In This Issue - pv

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-v

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Rights for students expanding - p1

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-1

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The origins of chemical biology - pp3 - 6

Kim L Morrison & Gregory A Weiss

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-3

Chemical biology has historical roots that date back to the birth of chemistry and biology as distinct sciences.

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Preventing protein secretion with chemical glue - pp7 - 8

Brent R Stockwell

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-7

A small-molecule inhibitor of protein secretion has been found that targets Cdc42, a regulator of the secretory pathway. This compound acts through a previously undescribed mechanism—by recruiting a protein inhibitor.

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See also: Article by Pelish et al.

Chemical expansion of cofactor activity - pp8 - 10

Andrew C Mercer & Michael D Burkart

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-8

Methylation is a key regulatory event in several biological processes. The enzymatic transfer by methyltransferases of extended carbon chain analogs of S-adenosylmethionine to DNA opens up new avenues for investigating biological methylation.

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See also: Brief Communication by Dalhoff et al.

Agonizing Hedgehog - pp10 - 11

James Briscoe

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-10

Hedgehog signaling has important and pleiotropic roles in embryonic and adult tissues. A small-molecule agonist of this pathway has been shown to act by targeting the transmembrane protein Smoothened.

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See also: Brief Communication by Sinha & Chen

Ion channels get flashy - pp11 - 13

Hagan Bayley

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-11

Ion channels have essential roles in the nervous system. An engineered ligand-gated channel with a photoactivated switch will be useful for addressing several issues in neuronal signaling.

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See also: Article by Volgraf et al.

Opening the pore hinges on proline - pp13 - 14

Amy H Andreotti

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-13

Neurotransmitter binding to a member of the Cys-loop receptor superfamily elicits opening of an ion channel by inducing a change in the configuration of a prolyl imide bond. Engineering a series of mutant receptors to contain proline analogues with a range of cis/trans preferences demonstrates the molecular basis for channel gating.

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Breaking and entering - pp14 - 15

Tim Clackson

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-14

A new small molecule inhibitor of TNF has an unexpected mechanism: it disrupts the trimeric structure of the protein.

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Research Highlights - p17

doi:10.1038/nchembio0106-17

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