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January 24, 2011 - Volume 89, Number 4
- p. 31
Science & Technology Concentrates
More Science & Technology Concentrates
- Knockout Pictures
- X-ray structures of general anesthetics binding to an ion channel could aid search for new anesthetics.
- Death By Reduction
- Chemical Biology: A cysteine-rich defensin peptide turns antimicrobial when reduced.
- Glutamine Probe Images Tumors
- Scientists could use the 18F-glutamine derivatives to track tumors that use glutamine as an alternative energy source.
- Bringing Disorder To Titanium Dioxide
- Change allows the photocatalyst to absorb beyond the ultraviolet range, into visible and infrared spectrum.
- Relativity Powers Batteries
- Lead-acid car batteries’ power stems from relativistic effects.
Topics Covered
More Science Stories
October 24, 2011
Bryostatins Retain Promise
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | pp. 10-17)New results in total synthesis reinvigorate a 40-year-old field of research.
For Cave's Art, An Uncertain Future
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | pp. 38-40)Disagreement on conservation course of action complicates a potential reopening.
Cancer Stem Cells
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | pp. 41-43)Researchers zero in on the pathways that allow cancer to bounce back after treatment.
What's That Stuff? Blue Jeans
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 44)Making the iconic pants requires both color-addition and color-removal chemistry.
Shedding Nanoparticles
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 5)Materials Science: Chemists observe metal objects sloughing off ions to form nanoparticles.
Modifying Messenger RNA
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 7)Chemical Biology: Methylated bases in mRNA may have roles in gene regulation and obesity.
Lab-On-A-Chip For Planets, Moons
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 8)Microfluidics: Automated chip is designed to detect extraterrestrial amino acids.
New Editor For Analytical Chemistry
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 9)Publishing: Jonathan Sweedler to take the helm.
Science & Technology Concentrates
(October 24, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 43 | p. 37)
October 17, 2011
Improving Shop Safety
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | pp. 56-57)Yale updates policies on machine shop use after student death.
Cleaning Acrylics
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | pp. 58-59)Conservation scientists seek new ways to keep modern paintings looking their best.
Detecting H2S In Vivo (Member Content)
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | p. 60)Studies could lead to sensitive and selective analyses for tiny signaling agent.
Rules For Design
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | p. 9)Materials Science: Guidelines predict structures formed by nanoparticles and DNA linkers.
Identifying Modified Cells
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | p. 11)Molecular Biology: Technique tags and enriches cells genetically altered by nucleases.
Linker-Free Molecular Wires
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | p. 12)Electronics: Metal-carbon bonds increase electrical conductance.
Asymmetry From A Guest
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | p. 13)Stereochemistry: Enzymelike pocket that hosts chiral species controls catalyst's enantioselectivity.
Science & Technology Concentrates
(October 17, 2011 | Vol. 89 Issue 42 | pp. 54-56)
Courtesy of Pierre-Jean Corringer
Propofol (green and red) binds at the mouth of a cavity in an algal ion channel, and desflurane (blue and red) binds deeper within the cavity.
A close-up of an ion channel from blue-green algae reveals that two common anesthetics bind to it in roughly the same place (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature09647). This information could help researchers design new anesthetics. General anesthetics keep patients unconscious during surgeries, but it’s not clear how they work at the molecular level. Now, a team led by Pierre-Jean Corringer of France’s Pasteur Institute has determined the X-ray crystal structure of the algal channel, which resembles human acetylcholine and GABA receptors, with the anesthetics propofol and desflurane. Both molecules bind in a cavity in the membrane-spanning portion of the channel. Propofol binds at the mouth of the cavity whereas desflurane binds deeper inside. Mutating amino acids lining the binding sites affected sensitivity to the anesthetics. Ion-channel expert Sergei I. Sukharev of the University of Maryland praised the work, adding “it would be terrific if the authors introduced similar mutations into related mammalian receptors and tested them for sensitivity to propofol and desflurane.”
- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © 2011 American Chemical Society
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