Biochemistry
The latest chemistry news and research on biochemistry, including proteomics, metabolism, enzymes and nucleic acid chemistry, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
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NewsWhy is a prehistoric creature still vital for the pharmaceutical industry?
Every year, horseshoe crabs are harvested for their blue blood, but alternatives are now coming through that could help protect these ancient animals
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FeatureHibernation awakens interest for drug discovery
With many different species entering torpor for a variety of reasons, scientists are looking to their sleepy secrets for ways to treat human diseases. Anthony King reports
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ResearchRare disease drug can make human blood toxic to mosquitoes
Insect enzyme inhibitor could help control malaria
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ResearchAI takes step towards cracking biology’s toughest problem – protein sequencing
The team hopes the system will eventually be as influential as AlphaFold was for protein structure prediction
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Research‘Ageing’ cellular blobs could be linked to neurodegenerative diseases
Over time biomolecular condensates’ redox activity drops and tangled aggregates linked to conditions like Alzheimer’s build-up
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FeatureThe circles of DNA that cause cancer
Ring-shaped extrachromosomal DNA is implicated in many cancers. Rachel Brazil talks to the scientists trying to uncover their secrets
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ResearchDesigner protein performs multi-step catalysis with life-like performance
Computer-designed enzyme competitive with nature for the first time
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ResearchGenerative AI pipeline creates promising antimicrobial peptides
AI model extrapolates beyond training data to predict diverse antimicrobial structures
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ResearchThis nanotechnology expert works with both plant and brain cells
Could Markita Landry’s research group be any more interdisciplinary?
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ResearchZika virus discovered to alter skin chemistry to entice mosquitoes
Changing the volatiles human skin produces helps enhance viral transmission
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Research‘Hidden grammar’ explains proteins’ distribution into sub-cellular condensates
Proteins’ amino-acid sequences appear to guide their access to blob-like aggregates involved in many cell processes
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FeatureOn the trail of the male contraceptive pill
As multiple novel male contraception compounds enter clinical trials, is family planning about to undergo a second revolution? James Mitchell Crow reports
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FeatureThe promise of drugs that send proteins to the shredder
Andy Extance charts how research into revolutionary targeted protein degradation therapies is moving from serendipity to strategic discovery
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ResearchProtein cement is the trick to how ticks stick
New insight into bioadhesive proteins could aid development of future biomedical tissue sealants
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OpinionThere are no life lessons to be learned in AI’s Chinese Room
There’s a lot more lab work to do before we understand the ‘language of life’
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FeatureLife on ice
We may be able to freeze embryos, but challenges remain for larger organs. Hayley Bennett talks to the scientists trying to push the boundaries of cryopreservation
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ResearchEasy to remove tag could make mRNA synthesis for vaccines quicker and cheaper
Chemical synthesis takes another step towards overtaking more complex enzymatic routes
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ResearchMineral-extracting microorganism could solve early Earth’s nitrogen-fixing mystery
Ancient microorganisms could have extracted vital nitrogen compounds using molybdenum mined from rocks
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OpinionDoes lysergic acid link the Salem witch trials and a Catholic saint?
A fungal factor may have been the common cause of witch hunts and St Anthony’s fire
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OpinionThis year’s chemistry Nobel proves it’s hard to make predictions
It’s been a long journey from the myoglobin model