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Volume 4 Issue 5, May 2008

Mannosidase catalysis through an unusual boat-like transition state. Tailford et al. (p 306) solved the structure of β-mannosidase bound to potent inhibitors and found that all bound in a B2,5 (boat) or closely related conformation. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that these inhibitors were acting as transition state mimics. Together these results provide the first direct evidence for a boat-like transition state in β-mannosidases (see also News and Views by Palcic on p 269). Shown is the conformational map of pyranoid ring interconversion overlaid on the ceiling of a gazebo. Cover art by Erin Boyle based on chemical structures provided by Spencer Williams, Bruno Bernet and Andrea Vasella.

Volume 4 Issue 5

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Editorial

  • New tools and rigorous chemical and biological studies will be essential for enhancing our mechanistic understanding of cellular oxidative stress.

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Book Review

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News & Views

  • Enzymatic hydrolysis of β-mannosides was predicted to occur via an unusual boat transition state conformation. Structural and biochemical studies on transition state mimics of a retaining β-mannosidase now provide evidence for the predicted B2,5 transition state conformation.

    • Monica M Palcic
    News & Views

  • DNA is the blueprint for life; it enables nature to pass on information from one DNA strand to the other, create mRNA with high accuracy and make proteins with absolute control over the sequence of the amino acid building blocks. A new paper now adds another templating function to the list: the programmed construction of synthetic polymers.

    • Jan C M van Hest
    News & Views

  • Enzymes have long captivated biologists and chemists by performing difficult reactions rapidly and selectively in aqueous environments. The designs of enzymes catalyzing a retro-aldol reaction and a Kemp elimination demonstrate that complex, biochemically novel reactions can be achieved using cutting-edge computational methods.

    • Vikas Nanda
    News & Views

  • New data from single-molecule optical trapping methods provide exciting clues as to the underlying mechanism of ribosome translocation along mRNA and a powerful new approach for future investigations of translation regulation.

    • Scott C Blanchard
    News & Views
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