Analytical biochemistry articles from across Nature Portfolio

O-acetylation is a common modification of sialic acids. Here, a library of synthetic O-acetylated sialosides made it possible to develop an ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) approach that can elucidate exact O-acetylation patterns and glycosidic linkage types of sialosides isolated from biological samples.

Advanced glycation end products mediate the extensive crosslinking of the extracellular matrix in cirrhotic liver tissue.

We developed exponentially amplified rolling circle amplification with CRISPR–Cas12a as a one-pot, isothermal assay for microRNA detection. This method has single-digit femtomolar sensitivity and single-nucleotide specificity, and can be deployed for point-of-care testing. The assay has been adapted for the microRNA profiling of extracellular vesicles, which is used in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

We argue that the study of single-cell subcellular organelle omics is needed to understand and regulate cell function. This requires and is being enabled by new technology development.

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are responsible for substantial yield and post-harvest losses in yam production among smallholders in Africa. A seed wrap technology provides a low-cost, nature-based solution.

CRISPR-based assays can be adopted as ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics in resource-limited settings, but point-of-care applications must address additional requirements. Here, we discuss the major obstacles for developing these assays and offer insights into how to surmount them.

Plant cell wall pectin has a homogalacturonan or rhamnogalacturonan backbone. Incomplete knowledge of RG-I biosynthetic enzymes has impeded in vitro pectin synthesis and pectin structure and function studies. Here, RGGAT1 is identified as a GT116 RG-I backbone biosynthetic galacturonosyltransferase that produces polymeric RG-I backbone when expressed with GT106 RG-I rhamnosyltransferases.