This article highlights a newly developed chemically fuelled logic gate whereby a single porphyrin dye is driven by two independent enzyme reactions, one setting its colour and the other its fluorescence. Because the two outputs recover on separately tunable timescales, the system produces a programmable delay of up to about 23 minutes between them, letting the researchers control not just whether a signal appears but when.
Bruno Pinheiro explains the workings of their custom-made apparatus for measuring vapour pressures with high accuracy within large pressure and temperature ranges.
Proteins with conserved active sites but distinct subcellular localizations, such as mislocalized variants, splicing isoforms and isozymes, are prevalent in disease. However, conventional drug design lacks the spatial control needed for their selective targeting. Subcellular photochemistry offers a solution. Light-activated catalysts with spatiotemporal control convert inert prodrugs into active drugs at the desired subcellular location, without affecting conserved proteins at native sites. In this Perspective, we discuss challenges of targeting mislocalized proteins, principles of subcellular photochemistry for site-specific intervention, strategies for anchoring photocatalysts and key examples of subcellular photocatalytic prodrug activation for precision targeting. We also examine limitations of this approach and propose future solutions. This strategy is expected to expand the druggable target repertoire and advance precision medicine.
Devendra Pal explains how their custom-made ice nucleation chamber works, yielding data on nucleation itself as well as particle sizes, phases, and morphologies in an effort to understand cloud formation and its impact on atmospheric chemistry.
Inorganic molten salts - composed of freely moving ions at high temperature - have emerged as a new family of electrolytes for batteries owing to their low flammability, high thermal stability and low materials cost. Inorganic molten salt electrolytes surpass their aqueous and organic counterparts by enabling electrochemistry with wider ranges of operating temperatures. Such electrolytes offer abundant charge carriers and unique ionic solvation structures that enhance reaction kinetics, offering superior rate and cycling stabilities. In this Review, we explore molten salt electrochemistry, starting from a fundamental electrochemistry perspective, ending with the batteries and their charge storage mechanisms enabled by molten salt electrolytes. In particular, we discuss the impact of solid-state ion-selective membranes, and also share our perspectives on the future development of advanced molten salt batteries in the frame of materials and electrochemistry innovations.
Protein misfolding drives a range of non-curable diseases, such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, type 2 diabetes and Huntington disease, that devastate tens of millions of patients each year. The pathological proteins are misfolded into soluble oligomers, which eventually evolve into insoluble amyloid plaques. Increasing evidence suggests that soluble oligomers are the primary cytotoxic species leading to amyloidoses. However, the transient, heterogeneous and low-abundance nature of soluble oligomers makes it extremely challenging to study these species using conventional methods. This Review surveys emerging chemical tools developed for in vitro detection, separation and analysis of soluble amyloid oligomers. We exemplify how the present arsenal can be extended to construct individual amyloid oligomers as potential drug targets. Finally, we summarize their technical limits and discuss possibilities of adapting these chemical tools to target specific soluble oligomers in the fight against amyloidoses.
Ahead of her 65th birthday, Margaret Brimble, Distinguished Professor and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland, discussed her life in science.
Volatile methyl siloxanes (VMSs) are high-production-volume, synthetic organosilicon compounds widely detected in the environment. Because they are hydrophobic and volatile, they readily partition to the atmosphere, where they can undergo long-range transport owing to their low gas-phase reactivity. As such, VMSs and their oxidation products are potential tracers of anthropogenic influence, which has caused concerns about their bioaccumulation in remote ecosystems. Multigenerational atmospheric oxidation, primarily by hydroxyl and chlorine radicals to form siloxanol, formate ester and hydroperoxide compounds, has a central role in determining the environmental fate of VMSs. Thermodynamic partitioning of VMS and its oxidation products to aerosol particles (via adsorption and absorption) and environmental media further influences their atmospheric fate. Elucidating oxidation mechanisms and product distributions remains challenging owing to slow reaction kinetics, analytical challenges, absence of authentic standards and the complexity of multiphase chemistry. Advances in analytical methods, chamber studies, flow tube experiments, field campaigns and modelling efforts have underscored the need for an updated assessment of VMS atmospheric chemistry and environmental behaviour. In this Review, we synthesize current knowledge focusing on developments in gas-phase chemistry, multiphase partitioning behaviour, atmospheric measurements and modelling approaches for prominent VMS species and their oxidation products.
Large language models can grade a stack of chemistry assignments before the kettle has boiled. Whether we should let them depends less on speed than on purpose. Before an AI marker influences grades, it should be validated like an analytical method, with defined limits, quality control and a route to appeal.
RNA modifications shape function but are hard to localize. A recent study used an enzyme-based fluorescent method to image queuine-deficient tRNAs in cells.
Evaporation-based manufacturing of halide perovskite light-emitting diodes has garnered increasing attention as a promising alternative for addressing issues with conventional solvent-based processing methodologies. Similar to existing organic light-emitting diode processing infrastructures, evaporation-based processing uses vapour-phase precursor transport and deposition, enabling solvent-free synthesis, precise nanoscale thickness control and enhanced patterning resolution. The physicochemical mechanism of such vacuum-based deposition and growth processes, which is radically different from that of solution-based processes, involves complex thermodynamic and kinetic factors regarding solid-vapour-solid transitions. This imposes much more stringent requirements for deposition environment, mandating concurrent advances in the fundamental understanding of evaporation and growth phenomena, as well as deposition equipment design. In this Perspective, we present a chemistry-driven framework for incorporating fundamental physicochemical principles into evaporation-based processing, with the aim of guiding reproducible and scalable perovskite light-emitting diode deposition system.
Ahead of his 80th birthday, Isiah M. Warner, Boyd Professor Emeritus in the Department of Chemistry at Louisiana State University, discussed his life in science.
Polymer-mediated gene delivery is evolving from stochastic design methodologies to precise molecular engineering. Traditional polymers, although effective in nucleic acid complexation, face challenges in terms of structural heterogeneity, unpredictable pharmacokinetics and inefficient endosomal escape. These challenges have driven interest in sequence-defined polymeric systems, which enable atomic-level control over monomer composition, charge distribution and functionality. Sequence-defined polymers provide opportunities to establish robust structure-function relationships, overcome biological barriers and achieve targeted delivery to specific tissues. This Review examines the architectural evolution of polymeric gene carriers and highlights how increasing structural precision correlates with enhanced functional performance. Synthetic methodologies enabling sequence control are analysed, from solid-phase approaches to flow chemistry and supramolecular templating. By integrating polymer science with biological outcomes, we present a strategic framework for addressing persistent challenges in non-viral gene delivery.
Self-assembling peptides are versatile building blocks for biomaterials owing to their programmable sequences and ability to form complex supramolecular architectures. Designing systems that operate dynamically at the biological interface is particularly compelling, as living systems rely on both stimulus responsiveness and continuous energy dissipation to regulate structure and function. However, most synthetic peptide assemblies remain confined to near-equilibrium behaviour, whereas chemically fuelled dissipative systems often lack compatibility with biological environments. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in stimulus-responsive and dissipative peptide assemblies, highlighting their distinct design principles and functional capabilities. We compare sequence-encoded and trigger-based strategies with chemically fuelled reaction networks that enable transient assembly. Finally, we outline emerging strategies to bridge these approaches, including improving bioorthogonality, tuning concentration regimes, and integrating cellular processes. Together, these concepts provide a framework for developing interactive peptide biomaterials with life-like functions.
Nucleic acid therapeutics, including oligonucleotides, messenger RNA and DNA, are promising drug modalities for treating various diseases. However, despite their increasing impact on medicine, their precise and efficient delivery remains a considerable challenge. Dendrimers, recognized by their uniquely branched architecture and precise structures in concert with cooperative multivalency, are a platform for targeted and precise delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics. Here we review state-of-the-art engineering of dendrimers pertaining to nucleic acid delivery, highlighting progress made in their design and functional mechanization for delivering different types of nucleic acids for therapeutic applications. We also discuss challenges including manufacturing, safety and regulatory issues associated with their clinical applications. Finally, we conclude by offering our perspective on dendrimer engineering that are expected to overcome current obstacles for advancing nucleic acid therapeutics development.
Cell division is a fundamental process essential for life, underpinning reproduction, development and tissue maintenance across all organisms and enabling population growth and evolutionary adaptation. Recreating this capability is, therefore, a central challenge in bottom-up synthetic biology, wherein the aim is to construct functional synthetic cells. In recent years, substantial progress has been made toward building a synthetic divisome through partial reconstitution of the protein machinery underlying cell division in vitro. Here, we review current strategies to mimic the key stages of division: symmetry breaking to define the division site, membrane deformation to drive constriction and, thus, shape changes of the cell, and the final abscission event. We critically assess the successes and limitations of these approaches and discuss how integrating multiple modules may enable the realization of a minimal, functional division system for synthetic cells.
Plastic is a rapidly growing, yet overlooked, resource of electronic waste. It should be redefined as a chemically rich feedstock for high-value materials, rather than a disposal challenge. Realizing this potential requires advances in conversion technologies, system-level process integration, and policy frameworks enabling circular materials use and resource-efficient value chains.
Ahead of his 80th birthday, Kyriacos Costa (K. C.) Nicolaou, Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, spoke about his career in science.
Most reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive prodrug linkers consume the oxidant that triggers them. A new self-immolative linker instead regenerates it, coupling drug release to signal amplification in one component.
