Yeast has been extensively studied and engineered due to its genetic amenability. Projects like Sc2.0 and Sc3.0 have demonstrated the feasibility of constructing synthetic yeast genomes, yielding promising results in both research and industrial applications. In contrast, plant synthetic genomics has faced challenges due to the complexity of plant genomes. However, recent advancements of the project

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In an interview with Dr. Samantha Nelson, a scientific editor of Cell Chemical Biology, the authors of the perspective entitled “A versatile residue numbering scheme for Nav and Cav channels” share their thoughts on life as scientists.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Raina et al.1 demonstrate proof of concept of a new chemical induced proximity strategy for targeted cancer therapeutics. Building on a recent surge in induced proximity modalities, RIPTACs represent a novel approach that offers promise in treating cancers with improved safety profiles.

Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) and calcium (Cav) channels are responsible for the initiation of electrical signals. They have long been targeted for the treatment of various diseases. The mounting number of cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures for diverse subtypes of Nav and Cav channels from multiple organisms necessitates a generic residue numbering system to establish the structure-function

The study of small, regulatory RNAs (sRNA) that act by base-pairing with target RNAs in bacteria has been steadily advancing, particularly with the availability of more and more transcriptome and RNA-RNA interactome datasets. While the characterization of multiple sRNAs has helped to elucidate their mechanisms of action, these studies also are providing insights into protein function, control of metabolic

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Liu et al.1 report the identification of Q29, a synthetic diterpenoid that blocks covalent cholesterol modification of smoothened (SMO) and inhibits hedgehog signaling. Q29 is capable of suppressing tumor cell growth, both in vitro and in vivo, and overcoming resistance to SMO inhibitors.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Elleman et al.1 introduce a transformative chemical approach to control neuronal activity with high spatial and temporal resolution. The authors present STX-bpc, a potent neurotoxin that naturally inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs), complementing available optogenetic methods for manipulating neuronal activity, cellular communication, and behavior

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Kim et al.1 present a novel optogenetic tool, opto-PLCβ, to control PLCβ signaling optically. In addition to eliciting PIP2 hydrolysis and downstream signaling in cells, opto-PLCβ also enabled probing the impact of PLCβ signaling on amygdala synaptic plasticity and fear learning in mice.

In a study published in the July issue of Immunity, Li et al.1 demonstrate that expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligases CBL and CBL-B is downregulated in Tfh cells in SLE with Tfh cell expansion and autoimmunity. This leads to reduced ubiquitination of the T cell costimulator ICOS which regulates proteostasis of the Tfh cell transcription factor BCL6 via chaperone-mediated autophagy.

In a recent issue of Cell, Zhang et al.1 demonstrate that mechanical features of a solid tumor can drive T cells into dysfunctionality and identify pathways that revert this “exhausted” state.

In their recent paper published in Nature, Luo et al.1 investigate the cancer-cell-intrinsic roles of the PI3Kγ complex in leukemia. Their findings pinpoint PI3Kγ inhibition as a possible novel treatment avenue for a subset of acute leukemias.

Mounting evidence indicates that proteotoxic stress is a primary activator of the CARD8 inflammasome, but the complete array of signals that control t…

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In an interview with Dr. Ying Li, a scientific editor of Cell Chemical Biology, the authors of the Review titled “Molecular glues for protein-protein interactions: Progressing toward a new dream” share their perspectives on their field and life as scientists.

In an interview with Dr. Mishtu Dey, editor-in-chief of Cell Chemical Biology, the authors of the review titled “Tools to investigate the cell surface: Proximity as a central concept in glycoRNA biology”—Lauren Kageler, Jonathan Perr, and Dr. Ryan A. Flynn—tell us more about their career paths and what excites them about science.

In this Stories piece, Josh Smalley, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Leicester and finalist of The Great British Bake Off, discusses the parallels between chemistry and baking, revealing how he successfully combines the two.

Velcrins are molecular glues that induce complex formation between PDE3A and SLFN12. The PDE3A-SLFN12 complex activates the SLFN12 RNase, resulting in cleavage of the specific substrate, tRNA-Leu-TAA, global inhibition of translation, and death of cells expressing sufficient levels of both proteins. Here, unanswered questions about the mechanism of action and therapeutic promise of velcrin compounds

Pharmacological modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway holds promises for both basic research and therapeutic applications. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Kschonsak et al.1 engineered knotted peptides that promote Wnt signaling by targeting ZNRF3 and serve as pharmacological tools for studying Wnt biology and supporting organoid growth.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Lu et al.1 report the discovery of a bivalent KEAP1 inhibitor (biKEAP1), which more rapidly activates NRF2 compared to previously reported monovalent KEAP1 inhibitors. biKEAP1suppresses acute inflammation in animal models.

In this Stories piece, Dr. Helen Walden—Professor and Head of the School of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Glasgow—shares how her past experiences and academic journey have shaped her leadership style.