{"title":"Upcycling lignin with a controlled burn.","authors":"Jennifer L DuBois","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A recent report by Harlington et al. introduces SyoA, a cytochrome P450 enzyme that efficiently removes a methyl group from the S-subunits of lignin. Lignin is one of the most abundant forms of renewable carbon on Earth. Methyl removal is essential to strategies for biologically converting lignin into useful chemicals.</p>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stephanie Rosswag de Souza, Elvan Böke, Gabriele Zaffagnini
{"title":"Proteostasis in cellular dormancy: lessons from yeast to oocytes.","authors":"Stephanie Rosswag de Souza, Elvan Böke, Gabriele Zaffagnini","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cellular dormancy is characterized by a prolonged, reversible cell cycle arrest and absence of growth. Dormancy allows organisms to endure unfavorable environmental conditions and to maintain long-lived quiescent progenitor cells essential for tissue homeostasis and reproduction. Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is central to the maintenance of intracellular integrity in all cell types, particularly in long-lived, non-dividing cells. Here we review adaptations to support proteostasis in dormant cells and highlight common themes of cellular dormancy across organisms, from yeast to adult quiescent stem cells. We also feature vertebrate oocytes as an emerging model of proteostasis during dormancy. Together, these comparisons reveal common and unique strategies to sustain proteostasis during dormancy, offering insights into how cells preserve function and viability over long quiescence periods.</p>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biosensor for monitoring PTEN activity in biological systems.","authors":"Tomer Kagan, Tal Laviv","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marie Sofie Møller, Anton Bleckert, Anna Jäckering, Birgit Strodel
{"title":"Unraveling the relationship between PET surfaces and their hydrolases.","authors":"Marie Sofie Møller, Anton Bleckert, Anna Jäckering, Birgit Strodel","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plastics, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are vital in modern life, with global production exceeding 400 million tons annually. This extensive use has led to significant plastic waste pollution, highlighting the need for effective recycling strategies. PET, one of the most recycled plastics, is a prime candidate for degradation into its original monomers through engineered PET hydrolases - enzymes with industrial potential. While previous engineering efforts have mainly focused on enhancing thermostability and catalytic efficiency, the crucial aspect of enzyme adsorption to PET surfaces has received less attention. This review specifically addresses the mechanisms of enzyme adsorption, detailing relevant experimental methods and simulation techniques while emphasizing the potential for engineering more effective PET hydrolases.</p>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144245589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Caitlin L. Gare , Andrew M. White , Lara R. Malins
{"title":"From lead to market: chemical approaches to transform peptides into therapeutics","authors":"Caitlin L. Gare , Andrew M. White , Lara R. Malins","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peptides are a powerful drug modality with potential to access difficult targets. This recognition underlies their growth in the global pharmaceutical market, with peptides representing ~8% of drugs approved by the FDA over the past decade. Currently, the peptide therapeutic landscape is evolving, with high-throughput display technologies driving the identification of peptide leads with enhanced diversity. Yet, chemical modifications remain essential for improving the ‘drug-like’ properties of peptides and ultimately translating leads to market. In this review, we explore two recent therapeutic candidates (semaglutide, a peptide hormone analogue, and MK-0616, an mRNA display-derived candidate) as case studies that highlight general approaches to improving pharmacokinetics (PK) and potency. We also emphasize the critical link between advances in medicinal chemistry and the optimisation of highly efficacious peptide therapeutics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Pages 467-480"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143514144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decoding PETase diversity through global landscape profiling: toward superior enzymes for plastic recycling","authors":"Yoonjoo Seo , Na Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A recent study by <span><span>Seo, Hong, Park, <em>et al.</em></span><svg><path></path></svg></span> maps the global fitness landscape of PET-degrading enzymes, identifying superior PETases for plastic depolymerization. The engineered high-performance variant surpasses benchmarks under industrial conditions. This study provides a powerful framework for enzyme discovery, advancing biocatalytic solutions for plastic waste recycling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Pages 464-466"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143794291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Subscription and Copyright Information","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S0968-0004(25)00116-1","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0968-0004(25)00116-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Page e1"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Joan J. Guinovart (1947–2025)","authors":"Jordi Duran , Matthew S. Gentry","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Joan J. Guinovart i Cirera, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), and IRB Barcelona Emeritus Professor, passed away on January 1, 2025, at the age of 77 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. Dr Guinovart was a renowned biochemist celebrated for his pioneering research on glycogen metabolism and his influential leadership in science.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Pages 455-457"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lin Cheng , Yanglu Wang , Jingyang Guan , Hongkui Deng
{"title":"Decoding human chemical reprogramming: mechanisms and principles","authors":"Lin Cheng , Yanglu Wang , Jingyang Guan , Hongkui Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pluripotent stem cells hold great promise as an unlimited resource for regenerative medicine due to their capacity to self-renew and differentiate into various cell types. Chemical reprogramming using small molecules precisely regulates cell signaling pathways and epigenetic states, providing a novel approach for generating human pluripotent stem cells. Since its successful establishment in 2022, human chemical reprogramming has rapidly achieved significant progress, demonstrating its significant potential in regenerative medicine. Mechanistic analyses have revealed distinct molecular pathways and regulatory mechanisms unique to chemical reprogramming, differing from traditional transcription-factor-driven methods. In this review we highlight recent advancements in our understanding of the mechanisms of human chemical reprogramming, with the goal of enhancing insights into the principles of cell fate control and advancing regenerative medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Pages 520-531"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143762782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Histone variants: expanding the epigenetic potential of neurons one amino acid at a time","authors":"Bradley J. Lukasak , Erica Korb","doi":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibs.2025.03.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Replication-independent histone variants play an essential role in postmitotic neurons. Here, we review how the subtle sequence differences of histone variants compared to their canonical counterparts underly neuronal function. We focus on variants H3.3, H2A.Z, H2A.X, macroH2A, and H2BE; all of which contain divergent sequences that coordinate a diverse set of outcomes. In particular, we highlight their role in neuronal development, plasticity, and memory, with an emphasis on how single amino acid changes can mediate these complex functions. Lastly, we comment on an emerging field of study evaluating the link between histone variants and neurological disorders. Future studies of histone variants will be important to furthering our understanding of neuronal function.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":440,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Biochemical Sciences","volume":"50 6","pages":"Pages 532-543"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143955091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}