Themed collection Most popular 2019-2020 chemical biology articles

30 items
Open Access Perspective

Metallodrugs are unique: opportunities and challenges of discovery and development

The vital roles of metals in nutrients and medicines are not accessible to purely organic compounds.

Graphical abstract: Metallodrugs are unique: opportunities and challenges of discovery and development
Open Access Perspective

The Hitchhiker's guide to biocatalysis: recent advances in the use of enzymes in organic synthesis

Enzymes are excellent catalysts that are increasingly being used in industry and academia. This Perspective provides a general and practical guide to enzymes and their synthetic potential, primarily aimed at synthetic organic chemists.

Graphical abstract: The Hitchhiker's guide to biocatalysis: recent advances in the use of enzymes in organic synthesis
From the themed collection: Biohybrid approaches for energy conversion
Open Access Minireview

Photo-controllable bioorthogonal chemistry for spatiotemporal control of bio-targets in living systems

The establishment of photo-controllable bioorthogonal chemistry is one of the most significant advances in chemical biology to perturb and study biological processes.

Graphical abstract: Photo-controllable bioorthogonal chemistry for spatiotemporal control of bio-targets in living systems
Open Access Minireview

Biomedical applications of copper-free click chemistry: in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo

Copper-free click chemistry has resulted in a change of paradigm, showing that artificial chemical reactions can occur on cell surfaces, in cell cytosol, or within the body. It has emerged as a valuable tool in biomedical fields.

Graphical abstract: Biomedical applications of copper-free click chemistry: in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo
Open Access Edge Article

A single amino acid Gly-tag enables metal-free protein purification

Gly-tag resin precisely captures and releases a protein with one glycine at the N-terminus. The user-friendly protocol delivers analytically pure protein free of metal contaminants.

Graphical abstract: A single amino acid Gly-tag enables metal-free protein purification
Open Access Edge Article

Activation chemistry drives the emergence of functionalised protocells

The complexity of the simplest conceivable cell suggests that the chemistry of prebiotic mixtures needs to be explored to understand the intricate network of prebiotic reactions that led to the emergence of life.

Graphical abstract: Activation chemistry drives the emergence of functionalised protocells
From the themed collection: Celebrating 10 years of Chemical Science
Open Access Edge Article

Cyclooctatetraene-conjugated cyanine mitochondrial probes minimize phototoxicity in fluorescence and nanoscopic imaging

Cyclooctatetraene-conjugated cyanine dyes represent an effective strategy to improve biocompatibility under light in live-cell fluorescence imaging and analysis of mitochondria.

Graphical abstract: Cyclooctatetraene-conjugated cyanine mitochondrial probes minimize phototoxicity in fluorescence and nanoscopic imaging
Open Access Edge Article

Self-division of giant vesicles driven by an internal enzymatic reaction

Giant unilamellar vesicles having pH-sensitive bilayers can undergo self-division triggered by an internal enzymatic (urea–urease) reaction coupled to a cross-membrane transport of the chemical species.

Graphical abstract: Self-division of giant vesicles driven by an internal enzymatic reaction
Open Access Edge Article

Bioorthogonal mRNA labeling at the poly(A) tail for imaging localization and dynamics in live zebrafish embryos

Live imaging of mRNA in cells and organisms is important for understanding the dynamic aspects underlying its function.

Graphical abstract: Bioorthogonal mRNA labeling at the poly(A) tail for imaging localization and dynamics in live zebrafish embryos
Open Access Edge Article

Probing enzymatic activity – a radical approach

Latent activity-based probes have been developed for deubiquitinating enzymes using a thiol–ene strategy, labelling following a specific binding interaction.

Graphical abstract: Probing enzymatic activity – a radical approach
Open Access Edge Article

Metabolic inhibitors of bacterial glycan biosynthesis

Metabolic inhibitors based on rare bacterial monosaccharide scaffolds interfere with bacterial glycan biosynthesis in a bacteria-selective manner.

Graphical abstract: Metabolic inhibitors of bacterial glycan biosynthesis
Open Access Edge Article

A H2O2 self-sufficient nanoplatform with domino effects for thermal-responsive enhanced chemodynamic therapy

Phase change material based H2O2 self-supply nanoparticles for enhanced thermal responsive chemodynamic tumor therapy.

Graphical abstract: A H2O2 self-sufficient nanoplatform with domino effects for thermal-responsive enhanced chemodynamic therapy
Open Access Edge Article

Reversible RNA acylation for control of CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing

We report the development of post-transcriptional chemical methods that enable control over CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing activity both in in vitro assays and in living cells.

Graphical abstract: Reversible RNA acylation for control of CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing
Open Access Edge Article

Isonitrile-responsive and bioorthogonally removable tetrazine protecting groups

Tetrazylmethyl groups are reported here as bioorthogonal protecting groups that are readily removed by isonitriles, establishing a valuable addition to the dissociative bioorthogonal chemistry and synthetic methodology toolboxes.

Graphical abstract: Isonitrile-responsive and bioorthogonally removable tetrazine protecting groups
Open Access Edge Article

Isomeric triazines exhibit unique profiles of bioorthogonal reactivity

Isomeric triazines can be tuned to exhibit unique reaction profiles with biocompatible strained alkenes and alkynes.

Graphical abstract: Isomeric triazines exhibit unique profiles of bioorthogonal reactivity
Open Access Edge Article

Mesoporous cerium oxide-coated upconversion nanoparticles for tumor-responsive chemo-photodynamic therapy and bioimaging

A hollow structured biophotocatalyst comprising an UCNP core and mesoporous cerium oxide shell was constructed to realize oxygen self-efficient photodynamic therapy upon 980 nm laser irradiation under multiple imaging guidance.

Graphical abstract: Mesoporous cerium oxide-coated upconversion nanoparticles for tumor-responsive chemo-photodynamic therapy and bioimaging
Open Access Edge Article

A natural solution to photoprotection and isolation of the potent polyene antibiotic, marinomycin A

Perfect partners for photoprotection: orally ingestible sporopollenin confers striking photoprotection to the powerful, polyene antibiotic, marinomycin A, as well as enabling its selective extraction.

Graphical abstract: A natural solution to photoprotection and isolation of the potent polyene antibiotic, marinomycin A
Open Access Edge Article

Introduction of the α-ketoamide structure: en route to develop hydrogen peroxide responsive prodrugs

New light on H2O2-activated prodrugs: the first α-ketoamide based prodrug opens up new alternatives for designing non-boron based H2O2-responsive promoieties.

Graphical abstract: Introduction of the α-ketoamide structure: en route to develop hydrogen peroxide responsive prodrugs
Open Access Edge Article

Atomic resolution map of the soluble amyloid beta assembly toxic surfaces

Atomic resolution map of the soluble amyloid beta assembly (Aβn) “toxic surfaces” that facilitate the early pathogenic events in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Graphical abstract: Atomic resolution map of the soluble amyloid beta assembly toxic surfaces
From the themed collection: Amyloids and Protein Aggregation
Open Access Edge Article

Targeting extracellular glycans: tuning multimeric boronic acids for pathogen-selective killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Innovative chemotherapeutic agents that are active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are urgently required to control the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.

Graphical abstract: Targeting extracellular glycans: tuning multimeric boronic acids for pathogen-selective killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Open Access Edge Article

Widely applicable background depletion step enables transaminase evolution through solid-phase screening

Directed evolution of transaminases is a widespread technique in the development of highly sought-after biocatalysts for industrial applications.

Graphical abstract: Widely applicable background depletion step enables transaminase evolution through solid-phase screening
Open Access Edge Article

Harnessing 13C-labeled myo-inositol to interrogate inositol phosphate messengers by NMR

The analysis of inositol poly- and pyrophosphates, an important group of eukaryotic messengers, is enabled by applying 13C-labeled inositol.

Graphical abstract: Harnessing 13C-labeled myo-inositol to interrogate inositol phosphate messengers by NMR
Open Access Edge Article

Hollow nanoreactors for Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and O-propargyl cleavage reactions in bio-relevant aqueous media

We describe the fabrication of hollow microspheres consisting of mesoporous silica nanoshells decorated with an inner layer of palladium nanoparticles and their use as Pd-nanoreactors in aqueous media.

Graphical abstract: Hollow nanoreactors for Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and O-propargyl cleavage reactions in bio-relevant aqueous media
Open Access Edge Article

Simultaneous dual-colour tracking lipid droplets and lysosomes dynamics using a fluorescent probe

NIM-7 is demonstrated to be a multicomponent fluorescent probe that accumulates in both lipid droplets and lysosomes after entering cells, giving rise to yellow and red fluorescence emission, respectively. This allows the two organelles to be visualized concurrently.

Graphical abstract: Simultaneous dual-colour tracking lipid droplets and lysosomes dynamics using a fluorescent probe
Open Access Edge Article

Dual-biomarker-triggered fluorescence probes for differentiating cancer cells and revealing synergistic antioxidant effects under oxidative stress

Dual-biomarker-triggered fluorescent probes were developed for simultaneous detection of the two biomarkers H2S and hNQO1 in cancer cells.

Graphical abstract: Dual-biomarker-triggered fluorescence probes for differentiating cancer cells and revealing synergistic antioxidant effects under oxidative stress
Open Access Edge Article

Rhodamine–Hoechst positional isomers for highly efficient staining of heterochromatin

Nuclei of living cells fluoresce brighter after staining with rhodamine–Hoechst 5-isomers.

Graphical abstract: Rhodamine–Hoechst positional isomers for highly efficient staining of heterochromatin
Open Access Edge Article

Fluorogenic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donors based on sulfenyl thiocarbonates enable H2S tracking and quantification

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important cellular signaling molecule that exhibits promising protective effects.

Graphical abstract: Fluorogenic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donors based on sulfenyl thiocarbonates enable H2S tracking and quantification
Open Access Edge Article

In situ imaging of aminopeptidase N activity in hepatocellular carcinoma: a migration model for tumour using an activatable two-photon NIR fluorescent probe

In this work, a novel NIR two-photon fluorescence probe DCM-APN is reported for tracking APN in vitro and in vivo.

Graphical abstract: In situ imaging of aminopeptidase N activity in hepatocellular carcinoma: a migration model for tumour using an activatable two-photon NIR fluorescent probe
Open Access Edge Article

A general approach for the site-selective modification of native proteins, enabling the generation of stable and functional antibody–drug conjugates

Divinylpyrimidine (DVP) linkers enable access to highly stable and functional antibody–drug conjugates.

Graphical abstract: A general approach for the site-selective modification of native proteins, enabling the generation of stable and functional antibody–drug conjugates
Open Access Edge Article

Site-selective protein conjugation at histidine

Site-selective conjugation generally requires both (i) molecular engineering of the protein of interest to introduce a conjugation site at a defined location and (ii) a site-specific conjugation technology.

Graphical abstract: Site-selective protein conjugation at histidine
30 items

About this collection

This specially curated collection pulls together some of the most popular articles from 2019 and 2020 in the field of chemical biology. The collection presents some outstanding contributions to the field, ranging from the production of metabolic inhibitors of bacterial glycan biosynthesis to a novel method for temporal control of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing activity, and as with all Chemical Science articles – they are all completely free to access and read. We hope you enjoy browsing through this collection.

See also:

Most popular 2019-2020 inorganic, main group and crystal engineering chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 materials and energy chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 physical and theoretical chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 organic chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 catalysis articles
Most popular 2019-2020 analytical chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 supramolecular chemistry articles
Most popular 2019-2020 review articles

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