Small molecules articles from across Nature Portfolio

NADP(H) is a crucial cofactor, acting as a reducing agent in numerous pathways in living organisms. Here the authors report a ratiometric biosensor named NERNST, which can be used to estimate the NADP(H) redox status in bacterial, plant and animal cells and organelles.

Chemoproteomics reveals a vast expanse of ligandable cysteine sulfenic acids in the human proteome, highlighting the utility of nucleophilic small molecules in the fragment-based covalent ligand discovery pipeline.

Using a neural network trained on bacterial growth inhibition data, in silico prediction of molecules with activity against Acinetobacter baumannii led to the identification of the narrow-spectrum abaucin, which perturbs lipoprotein trafficking.

Small-molecule RNA-targeted degradation can be leveraged to convert strong, yet inactive, binding interactions into potent and specific modulators of RNA function.

The recently discovered aptamer Beetroot is a homodimeric RNA that binds and activates DFAME, a conditional, red-shifted fluorophore derived from GFP. Here the authors determine the Beetroot-DFAME co-crystal structure, which is distinctively different from that of similar RNA aptamer Corn.