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The Star of David topology is an iconic symbol that has been used in religious and cultural contexts for thousands of years. Now it is assembled in molecular form through a hexameric circular helicate generated by six tris(bipyridine) ligands entwined about six iron(II) cations. The structure of the two triply-entwined 114-membered rings is revealed by X-ray crystallography.

Tuning the electronic properties of nanocatalysts by doping them with uniformly dispersed hetero-metal atoms is an effective way to improve catalytic performance. Here, the authors show that weakening the Cu–O bond energy in CuO nanocatalysts boosts the efficiency of NH₃ oxidation.

Understanding the structural relationship and electronic states between incommensurate/commensurate phases remains an ongoing challenge. Here, the authors report incommensurate structures and electronic roughness on the surface of cleaved IrTe₂.

Controlled breaking of a chemical bond by mechanical forces can provide key insight into reaction mechanisms. Here the authors, using atomic force microscopy and computations, measure the forces involved in breaking a single dative bond between a CO molecule and a ferrous phthalocyanine complex.

Two-dimensional poly(arylene vinylene) frameworks are promising polymer semiconductors, yet obtaining highly crystalline materials is a major challenge. Now a series of 11 highly crystalline or single-crystalline 2D poly(arylene vinylene)s have been prepared—from 2D imine-linked covalent organic frameworks through a Mannich-elimination strategy—with diverse lattices, enhanced conjugation and specific surface areas up to 2,000 m² g⁻¹.

The molecular chemical ‘fuelling’ of the catalysis-driven motor 1-phenylpyrrole 2,2′-dicarboxylic acid, which operates by a Brownian information ratchet mechanism, facilitates dynamics that are otherwise kinetically inaccessible.

Deep learning-based generative tools are used to design protein building blocks with well-defined directional bonding interactions, allowing the generation of a variety of scalable protein assemblies from a small set of reusable subunits.

The stability of multiply hydrogen-bonded complexes can be influenced significantly by secondary electrostatic interactions between the pairs of atoms in adjacent hydrogen bonds. Now, a quadruple hydrogen-bonding array in which all of the donors are located in one component and all of the acceptors in the other has been shown to form complexes that are exceptionally stable.

Electrochemical CO reduction to multi-carbon products offers a carbon-negative approach to produce chemicals, but the intricate reaction pathways lead to a broad spectrum of products. Now it has been shown that alkali cations alter the mechanistic pathways that govern the reaction selectivity involved in the formation of hydrocarbons versus oxygenates.

Manipulating the chemical composition of proteins and peptides has been central to the development of polypeptide-based therapeutics and to help address fundamental biological questions. This Review describes how nature-inspired protein ligation strategies have been repurposed as chemical biology tools.

Muscularis macrophages, housekeepers of enteric nervous system integrity and intestinal homeostasis, modulate α-synuclein pathology and neurodegeneration in models of Parkinson’s disease, and understanding the accompanying mechanisms could pave the way for early-stage biomarkers.

Water-vapor interfaces have been studied with many techniques, yet open questions persist about their electronic and molecular structure. Here, the authors demonstrate the application of soft x-ray second harmonic generation to study the water surface by leveraging attosecond pulses at the LCLS and a flat liquid sheet microjet, providing insights on the H-bond structure.

The structural anisotropy necessary for the powered directional rotation of chemically fuelled molecular motors had previously been provided by chiral fuels or enzymes. Now it has been shown that asymmetry in the organocatalyst itself is sufficient for directional fuelled rotation. This informs how chemical energy is transduced through catalysis, the fundamental process that powers biology.

This study demonstrates the capability of deep learning protein design models in generating functionally validated β-strand pairing interfaces, expanding the structural diversity of de novo binding proteins and accessible target surfaces.

MK-7762 is a new oxazolidinone antitubercular agent that is structurally similar to linezolid, and demonstrated in vivo efficacy, lesion penetration and limited toxicity compared to linezolid, indicating it could be used in broad tuberculosis regimens.

Actinide compounds possess complex electronic structures. Here the authors introduce the satellite peak in actinide M₄-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering to probe the number of localized 5 f electrons and assesses bond covalency in actinide compounds.

Many chemical reactions rely on the preference of copper for positive oxidation states. In this work, the authors report that the reaction of an N-heterocyclic carbene ligated copper alkoxide with a dimeric magnesium(I) compound results in a stable compound with a Cu-Mg bond which acts as a nucleophilic source copper in the formal oxidation state of Cu(-I).

Variable New Antigens Receptors (VNARs) from shark antibodies possess a unique molecular dexterity that allows them to access epitopes inaccessible to conventional antibodies. Here, the authors use crystallography to investigate how two VNARs selectively engage soluble TNF-alpha.

Soil microbial populations bloom and then die-off in ecosystems with seasonal snowpack. This study showed that distinct taxa utilize different N sources for growth or energy during the microbial bloom and alter the fate of N after snowmelt.

In this study, the authors develop a flavivirus vaccine strategy by introducing mutations into envelope glycoproteins resulting in structural changes that conceal the ADE-prone fusion loop epitope. They show that the Zika virus-specific construct protects mice against viral challenge and prevents ADE by Dengue virus.

ADGRL4 is a cancer-implicated adhesion GPCR whose ability to couple to G proteins had been unclear. Here, authors show that ADGRL4 weakly engages Gq and determine its 3.1 Å active-state structure, revealing its mechanism of activation.

The present study shows that maternal presence beyond early life remains crucial for brain, behavioural and physiological development in young horses, highlighting the importance of the mother–offspring relationship during a childhood-like stage.

Annunziato, Quan and Donckele et al. identify G3BP2 (Ras–GAP SH3 domain-binding protein 2) as a molecular glue-induced neosubstrate of the CRL4^CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase. The CRBN–glue neosurface uses a molecular surface mimicry mechanism to recruit and degrade G3BP2 in a compound-dependent manner.

Recent advances in the synthesis of graphene fragments that possess unpaired π-electrons and display high-spin ground states have unlocked possibilities to explore exotic physical phenomena related to magnetism. Here, the authors demonstrate the magnetic bistability of a diradical nanographene that allows direct spin manipulation at the single-molecule level.

Chemical language models trained on known metabolites can identify previously unknown metabolites from mass spectrometry-based metabolomics data with high accuracy.

During colonization of host tissues and biomaterials, staphylococci are exposed to extreme mechanical forces. Here authors use force-clamp spectroscopy and show that the dock, lock and latch interaction between staphylococcal surface protein SpsD and fibrinogen is extremely strong, and exhibits an unusual catch-slip transition.

The [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement of allylic ethers is traditionally considered to proceed via formation and recombination of radical pairs. Now it has been shown that an alternative reaction cascade, involving initial enantioselective [2,3]-rearrangement followed by base-promoted anionic fragmentation–recombination that proceeds with high enantiospecificity, allows a catalytic enantioselective [1,2]-Wittig process.

A nine-year transit-timing campaign has measured the extremely low masses and densities of four large planets orbiting the young star V1298 Tau, which are now predicted to contract and form a typical compact super-Earth and sub-Neptune system.

In this study, authors employ fragment-based lead discovery to identify WRN inhibitors. The fragment hits reveal an additional allosteric pocket and uncover a previously uncharacterized structural conformation of the WRN helicase domain with unique orientations of the ATPase domains

The chemistry of the U≡N species is little known, even though solid uranium nitride has been proposed for use as a nuclear fuel. Now, photolysis of a uranium azide complex has been shown to release N₂ and generate a transient U≡N fragment that can activate C–H bonds.

A terminal uranium(VI)–nitride has been shown to be accessible and isolable by a redox strategy whereas a photochemical approach resulted in decomposition. Computational analyses suggest that the U≡N triple bonds are surprisingly comparable to analogous group 6 transition metal nitrides, with a covalent character dominated by 5f rather than 6d contributions.

Identification of a hyperstable boronate enables automated lego-like synthesis to access a wider range of three-dimensionally complex small organic molecules rich in Csp³–C bonds. 

Identifying active sites and designing rationally heterogeneous catalysts are not inherently straightforward due to their complexity. Here, the authors reveal the nature of active sites for efficient C–H bond activation in C1-C4 alkanes over bare ZrO₂ and provide fundamentals for controlling their concentration.

Using generative AI, Insilico Medicine developed an oral PROTAC that potently inhibits and degrades PKMYT1, a synthetically lethal target in cancer, demonstrating high selectivity and strong antitumor efficacy in preclinical models.

The authors develop a computational method to design small DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) that target specific sequences. Designed DBPs show structural accuracy and function in both bacterial and mammalian cells for transcriptional regulation.

Intein splicing occurs in four steps, but the mechanisms controlling these steps — and thus preventing aberrant splicing — are unknown. Kinetic and NMR analysis of several complex constructs now identifies the rate limiting step as well as the conformational trigger that catalyzes this transformation.

Medication non-adherence represents a healthcare challenge, generating over $100 billion in additional costs annually in the USA. Here, the authors developed a resorbable and ingestible system designed for assessing medication adherence.

Figure 1. Schematic illustration of capsule based, biodegradable medication adherence tracking system with envisioned scenario for clinical use. A, Bio-RFID capsule administration. B, Shielding coating dissolution and payload release C, Monitoring of the Tag ID and frequency range, recording of the payload for tracking adherence. D, Dissolution and biosorption of the coating, tag and the capsule.

Vassy, Dornisch and colleagues developed a genomics-based prostate cancer risk model to support a randomized clinical trial of precision screening in a national healthcare system.

PMTs are fungal O-mannosyltransferases embedded in the ER membrane. Here, structures of the Pmt4 homodimer reveal distinct features of this PMT family and uncover an additional cytosolic binding site for the Dol-P-Man substrate lipid.

The reactivity of a monooxygenase (P450 PikC) has been modified through protein and substrate engineering, and applied to the oxidation of unactivated methylene C–H bonds. The protein engineering was guided by using molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical calculations to develop a predictive model for substrate scope, site selectivity and stereoselectivity of the C–H hydroxylation.