Chemical modification articles within Nature

Featured

• Article | 28 October 2020

  Site-specific RNA methylation by a methyltransferase ribozyme

  A methyltransferase ribozyme, along with the small-molecule cofactor O⁶-methylguanine, is shown to catalyse the site-specific installation of 1-methyladenosine in various RNAs, providing insights into the catalytic abilities of RNA.

  • Carolin P. M. Scheitl
  • , Mohammad Ghaem Maghami
  •  & Claudia Höbartner

• Article | 06 February 2020

  HPF1 completes the PARP active site for DNA damage-induced ADP-ribosylation

  Assembly of a catalytic centre formed by HPF1 bound to PARP1 or PARP2 is essential for protein ADP-ribosylation after DNA damage in human cells.

  • Marcin J. Suskiewicz
  • , Florian Zobel
  •  & Ivan Ahel

• Letter | 28 August 2019

  Fatty acids and cancer-amplified ZDHHC19 promote STAT3 activation through S-palmitoylation

  The palmitoylation of STAT3 is mediated by fatty acids and/or the palmitoyl acyltransferase ZDHHC19, and deregulation of this palmitoylation has a role in inflammation and tumorigenesis.

  • Jixiao Niu
  • , Yang Sun
  •  & Xu Wu

• Letter | 22 July 2019

  Regulation of phosphoribosyl ubiquitination by a calmodulin-dependent glutamylase

  In Legionella pneumophila, the effector SidJ induces the covalent attachment of glutamate moieties to SdeA in a calmodulin-dependent manner, inhibiting SidE-mediated ubiquitination and regulating pathogenicity.

  • Ninghai Gan
  • , Xiangkai Zhen
  •  & Zhao-Qing Luo

• Letter | 10 July 2019

  m⁶A enhances the phase separation potential of mRNA

  The cytosolic N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A)-binding proteins YTHDF1, YTHDF2 and YTHDF3 undergo liquid–liquid phase separation in vitro and in cells; this is enhanced by polymethylated mRNAs to form complexes that partition into different cellular phase-separated compartments.

  • Ryan J. Ries
  • , Sara Zaccara
  •  & Samie R. Jaffrey

• Letter | 12 December 2018

  Trapping biosynthetic acyl-enzyme intermediates with encoded 2,3-diaminopropionic acid

  A method for encoding the non-canonical amino acid 2,3-diaminopropionate into proteins allows key acyl intermediates in the biosynthesis of valinomycin to be trapped, providing insight into the oligomerization and cyclization reactions involved.

  • Nicolas Huguenin-Dezot
  • , Diego A. Alonzo
  •  & Jason W. Chin

• Letter | 31 October 2018

  m⁶A facilitates hippocampus-dependent learning and memory through YTHDF1

  Neuronal stimulation induces protein translation of m⁶A-methylated neuronal mRNAs facilitated by YTHDF1, and this process contributes to learning and memory.

  • Hailing Shi
  • , Xuliang Zhang
  •  & Tao Zhou

• Letter | 15 October 2018

  A protein functionalization platform based on selective reactions at methionine residues

  This methionine-selective functionalization strategy uses hypervalent iodine reagents to introduce new groups via the formation of a sulfonium intermediate, which can then undergo further visible-light-mediated reactions to form a diverse range of protein conjugates.

  • Michael T. Taylor
  • , Jennifer E. Nelson
  •  & Matthew J. Gaunt

• Letter | 15 October 2018

  A metabolite-derived protein modification integrates glycolysis with KEAP1–NRF2 signalling

  Inhibition of the glycolytic enzyme PGK1 using a small molecular probe reveals a molecular link between glycolysis and the KEAP1–NRF2 signalling cascade.

  • Michael J. Bollong
  • , Gihoon Lee
  •  & Raymond E. Moellering

• Review Article | 05 October 2017

  Expanding and reprogramming the genetic code

  A review of the recent developments in reprogramming the genetic code of cells and organisms to include non-canonical amino acids in precisely engineered proteins.

  • Jason W. Chin

• Letter | 23 February 2017

  Editing and methylation at a single site by functionally interdependent activities

  The C-to-U deamination at position 32 of tRNA^Thr in Trypanosoma brucei requires two enzymatic activities and proceeds via formation of a 3-methylcytosine intermediate, supporting the notion of a coupled modification system.

  • Mary Anne T. Rubio
  • , Kirk W. Gaston
  •  & Juan D. Alfonzo

• Article | 23 December 2015

  SMN and symmetric arginine dimethylation of RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain control termination

  Symmetric dimethylation of the human RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain residue R1810 by the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) directly recruits the protein survival of motor neuron (SMN) and indirectly recruits the helicase senataxin to resolve R-loops and promote transcription termination.

  • Dorothy Yanling Zhao
  • , Gerald Gish
  •  & Jack F. Greenblatt

• Letter | 11 May 2014

  Ribosomal oxygenases are structurally conserved from prokaryotes to humans

  Crystal structures of human and prokaryotic ribosomal oxygenases reported here, with and without their ribosomal protein substrates, support their assignments as hydroxylases, and provide insights into the evolution of the JmjC-domain-containing hydroxylases and demethylases.

  • Rasheduzzaman Chowdhury
  • , Rok Sekirnik
  •  & Christopher J. Schofield

• News & Views | 18 July 2012

  Greasy tags for protein removal

  Most proteins in the human body are difficult targets for small-molecule drugs. This problem may have been overcome with the discovery of molecules that induce protein degradation, suggesting fresh, modular approaches to drug discovery.

  • Taavi K. Neklesa
  •  & Craig M. Crews