Nature Chemical Biology - CURRENT ISSUE : May 2008 - Vol 4 No 5
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Inhibiting initiation
Article by MontagnoliMany current cancer drugs target DNA replication elongation, but their utility is limited by side effects and development of resistance by cancer cells. A new small-molecule inhibitor of Cdc7 kinase blocks DNA replication at the initiation phase and is shown to have in vivo antitumor activity.
2008 SYMPOSIUM
Chemical Neurobiology
EditorialThe 2nd Nature Chemical Biology symposium on 'Chemical Neurobiology' was co-organized with The New York Academy of Sciences and was held on 22-23 February 2008 at the Academy's World Trade Center location in New York City. An international group of chemists and neurobiologists enjoyed seminars and lively discussion centered on chemical neurobiology—from 'chemical sensing' to 'synapses and signaling', and 'synthetic neurobiology' to 'brain matters'.
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Zinc to the rescue
Article by MeloniAmyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Spectroscopic analyses reveal that a metal swap between Aβ—Cu(II) and the metallothionein Zn7MT-3 is the mechanism by which Zn7MT-3 quenches ROS production and protects against Aβ neurotoxicity.
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Manipulating malarial motility
Article by KatoOntology-based pattern identification and treatment of parasites with a new inhibitor, purfalcamine, implicates the malarial kinase CDPK1 in parasite motility.
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Replacing THC
Article by NomuraTHC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, is a promising analgesic but also leads to undesirable side effects. Biochemical evidence shows that organophosphorus compounds mimic the effects of THC by blocking endocannabinoid degradation, providing clues for how to make better pain therapeutics.
