#peptide — Public Fediverse posts

Now in Chem Sci! 🎉
We investigated how #enzymes in the #nonribosomal #biosynthesis of life-saving #peptide #antibiotics can be engineered.
Assuming that #promiscuity serves as a springboard for #evolution, we measured the specificity profiles of hundreds of mutants. The results revealed remarkable shifts in substrate specificity in multiple directions, highlighting the evolutionary potential of these enzymes and leading the way for engineering antibiotic biosynthesis.

https://doi.org/10.1039/D6SC00250A

How can LDL-cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) be lowered in patients? Danila Branca gave an exciting talk at #Lunteren2026 on the development of orally bioavailable, macrocyclic peptide-based inhibitors of PCSK9 that were initially discovered by mRNA display and investigated by Merck in a clinical phase 3 study as enlicitide.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01084
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01599

#DrugDiscovery #Peptide #Macrocycle #Cholesterol #PCSK9

Design and validation of a #frugal, #automated, #OpenSource solid-phase #peptide #synthesizer (#SPPS):

-#Raspi/#Python-controlled
-hardware cost: US $300 to $600
-yield: µmoles of peptide at a cost of ~$1/residue

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237473
#DIYbio #lab #instruments #chemistry #fluidics

#AI model generates #antimicrobial #peptide structures for screening against treatment-resistant microbes

https://phys.org/news/2025-02-ai-generates-antimicrobial-peptide-screening.html

Very interesting study using #arabidopsis showing commensal #rhizobacteria secrete a subtilase that suppresses plant #immunity by cleaving #peptide elicitors

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(24)01414-1

A single #peptide helps #starfish get rid of a #limb when attacked.

#predation #autotomy #ArSK_CCK1 #Asterias_rubens

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/09/how-starfish-ditch-limbs-when-attacked/

#FINDUS: An #OpenSource #3Dprintable liquid-handling workstation for #laboratory #automation in life sciences:

-#peptide #synthesis module: 4-20 aa, <0.5 mmol
-#ESP8266/#Arduino/#Python-controlled
-cost ~$400

https://doi.org/10.1177/2472630319877374
#DIYbio #DIYchem #lab #instruments #pipet

#Phytosulfokine #peptide optimizes #plant growth and defense via #glutamine #synthetase GS2 #phosphorylation in #tomato

Shuting Ding et al. Zhejiang University

https://www.embopress.org/doi/10.15252/embj.2022111858