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Click Chemistry

Chemistry is commonly defined as the scientific study of matter, specifically its properties, behavior, and how it changes when it undergoes reactions. Click chemistry is a term introduced in the early 21st century by Barry Sharpless and his colleagues to describe the usage of synthetic reactions as an approach to chemical synthesis. Through fast and efficient reactions, desired products can be created easily without producing a large number of hazardous byproducts, if any. T

Mackenzie

Dec 26, 20252 min read

Cutinases

What are Cutinases? Cutinases, also known as cutin hydrolases, are enzymes first discovered in phytopathogenic fungi that grow on cutin as their sole carbon source. Cutin itself is a complex biopolymer made of hydroxy and epoxy fatty acids, forming the main component of the waxy cuticle that covers plant leaves, stems, and fruits. This protective layer prevents water loss and defends plants against pathogens, However, certain fungi have evolved cutinases to break it down. Bel

Ragni Pota

Dec 21, 20252 min read

Chaperone Proteins

Chaperone proteins play a role in the unfolding and folding of proteins, their assembly and disassembly, and help to translocate organelles. They are part of a family called heat shock proteins that play important roles in the functioning of proteins. The name ‘heat shock proteins’ was given after they were found in bacteria, making more proteins when they were put under a stressful environment, (e.g. high/low temperatures or pH) hence the name ‘heat shock proteins.’ Some ex

Suhani Jain

Dec 12, 20252 min read

LEA Proteins

Late embryogenesis abundant proteins, or LEA proteins, are a group of diverse proteins commonly found in plants, bacteria, and some invertebrates. They are found during the later stages of development in seeds or embryos, hence the E in their name. They can also be found as a response to stress in other tissues. LEA Proteins are Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs); these types of proteins do not have a stable 3D structure and can change shape, aiding them in their primar

Ronit Varier

Dec 6, 20252 min read

T-Cell Exhaustion

T cells are a type of white blood cell that play an essential role in protecting the body. They recognize infected or abnormal cells, like those caused by viruses or cancer, and take action to eliminate them. In a normal scenario, T cells are quite active in fighting infections. But when the immune system is battling an infection or threat for a long time—such as with a chronic infection or a tumor—T cells begin to lose their strength and effectiveness. This weakened state is

Megha Vinesh

Dec 6, 20253 min read

Nanozymes

What are they? Nanozymes are nanomaterials that copy the job of enzymes. They turn one chemical into another, often following the same basic enzyme rules. Nanozymes are cheaper, stronger, and easier to store than natural enzymes. Why do they matter? Natural enzymes can be fragile, expensive, and very sensitive to pH and temperature while nanozymes are stable and flexible. Scientists are able to change their size, shape, or surface, to control how well they work. What are the

Amruta Gurusu

Nov 21, 20252 min read

Hand2

HAND2, otherwise known as heart and neural crest derivatives-expressed 2, is a kind of gene used for encoding the protein heart and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2. This protein is a crucial aspect of the human body, as it has many different functions that add to survivability. The HAND2 protein is important for the development of vital organs in the body. Most of HAND2’s major roles have to do with the heart. Along with the HAND1 protein, it forms the right vent

Mackenzie

Nov 14, 20253 min read

Antisense Oligonucleotides

What are Antisense Oligonucleotides? Antisense oligonucleotides are short, synthetic strands of nucleic acids that bind specifically to target RNA sequences. By attaching to RNA, they can model protein expression by blocking or altering RNA processing. They target diseases at the RNA level, addressing the root cause rather than just the symptoms. They remain a promising new method of treatment. Antisense oligonucleotides were discovered over two decades ago, but their develop

Ragni Pota

Nov 7, 20253 min read

Thermosensing Plants

As temperature increases due to global warming, plants with high heat tolerance and high crop productivity have started to become favorable in agriculture. Temperature is a huge factor in the survival, growth and conditions of all life on Earth. Leading to the effects of heat stress and how heat stress tolerance in life forms, especially plants, becoming crucial to understand. Plants have evolved mechanisms that change their metabolism as an effect of an increase in temperat

Suhani Jain

Oct 31, 20252 min read

Antimicrobial Peptides To Kill Cancer

Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are small proteins made by organisms as part of their innate immune system. They kill invading bacteria, fungi, and viruses by ripping their cell membrane and interfere with the processes of the microbe. Given that they don’t target human cells or other animal cells, cancer cells seem immune to AMPs. Many studies show, however, that this is not the case. Cancer cells are simply regular cells that have gone rogue. They usually arise from an imperf

Ronit Varier

Oct 24, 20253 min read

AlphaFold

Introduction Proteins are essential molecules that carry out nearly every function in the human body, such as building tissues to fight infections. Protein folding is the process by which a protein chain twists and bends into a specific 3D shape, which can determine how the protein functions in the body. Amino acids have a diverse range of chemical properties that influences protein folding, such as being hydrophobic or hydrophilic, as well as varying in their electric charge