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The reversible attachment of an activated form of N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) acts as a molecular switch between the growth and arrest of cells, establishing a new role for cell surface glycans.
The chemical synthesis of natural oligosaccharides by sequentially stitching monosaccharides together remains a major challenge because of the complexity of carbohydrate structures. A recent paper reports a versatile technology for creating selectively protected synthetic intermediates, thus providing easy access to complex oligosaccharides.
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New inducers of autophagy—the process by which cells use lysosomes to degrade portions of their cytoplasm—are lead compounds for new drugs targeting neurodegenerative protein aggregation diseases.
African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans are significantly underrepresented in chemistry and related sciences. An innovative approach based on course revision, peer support, precollege training and strong mentoring offers promise for engaging and retaining more underrepresented minority students and more members of the majority population in these fields.
Two proteins that together serve as a scaffold for iron-sulfur cluster assembly in the yeast cytosol have been identified, providing the first mechanistic insight into cytosolic cluster assembly.
Simultaneous measurement of multiple analytes in high-throughput assays requires the design of integrated sensory elements. The latest development in this field is an engineering masterpiece based on microfluidics, photolithography and polymer science.
Lysine methylation has been implicated in gene transcription and epigenetic control. Chemical modification of cysteine residues results in a highly similar structural and functional analog of methylated lysine and provides a means to study this important modification in nucleosomes.
Quantitative detection of H2O2, which is increasingly recognized as an intracellular messenger, remains a challenge for cell biologists. The development of molecular probes that fluoresce upon H2O2-mediated removal of a boronate-based protecting group, rather than upon nonspecific oxidation, demonstrates that this challenge is not insurmountable.
A chemical-genetic study indicates that modulation of neurotransmitter signaling affects the self-renewal capacity of neural stem cells in culture. Although the mechanisms of action are not resolved, the research points to a potential therapeutic target class for treatment of brain tumors.
