Molecular biology
The latest chemistry news and research on molecular biology, including genomics, sequencing, modelling and prediction and epigenetics, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
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FeatureHow AI protein structure prediction and design won the Nobel prize
David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper won this year’s Nobel prize in chemistry. Jamie Durrani investigates the origins of a biochemistry revolution
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NewsProtein design and structure prediction wins chemistry Nobel prize
David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper were rewarded for creating computational tools to design proteins and predict their structures that have ‘revolutionised biological chemistry’
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NewsmicroRNA discovery wins Nobel prize in medicine
Research on tiny RNA molecules unlocked mysteries of gene regulation and cell differentiation
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OpinionProteins’ shape and function are two sides of the same coin
A new perspective on the relationship between chemistry and biology
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OpinionEnormous enzymes expand the limits of molecular biology
Identifying the PKZILLAs, used by algae to make toxins, stretched the capabilities of current analytical methods – and the limits of our preconceptions
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ResearchNanopore proteins designed from scratch and turned into biosensors
Artificial ion channels used to detect disease indicators and pharmaceuticals
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ResearchNew gene-editing tool found in bacterium could carry out extensive genome remodelling
Highly selective mechanism can insert, remove and flip large portions of DNA
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FeatureBrain chemistry basics
Andy Extance looks into the latest in Alzheimer’s disease, pain and memory
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FeatureThe proteins that drive drug addiction
Jamie Durrani speaks to researchers exploring how epigenetic changes in the brain affect drug-seeking behaviours
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ResearchScreening reveals thousands of ‘undrugged, yet druggable’ proteins
Collaboration involving Pfizer develops freely accessible AI tool to probe protein–compound interactions
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FeatureSmall molecules that switch up cell development could transform medicine
Turning mature somatic cells back into flexible stem cells using small molecules could revolutionise medicine, especially for regeneration and cancer. Philip Ball reports
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FeatureMore than a mirror-image: left-handed nucleic acids
Now a biological reality, researchers are starting to figure out the many roles of left-handed nucleic acids such as Z-DNA – from immunity to controlling our genetics. Rachel Brazil reports
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ResearchD-trypsin synthesis enables sequencing of mirror-image proteins
Reversing the chirality of a protein-digesting enzyme could aid the development of mirror-image therapeutics
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ResearchInvasive zebra mussels’ unique sticky threads unraveled
New understanding of byssal threads finds similarities with spider silk making them unlike any other mussels’
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ResearchSynthetic yeast genome project creates strain with over 50% synthetic DNA
Entirely artificial organism opens up door to designer yeast with biotechnology applications
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ResearchAssembly theory puts chemistry centre stage to explain molecular complexity and life’s origins
Concept that attempts to join physics and biology via chemistry met with interest but also harsh criticism
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NewsmRNA vaccine pioneers win medicine Nobel prize
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman honoured for breakthroughs that enable the rapid development of new vaccines, including several of those used against Covid-19
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ResearchMapping antibiotic’s binding of its target points to way to give drugs the killer edge
Technique that creates a comprehensive catalogue of mutations in antibiotic’s target reveals how drugs might be improved
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ResearchRevived Neanderthal and Denisovan peptides show antibiotic activity
Molecular-scale ‘Jurassic Park’ process could uncover new medicines
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NewsScientists hope to illuminate unknown human proteins with new public database
‘Unknome’ database contains thousands of understudied proteins