synthesis of heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycans have limited access to defined HS oligosaccharides bearing a diverse array of sulfation sequences. A concise, divergent synthetic approach now provides a library of 64 HS tetrasaccharides displaying a comprehensive set of sulfation sequences, offering insight into the elusive sulfation code of glycosaminoglycans.
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Article
| Open AccessMetal-dependent enzyme symmetry guides the biosynthetic flux of terpene precursors
The metal-dependent, bifunctional isoprenyl diphosphate synthase PcIDS1 from the leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae integrates substrate, product and metal-ion concentrations to tune its dynamic reactivity. Now structural and functional analyses reveal that this enzyme uses both catalytic centres to form geranyl pyrophosphate, while one domain is inactivated during farnesyl pyrophosphate production.
- Felix Ecker
- , Abith Vattekkatte
- & Michael Groll
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Article |
Transient water wires mediate selective proton transport in designed channel proteins
Incorporating polar residues into hydrophobic protein channel pores facilitates selective proton transport. Now, classical and multiscale reactive molecular dynamics simulations of designed channels reveal dynamic water wires within the channel lumen that are proton conductive according to structural and functional validation. These results provide some guiding principles for biological and engineered proton conduction.
- Huong T. Kratochvil
- , Laura C. Watkins
- & William F. DeGrado
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Article |
A high-dimensional microfluidic approach for selection of aptamers with programmable binding affinities
Generating aptamers for use as affinity reagents in analytical applications is important, but SELEX, the standard method for aptamer generation, is unable to select for pre-defined binding affinities. Now, by combining efficient particle display, high-performance microfluidic sorting and high-content bioinformatics, the method ‘Pro-SELEX’ can afford the quantitative generation of aptamers with programmable binding affinities.
- Dingran Chang
- , Zongjie Wang
- & Shana O. Kelley
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News & Views |
Polymeric protagonists for biological processes
Complexity is a hallmark of biological systems, but scientific experiments are typically conducted in simplified conditions. Now, diverse polymers that mimic the local environments of complex biological mixtures have been shown to improve protein folding, stability and function.
- Alana P. Gudinas
- & Danielle J. Mai
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Article |
Fragmentation and [4 + 3] cycloaddition in sodorifen biosynthesis
The biosynthesis of the methylated sesquiterpene sodorifen, which features a cryptic methylation pattern, has now been studied through extensive labelling experiments and computational chemistry. The methyl group formation is now understood to come from methylene carbons of the substrate farnesyl diphosphate and the absolute configuration of the biosynthetic intermediate presodorifen diphosphate has been revised.
- Houchao Xu
- , Lukas Lauterbach
- & Jeroen S. Dickschat
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Article |
Activity-based directed evolution of a membrane editor in mammalian cells
Cellular membranes contain numerous lipids, and efforts to understand the biological functions of individual lipids demand approaches for controlled modulation of membrane composition in situ. Now, click chemistry-based directed evolution of a microbial phospholipase within mammalian cells affords an editor for optogenetic, targeted modification of phospholipids in cell membranes.
- Reika Tei
- , Saket R. Bagde
- & Jeremy M. Baskin
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Article
| Open AccessIn vitro selection of macrocyclic peptide inhibitors containing cyclic γ2,4-amino acids targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease
In vitro screening of a ribosomally synthesized macrocyclic peptide library containing cyclic γ2,4-amino acids (cγAA) afforded the discovery of potent inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). A co-crystal structure revealed the contribution of this cγAA to Mpro binding and the proteolytic stability of these macrocycles.
- Takashi Miura
- , Tika R. Malla
- & Hiroaki Suga
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In Your Element |
Looking into luciferin
Organisms that glow are perhaps eerie. Vadim Viviani ponders on the luciferin–luciferase systems responsible for their intriguing bioluminescence.
- Vadim R. Viviani
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Article |
Connecting the geometric and electronic structures of the nitrogenase iron–molybdenum cofactor through site-selective 57Fe labelling
The molybdenum nitrogenase catalytic cofactor is composed of seven high-spin Fe sites making it difficult to study spectroscopically. Now it has been shown that 57Fe can be incorporated into a single site and that such site-selectively labelled samples provide insights into the cofactor’s electronic structure and the mechanism of biological nitrogen fixation.
- Edward D. Badding
- , Suppachai Srisantitham
- & Daniel L. M. Suess
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Article
| Open AccessUnusual peptide-binding proteins guide pyrroloindoline alkaloid formation in crocagin biosynthesis
The alkaloids crocagins are derived from a ribosomal peptide through a series of enzymatic post-translational modifications. A combination of biochemistry and structural biology techniques has now been used to elucidate this biosynthetic pathway, propose a mechanism for the formation of the tetracyclic core structure and enable genome mining for related natural products.
- Sebastian Adam
- , Dazhong Zheng
- & Jesko Koehnke
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Article |
Protein nanopore reveals the renin–angiotensin system crosstalk with single-amino-acid resolution
A nanopore framework has been developed to reveal the crosstalk effect on the renin–angiotensin system. By reading the single-amino-acid differences in angiotensin peptides with high accuracy and high efficiency, the selective inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 was revealed. This activity was shown to be suppressed by the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.
- Jie Jiang
- , Meng-Yin Li
- & Yi-Tao Long
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