VCP's Nuclear Journey: Initiated by Interacting with KPNB1 to Repair DNA Damage

Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Medicine, Oncology, Life Sciences, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Genetics,
DNA damage repair   VCP   KPNB1   nuclear translocation   Withaferin A  

Academic Background DNA damage repair (DDR) is a core mechanism for maintaining genome stability, and its dysfunction is closely associated with cancer development. Valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97), a member of the AAA+ ATPase family, plays a critical role in DDR by recognizing ubiquitinated proteins and recruiting repair factors (e.g., 53BP1, ...

Molecular Insights into De Novo Small-Molecule Recognition by an Intron RNA Structure

Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics,
RNA targeting   small-molecule recognition   cryoEM   splicing inhibitor   RNA-ligand interactions  

Academic Background RNA, as a carrier of genetic information and functional molecule, has long been considered an “undruggable” target. In recent years, with advances in RNA structural biology, scientists have begun exploring the development of small-molecule drugs targeting RNA. However, this field faces three core challenges: (1) lack of systemat...

Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors Function as Molecular Glues to Stabilize Gq/11 Heterotrimers

Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Medicine, Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics,
cyclic peptide inhibitors   molecular glues   Gq/11 heterotrimers   X-ray crystallography   BRET biosensors  

Academic Background G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane proteins in the human body, transmitting extracellular signals through heterotrimeric G proteins (composed of Gα and Gβγ subunits). G proteins function as molecular switches, with their activity states regulated by the GTP/GDP cycle: - Inactive state: Gα bind...

DockEM: An Enhanced Method for Atomic-Scale Protein–Ligand Docking Refinement Leveraging Low-to-Medium Resolution Cryo-EM Density Maps

Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Computational Chemistry, Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics,
protein-ligand docking   cryo-EM   molecular docking   drug screening   structural biology  

Academic Background and Research Motivation In recent years, protein–ligand docking has rapidly developed as a core technology for virtual drug screening and structure-based drug discovery. Despite improvements in drug discovery efficiency through large-scale high-throughput screening technologies, new drug development still faces high costs, long ...

Cluster-Based Redox-Responsive Super-Atomic MRI Contrast Agents

Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Medicine, Medical Imaging, Life Sciences, Bioengineering,
redox-responsive   super-atomic clusters   MRI contrast agents   tumor microenvironment   molecular imaging  

Academic Background Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a crucial tool in modern medical diagnostics, and its effectiveness relies heavily on the use of contrast agents (CAs). Traditional MRI contrast agents are mainly based on gadolinium (Gd) complexes. Although these agents are widely used in clinical practice, their long-term safety is controver...