In this issue - pv

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-v

Full Text - In this issue | PDF (165 KB) - In this issue

The bottom line - p509

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-509

Enhanced funding support and increased engagement of chemical biologists in the funding process are essential for the advancement of the field.

Full Text - The bottom line | PDF (125 KB) - The bottom line

Chemical biology at the US National Science Foundation - pp511 - 514

Wilfredo Colón, Parag Chitnis, James P Collins, Janice Hicks, Tony Chan & Joanne S Tornow

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-511

Chemical biology continues to grow and blur the theoretical and empirical boundaries between chemistry and biology. Federal funding agencies, including the US National Science Foundation, will be essential to support the development of interdisciplinary research fields.

Full Text - Chemical biology at the US National Science Foundation | PDF (234 KB) - Chemical biology at the US National Science Foundation

Chemical biology in China takes on signal transduction - pp515 - 518

Hualiang Jiang, Jiarui Wu, Lihe Zhang, Wenping Liang, Feixue Gao, Canping Du, Xuelian Feng & Yongjun Chen

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-515

Funding support for chemical biology is essential for its growth around the world. A new funding initiative from the National Natural Science Foundation of China provides a model of a targeted funding program in the area of signal transduction.

Full Text - Chemical biology in China takes on signal transduction | PDF (504 KB) - Chemical biology in China takes on signal transduction

Foundation funding and chemical biology - pp519 - 522

Victoria McGovern

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-519

An emerging generation of scientists trained at the interface of chemistry and biology is providing new tools and insights into the workings of biological systems. Private foundations represent an important funding option for scientists at this interface.

Full Text - Foundation funding and chemical biology | PDF (240 KB) - Foundation funding and chemical biology

ERA-Chemistry - p523

Amy Donner

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-523

European Research Area (ERA)-Chemistry is a network of funding agencies that supports international collaborative approaches to chemical research and facilitates the flow of ideas from scientists to funding institutions.

Full Text - ERA-Chemistry | PDF (109 KB) - ERA-Chemistry

From yeast to alkaloids - pp524 - 525

Jay Keasling

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-524

Alkaloids, which include caffeine and morphine, are a large class of pharmacologically active plant compounds that are often difficult to chemically synthesize. Incorporation of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid pathways in yeast will facilitate the production of natural and non-natural alkaloids.

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See also: Article by Hawkins & Smolke

Unexpected N-terminal editing: a cysteine protease that cuts and pastes - pp525 - 526

Isaac Carrico

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-525

N-terminal modification is a mechanism for regulation of protein activity, localization and degradation. A proteomic approach using -lactone activity-based probes has identified a cysteine protease with N-terminal transpeptidase activity.

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See also: Article by Wang et al.

Cross-dressing proteins by olefin metathesis - pp527 - 528

Kent Kirshenbaum & Paramjit S Arora

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-527

Chemists have established numerous methods for performing protein conjugations, but metathesis catalysts have largely remained absent from this toolkit. Evidence that proteins bearing allylsulfides undergo cross-metathesis with chosen alkenes in aqueous conditions will allow chemists to harness the power of metathesis catalysts for modifying biomolecules and other water-soluble compounds.

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20S ways to apoptosis - pp528 - 529

David J McConkey

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-528

Chemical inhibitors of the proteasome have received substantial attention owing to the success of bortezomib in the treatment of multiple myeloma. A recent whole-cell screen identified the proteasome inhibitor argyrin A and suggests a new role for p27^Kip-1 in regulating apoptosis.

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Chloroplast SRP takes another road - pp529 - 531

Laurent Nussaume

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-529

The signal recognition particle (SRP), a ribonucleoprotein complex that is conserved across all organisms, is essential for cotranslational insertion of proteins into membranes. A three-dimensional structure of cpSRP43 provides insights into how plants have adapted the SRP for post-translational targeting of membrane proteins.

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Research highlights - p533

doi:10.1038/nchembio0908-533

Full Text - Research highlights | PDF (117 KB) - Research highlights