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Small changes in protein structure can have pronounced effects on protein–protein interactions, but quantifying this has only recently become possible. Now, the binding landscapes of three homologous enzyme–inhibitor complexes are quantified and shown to depend on whether the inhibitor binds its natural target or a structurally similar protein.
Understanding heat conduction in solids is fundamental to the design of high-performing thermoelectric materials. Now, a combined computational and experimental study shows how local order paired with long-range disorder leads to a desirable reduction in thermal conductivity while retaining high electron mobility in the Zintl phase Eu2ZnSb2.
DNA-templated synthesis of chiral inorganic assemblies often requires chemical modification of the template. Now, a route exploiting the native chemistry of unmodified DNA origami templates provides access to 3D chiral assemblies.
Mechanical forces can induce a biochemical response in cells. Now, it is shown that a molecular motor can exert enough force on the surface of a cell to induce a biochemical response too.
Lewis acid additives such as aluminium can enable fascinating new reactivity in transition metal catalysts, but few catalytic intermediates have been characterised. Now, a nickel-aluminium pincer complex offers new mechanistic insight into transmetalation, and new potential for reactivity.
Lithium-ion batteries suffer from declining performance when the electrolyte decomposes. Now, low-dosage cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) visualizes how the common solid electrolyte interface component lithium carbonate decomposes and how additives stabilize the interface.
Contact freezing of water is a very fast and common process that is still not well understood due to challenges in probing this microscopic phenomenon. Now, molecular dynamics simulations help to explain experimental data of contact freezing, showing a connection between water’s suspected propensity to undergo surface freezing and the kinetic enhancement during contact nucleation.
Molecular replication could offer insight into the fundamentals of evolution, but achieving controlled mutation is difficult. Now, a synthetic replicator that allows for simple control over its mutation rate has been reported.
Organizing molecular rotors in highly ordered crystals enables the use of molecular motion to control physical properties. Now, N‑heterocyclic carbene complexes form a basis for molecular gyroscopes in which solid-state emission is quenched by axle rotation.
