Browse our latest Biochemistry and Chemical Biology articles

Malaria parasites target a polyprenyl synthase enzyme to the apicoplast organelle and require its activity to produce long-chain linear isoprenoids necessary for apicoplast biogenesis.

Factor Xa and thrombin cleavage activate SARS-CoV-2 spike, widening the scope of host proteases involved in coronavirus entry and demonstrating the potential for dual anticoagulant/antiviral drugs.

Affinity measurements of microRNA sites representing >1000 different pairing architectures reveal that two binding modes can mediate pairing to the microRNA 3′ region, and that microRNA G and oligo(G/C) residues are most impactful.

All steps of a viroid-like replication cycle can be catalyzed by RNA alone.

Mitochondrial metabolic fluxes display a subcellular spatial gradient within a single mouse oocyte, and the fluxes are not controlled by nutrient supply or energy demand of the cell, but by the intrinsic rates of mitochondrial respiration.

The X-ray crystal structure of the unusual carbon–carbon bond-forming biosynthetic enzyme CylK reveals a unique biochemical strategy for selective alkyl halide activation and substitution.

4-Vinylanisole acts as maturation-accelerating pheromone to synchronize oocyte maturation of female adults in locusts.

The intracellular network that distributes iron-sulfur clusters in bacteria is surprisingly 'plug and play' with iron-sulfur enzymes acquired from distantly related species, whereas the intracellular electron transfer network often needs plug adapters to connect with foreign enzymes.

A combination of single-cell analysis, genomics, and simulations shows that a glutamine-rich low-complexity sequence in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex senses transient intracellular acidification as a signal for cells to switch their global transcriptional program.

Synechocystis switches its redox pools under reducing photomixotrophic conditions from utilizing NAD(H)- to ferredoxin-dependent enzymes and thereby balances its metabolism in a trade-off between energy conservation and chemical driving forces.