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

Two Glu/Asp Residues Cooperatively Mediate an Early Step of ATP Hydrolysis in GHKL ATPases MutL and GyrB

This study reveals that two conserved acidic residues in GHKL ATPases cooperatively mediate early ATP hydrolysis, with one primarily positioning the nucleophilic water and the other acting as a general base, a mechanism whose disruption by disease-associated variants in human MutL homologs underscores its functional importance and evolutionary conservation.

Fukui, K., Shibuya, A., Murakawa, T., Yano, T.2026-04-01
⚗️ biochemistry

In-source fragmentation in mass spectrometry-based proteomics: prevalence, impact, and strategies for mitigation

This study reveals that in-source fragmentation (ISF) significantly inflates peptide identifications and risks data misinterpretation in proteomics, particularly for semi-tryptic and short peptides, and proposes a chromatographic retention time-based approach to detect and filter these artifacts to ensure data accuracy.

Schramm, T., Gillet, L., Reber, V., de Souza, N., Gstaiger, M., Picotti, P.2026-03-30
⚗️ biochemistry

Structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike in complex with its co-receptor the neuronal cell adhesion protein contactin 1

This study elucidates the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism by resolving the cryo-EM structure and quantifying the nanomolar affinity interaction between the viral spike protein and the neuronal co-receptor contactin 1, revealing how the virus binds to the nervous system via a unique interface that overlaps with neutralizing antibody epitopes.

Krepel, S. T., Hurdiss, D. L., Bosch, B. J., Snijder, J., Janssen, B. J. C.2026-03-29
⚗️ biochemistry

Hydrogen-bonding changes cause differences in imipenem breakdown activity in OXA-48 variants

This study utilizes multiscale simulations to reveal that hydrogen-bonding changes within the active site, driven by mutations in the β\beta5-β\beta6 loop, alter the dynamics and efficiency of imipenem deacylation and binding, thereby explaining the distinct hydrolytic activities observed among OXA-48 variants.

Wang, D., Mulholland, A. J., Spencer, J. J., van der Kamp, M. W.2026-03-28
⚗️ biochemistry

Non-fibrillar prion protein oligomers transmit structural information during early assembly

This study demonstrates that non-fibrillar prion protein oligomers and transient assembly intermediates can store and transmit structural folding information through a modular mechanism involving a β\beta-sheet-rich scaffold, thereby expanding the prion paradigm beyond the classical model of fibril-end-mediated templating.

Rezaei, H., Prigent, S., Deniset Besseau, A., Mathurin, J., Igel, A., Klute, H., Bohl, J., van der Rest, G., Lecomte, S. (…)2026-03-27