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Stretching experiments on single molecules offer a unique way to study the fundamental theories of statistical mechanics. Researchers have now shown that entangled calix[4]arene dimers can be used in such experiments as a tuneable model system for investigating the strength of hydrogen bonds on a single-molecule level.

The scope of and knowledge about the chemistry of nonmetal-adducts remains very limited. Here, the authors describe nonmetal adducts of the phosphorus center of terminal phosphinidene complexes using classical C- and N-ligands from metal coordination chemistry.

PARG and ARH3 are the main hydrolases to reverse serine poly(ADP-ribosylation) yet their activities in the process differ. Here, the authors synthesise linear and branched poly(ADP-ribose) molecules, perform structure-function analysis and elucidate the mechanistic differences between PARG and ARH3.

The P2X4 receptor, an ATP-activated ion channel, plays a role in chronic pain, inflammation, and cancer. Authors in this work discover an extracellular allosteric binding site that interacts with anthraquinone derivatives, and is narrowed by ionic lock formation.

The tuberactinomycin antibiotic family is one of the most effective against multi-drug resistant M. tuberculosis. The structures of two members of this family, viomycin and capreomycin, bound to the ribosome now indicate that they act by stabilizing the A site tRNA in a pre-translocation state and may suggest further avenues for drug development.

The structure and function of membrane proteins depend on lipid interactions. Cryo-EM analysis of the actinoporin Fav pore reveals octameric structure binding 112 lipids and clusters of cholesterols. Molecular simulations highlight complex protein-lipid interactions crucial for structure.

Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters use an extra substrate binding protein to transport a variety of substrates in bacteria and archaea. Here the authors use a disulfide engineering approach to lock the TRAP transporter HiSiaPQM from H. influenzae in different conformational states for characterisation.

Optical force emerges when photons change momentum while altering their propagation direction inside curved optical waveguides. The authors demonstrate significant deformation of flexible waveguides induced by the forces exerted by guided light.

Harnessing biomolecular systems to endow synthetic materials with life-like properties is a significant challenge. Here, the authors use the biomolecular KaiABC circadian clock proteins to control autonomous self-assembly and oscillation of colloids.

Molecular glues are monovalent compounds that can recruit a protein of interest to an E3 ligase so the protein of interest can be targeted for degradation. Here, Hughes et al. identify a molecule that selectively and potently degrades BRD9.

Exploring an active and cost-effective catalyst for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction remains elusive to date. Here, the authors report the platinum single-atoms doped ruthenium/ruthenium oxides showing distinctly enhanced catalytic performance.

Genome recoding with quadruplet codons requires a +1-frameshift-suppressor tRNA able to insert an amino acid at quadruplet codons of interest. Here the authors identify the mechanisms resulting in +1 frameshifting and the steps of the elongation cycle in which it occurs.

A novel antiviral targeting the SARS-CoV-2 PLpro protease shows strong efficacy in a mouse model, preventing lung pathology and reducing brain dysfunction. The study provides proof-of-principle that PLpro inhibition may be a viable strategy for preventing and treating long COVID.

IL-36 receptor is crucial for host defense and tissue repair. Here, the authors describe identification and characterization of low molecular weight inhibitors of the IL-36 receptor using encoded library technologies. This represents a rare example of small molecules inhibiting a member of IL-1 receptor family.

Here, the authors report cryo-electron microscopy structures of Escherichia coli transcription–translation complexes containing the transcription–translation coupling factor RfaH, showing that RfaH physically bridges RNA polymerase and the ribosome.

One picosecond after photoactivation, isomerized retinal pulls away from half of its numerous interactions with its binding pocket, and the excess of the photon energy is released through an anisotropic protein breathing motion in the direction of the extracellular space.

Pore-forming toxins act by forming oligomeric pores in lipid membranes. Here the authors report the crystal structure of the lysenin pore, providing insights into the assembly and function of the pore in addition to suggesting that its properties make lysenin potentially well-suited for nanopore sensing applications.

A study of dependencies associated with cancer-causing mutations has identified a small molecule that binds to SHOC2 and inhibits RAS signalling in cells carrying NRAS Q61 mutations, a common oncogenic driver in melanoma.

Structuring organic films is of scientific and technological interest. Here, the authors use partially fluorinated organic molecules exhibiting strong intermolecular interactions to form extended 2D molecular nanosheets and control their shape through growth and desorption kinetics.

Here authors show that gamma/beta double polymorph Ga₂O₃ structures exhibit unprecedently high radiation tolerance accommodating disorder equivalent to hundreds of displacements per atom. Thus, such Ga₂O₃ structures benchmark a new class of radiation tolerant semiconductors.

Ultrafast time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography is used to investigate a photodissociation reaction in a protein, revealing the strong impact of the pump laser fluence on the structural changes  and the reaction mechanism.

The design of highly oxidizing Earth-abundant transition metal complexes for photochemical applications is desirable, but progress in this area remains limited. Now a manganese(IV) diguanidylpyridine complex has been shown to photooxidize naphthalene, benzene and acetonitrile to their radical cations after excitation with near-infrared light. Experimental and theoretical studies indicate the presence of two distinct ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited states.

The charge-transfer characteristics of conjugated molecules are important in determining their electronic properties. Using resonant photoemission spectroscopy, Batraet al. quantify the through-space charge transfer in two model conjugated systems with femtosecond resolution.

Epithelial cell adhesion protein (EpCAM) is a cell–cell adhesion molecule that is often used as a cancer cell marker. Here, Pavšič et al.solve the structure of a dimer of the extracellular domain of EpCAM, explain several aspects of its biology and comment on the antigenicity of its epitopes.

Pyroptosis has been implicated in many diseases with aberrant inflammation. Here, Kopp et al. characterize single-chain nanobodies targeting the human gasdermin D protein as tools to inhibit pyroptosis.

The biosynthesis of the methylated sesquiterpene sodorifen, which features a cryptic methylation pattern, has now been studied through extensive labelling experiments and computational chemistry. The methyl group formation is now understood to come from methylene carbons of the substrate farnesyl diphosphate and the absolute configuration of the biosynthetic intermediate presodorifen diphosphate has been revised.

Shuttle catalysis is a promising approach to improve traditional hydrofunctionalization reactions, although thermodynamic constraints limit its application. Here the authors show how the properties of zeolites can drive the shuttling equilibrium of such catalytic processes, widening the applicability of reactions such as transfer hydrocyanation and transfer hydroformylation.

Retrofitting is recognized as a powerful tool to control the structure and the corresponding functionality in MOFs. Here, the authors develop a low-cost computational framework to guide experimentalists for retrofitting experiments in MOFs and test it on the prototypical Cu3BTC2 MOF.

The cysteine-rich peptides LUREs play an essential role in pollen tube attraction to the ovule for plant sexual reproduction. Here Zhang et al. show that PRK6 functions as a receptor of the LUREs in Arabidopsis thaliana and reveal the ligand recognition mechanism.

Ultrafast breaking of the molecular symmetry is a key process in photochemistry. Here the authors show direct observation during internal conversion of a heterocyclic molecule using Coulomb explosion imaging supported by simulations.

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes possesses two major virulence factors, broad-range phospholipase C (LmPC-PLC) and the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Here, authors perform structural and biochemical analysis of LmPC-PLC and show that unique structural features enable self-regulation of its enzymatic activity and positive synergy with the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O.

Bubble formation is a signal of false vacuum decay, in which a system transitions from a local energy minimum to a true vacuum. Now, simulations on a quantum annealer show how interactions between bubbles drive the long-time dynamics of this process.

Visualizing the structural dynamics of isolated molecules would help to understand chemical reactions, but this is difficult for complex structures. Intense femtosecond X-ray pulses allow the full imaging of exploding photoionized molecules, in this case, with eleven atoms.

Batatia and colleagues introduce a computational framework that combines message-passing networks with the atomic cluster expansion architecture and incorporates a many-body description of the geometry of molecular structures. The resulting models are interpretable and accurate.

The pathogen Legionella pneumophila mediates NAD⁺-dependent ubiquitination pathways upon infection. Here, the authors show the Legionella effector MavL reverses ubiquitin ADP-ribosylation to regulate these pathways. MavL represents a new macrodomain class specific for reversal of arginine ADP-ribosylation with distinct ADP-ribose binding features.

Bacterial LPS O-antigen is synthesized with a narrow size range by polymerase WbdA and terminating protein WbdD. An extended coiled-coil domain in WbdD determines the length of the synthesized O-chain, acting as a molecular ruler.

In the DNA damage response, ADP-ribosylation is an essential signaling pathway. Here the authors utilize a multidisciplinary approach to establish its molecular basis in fruit flies and provide evidence for Drosophila’s suitability as model organism.

Acoustic force spectroscopy applies acoustic forces across a large dynamic range for highly multiplexed single-molecule measurements in a simple, compact setup.

Surface currents in topological insulators can be controlled by light, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, Braun et al. report an ultrafast shift photocurrent at the surface of Ca-doped Bi₂Se₃, whereas injection currents are much smaller than expected from asymmetric depopulation of the Dirac cone.

A sustainability scenario yields major co-benefits compared to technical solution-focused scenarios, leaving 386 Tg CO2eq/yr of GHG to be released while air pollutants from open burning can be eliminated before 2050, finds study on implementation of circular municipal waste management systems.

MOF glass nanocomposites allow researchers to study lead halide perovskites’ bulk and interfacial regions in relation to their optoelectronic properties. Here authors provide insights for the advancement of stable and efficient perovskite optoelectronic devices design.

This study explores ATG4-dependent delipidation of ATG8 in autophagosome formation, finding it crucial in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii but unnecessary in Arabidopsis thaliana. This underscores the evolutionary differences in autophagy mechanisms across eukaryotic species.