Molecular insights into the enzyme promiscuity of an aromatic prenyltransferase
December 19th, 2016 by Ridao Chen
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 226 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2263
Authors: Ridao Chen, Bingquan Gao, Xiao Liu, Feiying Ruan, Yong Zhang, Jizhong Lou, Keping Feng, Carsten Wunsch, Shu-Ming Li, Jungui Dai & Fei Sun
Orphan receptor ligand discovery by pickpocketing pharmacological neighbors
December 19th, 2016 by Tony Ngo
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 235 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2266
Authors: Tony Ngo, Andrey V Ilatovskiy, Alastair G Stewart, James L J Coleman, Fiona M McRobb, R Peter Riek, Robert M Graham, Ruben Abagyan, Irina Kufareva & Nicola J Smith
Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosRST signaling and persistence
December 19th, 2016 by Huiqing Zheng
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 218 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2259
Authors: Huiqing Zheng, Christopher J Colvin, Benjamin K Johnson, Paul D Kirchhoff, Michael Wilson, Katriana Jorgensen-Muga, Scott D Larsen & Robert B Abramovitch
A fluorescent probe for cysteine depalmitoylation reveals dynamic APT signaling
December 19th, 2016 by Rahul S Kathayat
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 150 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2262
Authors: Rahul S Kathayat, Pablo D Elvira & Bryan C Dickinson
Hundreds of human proteins are modified by reversible palmitoylation of cysteine residues (S-palmitoylation), but the regulation of depalmitoylation is poorly understood. Here, we develop 'depalmitoylation probes' (DPPs), small-molecule fluorophores, to monitor the endogenous activity levels of 'erasers' of S-palmitoylation, acylprotein thioesterases (APTs). Live-cell analysis with DPPs reveals rapid growth-factor-mediated inhibition of the depalmitoylation activity of APTs, exposing a novel regulatory mechanism of dynamic lipid signaling.
RAS signaling: Divide and conquer
December 16th, 2016 by Matthew Holderfield
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 7 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2264
Authors: Matthew Holderfield & Deborah K Morrison
The role of RAS dimerization in tumor biology is an emerging area of preclinical cancer research. Characterization of a RAS monobody indicates that dimer formation is required for RAS signaling, revealing the dimer interface as a potential drug target.
Natural products: Mapping an amazing thicket
December 16th, 2016 by Mark E Horsman
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 6 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2265
Authors: Mark E Horsman & Christopher N Boddy
The Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) resource and the DEREPLICATOR algorithm provide new tools for analyzing mass spectral data and enabling natural products discovery.
RNA structure: Widening the probe
December 16th, 2016 by Grant Miura
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 1 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2274
Author: Grant Miura
Neurodegeneration: Untangling tau
December 16th, 2016 by Alison Farrell
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 1 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2276
Author: Alison Farrell
Biocatalysis: Custom carbon cycling
December 16th, 2016 by Caitlin Deane
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 1 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2275
Author: Caitlin Deane
Protein folding: Minimizing frustration
December 16th, 2016 by Mirella Bucci
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 1 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2277
Author: Mirella Bucci