While sanguinarine has gained recognition for antimicrobial and antineoplastic activities, its complex conjugated structure and low abundance in plants impede broad applications. Here, we demonstrate ...

Intein is a naturally found protein splicing element that undergoes self-excision from a protein precursor with concomitant joining (splicing) of the flanking protein sequences called exteins. This ...

It's the ugly duckling story of the molecular world. Intein, thought two decades ago to be nothing more than a molecular parasite or a harmless hitchhiker, is today an invaluable tool in the ...

The ability to site-selectively incorporate a synthetic moiety like a biophysical probe, an unnatural amino acid, or a defined posttranslational modification into a protein of interest opens up a ...

Controlling protein function in mammalian cells could get a little easier. Researchers at Harvard University describe a way to turn on proteins with self-splicing protein domains called inteins.

Why do problems occur with a special variant of 'protein glues', the split inteins, that severely limit their use in producing proteins? A team has now answered this question. Proteins are the ...

The SCN1A gene is too large to fit into aconventional viral delivery systems. Scientists overcame this hurdle with a pioneering "split-intein" mechanism, which is like two separate trucks, delivering ...

Proteins are the building blocks of life. They consist of folded peptide chains, which in turn are made up of a series of amino acids. From stabilising cell structure to catalysing chemical reactions, ...

Long-standing problem solved: Researchers discover that misfolding prevents efficient utilisation of so-called split inteins as ‘protein glue’ Proteins are the building blocks of life. They consist of ...