Topic
Chemical biology research, explained
8 open-access chemical biology studies, each with a flashcard deck and a quiz.
- Aβ40 and Aβ42 make separate fibrils after mixed nuclei
In mixtures, Aβ42 fibrillizes first; elongation and secondary nucleation stay homospecific, so each peptide builds its own fibrils.
- Protecting-group-free peptide CF3 labeling
ZnTFMS/TBHP or Ir photoredox trifluoromethylates tyrosine C–H on unprotected peptides, including insulin, without hitting polar side chains.
- Not all diazirine proteomics tags photoactivate alike
Comparing fully functionalized diazirine tags shows dialkyl tags LD/BD photolyze at 365 nm in minutes, while a new tiny terminal tag needs 302 nm light and labels fewer peptides.
- Calixarene docks dimethyllysine on lysozyme
p-Sulfonatocalix[4]arene selectively encapsulates Lys116-Me2 on dimethylated lysozyme, mimicking an aromatic cage.
- Phen-DC3 probes that reveal G4 ligand localization
A Phen-DC3 handle lets chemists add BODIPY or a cell-penetrating peptide without losing G4 selectivity, showing the parent ligand misses the nucleus.
- High-throughput ABPP of DUB inhibitors in lysates
A ubiquitin-propargylamine activity probe plus MS screens how selective DUB inhibitors are in a cellular protein matrix.
- A glutathione probe finds caffeine as a CaSR PAM
Photoaffinity GSH analog DAZ-G labels the CaSR amino-acid site and shows caffeine is a positive allosteric modulator.
- PROTAC THNAN69 degrades LIMK2, not LIMK1
A cereblon-recruiting degrader based on LIMKi3 and a phenyl dihydrouracil ligand wipes out LIMK2 at nanomolar DC50 while leaving LIMK1 and phospho-cofilin largely intact.