Table of contents : Nature Chemical Biology

Chemical biology is beginning to enhance our understanding of diverse cellular processes in plants, including endomembrane trafficking, hormone transport and cell wall biosynthesis. To reach its potential requires the development of a community-wide infrastructure of technology and expertise. We present some of the opportunities and challenges in this emerging branch of plant biology and offer some suggestions for enhancing the approach to the benefit of the community at large.

Full Text - Opportunities and challenges in plant chemical biology | PDF (1,870 KB) - Opportunities and challenges in plant chemical biology

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The devil (and an active jasmonate hormone) is in the details - pp273 - 274

Hankuil Yi, Mary L Preuss & Joseph M Jez

doi:10.1038/nchembio0509-273

Jasmonates are important in defending plants against pathogens and in reproductive development. New evidence resolves the stereochemistry of the bioactive jasmonate hormone and suggests a chemical mechanism for modulating levels of the bioactive molecule in plants.

Full Text - The devil (and an active jasmonate hormone) is in the details | PDF (815 KB) - The devil (and an active jasmonate hormone) is in the details

Fragment-based drug discovery takes a virtual turn - pp274 - 275

Maurizio Pellecchia

doi:10.1038/nchembio0509-274

In the realm of modern drug discovery technologies, fragment-based approaches and virtual ligand screening are emerging alternative approaches to high-throughput screening (HTS). For as simple as it sounds, a hybrid approach in which fragments are discovered first in silico may be an unbeatable route to hit identification for some drug targets.

Full Text - Fragment-based drug discovery takes a virtual turn | PDF (718 KB) - Fragment-based drug discovery takes a virtual turn

Traceless native protein labeling in mice - pp275 - 276

Qing Lin & Reyna K V Lim

doi:10.1038/nchembio0509-275

Labeling endogenous proteins in their natural environment with synthetic probes represents a major challenge in chemical biology. In a recent study, an elegant traceless labeling technique has been reported that allows attachment of biophysical probes to the targeted proteins in vivo.

Full Text - Traceless native protein labeling in mice | PDF (305 KB) - Traceless native protein labeling in mice

Revolutionary functional genomics liberates CHE - pp276 - 277

Fiona C Robertson & Alex A R Webb

doi:10.1038/nchembio0509-276

A high-throughput one-hybrid screen identifies a regulator of the Arabidopsis thaliana circadian gene CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1). CCA1 HIKING EXPEDITION (CHE) represses CCA1 and physically interacts with TIMING OF CAB1 (TOC1) to link TOC1 with CCA1 in the clock.

Full Text - Revolutionary functional genomics liberates CHE | PDF (352 KB) - Revolutionary functional genomics liberates CHE

Possible new RNA intermediate in RNA silencing - pp278 - 279

Samer Elkashef & Shou-Wei Ding

doi:10.1038/nchembio0509-278

SGS3 is essential for antiviral silencing and the biogenesis of several classes of siRNAs in plants, but until now no biochemical function has been ascribed to it. Both SGS3 and a viral suppressor of RNA silencing have now been shown to selectively bind 5' overhang–containing dsRNA, implicating this RNA as a new intermediate in the RNA silencing pathway.

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