⚗️ Category

biochemistry

360 papers

Biochemistry explores the intricate chemical processes that power life, bridging the gap between biology and chemistry to explain how molecules like proteins and DNA function within living cells. This field reveals the molecular machinery behind everything from metabolism to genetic inheritance, turning complex biological mysteries into understandable chemical interactions.

On Gist.Science, we bring you the freshest discoveries in this dynamic area directly from bioRxiv. Our team processes every new preprint uploaded to the server, transforming dense academic findings into both clear, plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries. This dual approach ensures that whether you are a curious beginner or a seasoned researcher, you can grasp the significance of these breakthroughs immediately.

Below are the latest papers in biochemistry, complete with our curated summaries to help you navigate the cutting edge of molecular science.

⚗️ biochemistry

Acyl-enzyme dynamics, tautomerisation and hydration regulate turnover of carbapenem antibiotics by the OXA-48 β-lactamase

This study combines X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations to reveal that the turnover of carbapenem antibiotics by OXA-48 β\beta-lactamase is regulated by a complex interplay of acyl-enzyme tautomerisation, conformational dynamics, and hydration, with the OXA-519 variant showing enhanced hydrolytic potential due to a single active-site substitution.

Hoff, J. F., Beer, M., Hinchliffe, P., Tooke, C. L., Schofield, C. J., van der Kamp, M. W., Mulholland, A. J., Spencer (…)2026-04-16
⚗️ biochemistry

Estrogen Receptor Beta Activation Coordinates Liver Lipid Remodeling and Metabolic Fluxes, Preventing Lipotoxicity

Selective activation of estrogen receptor beta (ER{beta}) using the agonist DPN prevents lipotoxicity and restores metabolic homeostasis in estrogen-deficient models by coordinating liver lipid remodeling, enhancing fatty acid oxidation, and improving glucose and lipid profiles.

Rocha, D. S., Vilas-Boas, E., Caldeira, C., Vogt, E. L., Yoshinaga, M., de Carvalho, M. P. T., Queiroz, M. I. C., Olivei (…)2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

Discovery of the Phosphonate Flavophos Produced by Burkholderia

This study identifies and characterizes flavophos, a novel phosphonate antibiotic produced by *Burkholderia* that inhibits lumazine synthase, through the heterologous expression of its biosynthetic gene cluster and the structural elucidation of a divergent DUF849 enzyme involved in its synthesis.

Simon, M. A., Ramos-Figueroa, J. S., Reyes Lopez, V., Ongpipattanakul, C., Zhu, L., Giurgiu, C., Hoffpauir, Z. A., Lamb (…)2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

Structural and Spectroscopic Basis for Catalysis by a Class C Radical S-adenosylmethionine Methylase Involved in Nosiheptide/Nocathiacin Biosynthesis

This study presents the first crystal structures of a class C radical SAM methylase (NocN) and utilizes spectroscopic data to elucidate the structural and mechanistic basis for its catalytic role in forming the unique side-ring system of the antibiotic nosiheptide.

Wang, B., Knox, H. L., York, N. J., Radle, M. I., Silakov, A., Booker, S. J.2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

ChemCell: Chemical Tethering of Large Biomolecules to Cell Surfaces through Diels-Alder Ligation

The paper introduces ChemCell, a non-genetic platform that utilizes metabolic installation of trans-cyclooctene groups on cell surfaces to enable rapid, selective Diels-Alder ligation for the efficient attachment of diverse large biomolecules, thereby expanding capabilities for cell-based therapies and diagnostics.

Dzijak, R., Bellova, S., Kovalova, A., Slachtova, V., Rahm, M., Berankova, A., Pohl, R., Vrabel, M.2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

Photoacoustic Fingerprinting for Robust Molecular Imaging

This paper introduces Photoacoustic Fingerprinting (PAF), a deep learning-based framework that reframes spectral unmixing as a fingerprint recognition problem to achieve robust, quantitative molecular imaging by directly inferring concentrations from spectral shapes, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional methods in noisy, spectrally overlapping, and fluence-distorted conditions.

McGarraugh, C., Menozzi, L., Yao, R., Eng-Wu, D., Nguyen, V. T., Cho, S.-W., Francis, S., Yao, J.2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

Molecular Architecture of Cryptococcus Cell Walls Reveals Species-Specific Chitosan-Dependent Remodeling

This study utilizes solid-state NMR to demonstrate that chitosan is essential for maintaining the structural integrity and hydration of *Cryptococcus* cell walls, with its absence triggering distinct, species-specific remodeling of the polysaccharide network that differentially impacts *C. neoformans* and *C. gattii*.

Ankur, A., Upadhya, R., Doosti, M., Ferreira, D., Xie, L., Hung, I., Lodge, J., Wang, T.2026-04-15
⚗️ biochemistry

Small Molecule Regulation of CLOCK:BMAL1 DNA Binding Activity

This study demonstrates that small molecules binding to a cavity within the CLOCK PAS-A domain stabilize the protein and induce dose-dependent displacement of the CLOCK:BMAL1 complex from DNA, thereby revealing a mechanism for regulating circadian transcription factor activity through ligand occupancy.

Sharma, D., Boral, S., West, E., Kressman, M., Franco, I., Amezcua, C. A., Tripathi, S., Lee, H.-W., Favaro, D. C., Gard (…)2026-04-14
⚗️ biochemistry

Crystal structure and molecular dynamics simulations of rademikibart Fab-IL-4Rα complex reveal biochemical basis for next-generation potent IL-4Rα inhibition in type 2 allergic and inflammatory diseases

This study elucidates the structural and dynamic mechanisms underlying rademikibart's superior potency as a second-generation IL-4Rα inhibitor compared to dupilumab, revealing that its unique binding orientation and specific interactions with the receptor's third interface loop enable more effective blockade of cytokine signaling.

Shi, Y., Nolden, K., Ho, M., Li, H., Batista, V. S., Collazo, R., Bunick, C. G.2026-04-13