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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 25/09/2026

Our October issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... Inspired by the phases of the moon, the cover artwork uses light and darkness to depict pharmacological control of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells

Inspired by the phases of the moon, the cover artwork uses light and darkness to depict pharmacological control of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Introduction of a drug reversibly disengages the CAR extracellular domain from tumor cells

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 01/09/2026

A new Perspective by Changhao He and Kevan Shokat on the adaptive mechanisms and emerging chancer therapeutics for CDK2 inhibitors www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 01/09/2026

Our September issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts the localization of MESH1 (green) to the Golgi (red and yellow). MESH1 is identified to regulate the availability of the universal biological sulfate donor PAPS.

The cover image depicts the localization of MESH1 (green) to the Golgi (red and yellow). MESH1 is identified to regulate the availability of the universal biological sulfate donor PAPS.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 30/07/2026

Our August issue is live and is a Focus on computational work guiding biological discovery! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts a computational-experimental approach to distinguish lipid solvation vs. lipid-ligand binding in membrane protein function

August cover with coverline "Focus on computationally driven biological discovery". Long time-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can capture lipid dynamics around membrane proteins that are important for function, such as long-lived lipid binding events or dynamic solvation shells formed with preferred lipid types. The cover image illustrates a combined MD simulation and free-energy perturbation approach used to show that changes in lipid-solvation energetics drive the dimerization and function of prokaryotic chloride-proton antiporter CLC-ec1.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 01/07/2026

Our July issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image illustrates a nanobody stabilizing a formerly misfolded CFTR chloride channel, thereby enabling functional recovery

The cover image illustrates a nanobody stabilizing a formerly misfolded CFTR chloride channel, thereby enabling functional recovery

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 02/06/2026

Our June issue is live with a focus on RNA chemical biology www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts the ribozyme SAMURI, which catalyzes transfer of alkyl groups from SAM to a specific adenosine in target RNA, represented as igniting a chemical spark

The cover image depicts the ribozyme SAMURI, which catalyzes transfer of alkyl groups from SAM to a specific adenosine in target RNA, represented as igniting a chemical spark

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 01/05/2026

Our May issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts the vulnerability of the non-transcribed strand of genes to oxidized guanines and abasic sites

The cover image depicts the vulnerability of the non-transcribed strand of genes to oxidized guanines and abasic sites

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 01/04/2026

Our April issue is live with a focus on redox chemical biology www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image with negative-stain electron microscopy grid and structure highlights the diversity of heteromeric structures of peroxiredoxin involved in redox biology

The cover image with negative-stain electron microscopy grid and structure highlights the diversity of heteromeric structures of peroxiredoxin involved in redox biology

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 18/03/2026

A new Comment discusses how an integrative cross-disciplinary research program in China aims to link RNA biology with traditional drug discovery to accelerate RNA innovation in RNA-centered therapeutics www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 05/03/2026

Our March issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover depicts the neuron as a plant with the nodules surrounding the roots representing condensates of SARM1, which lead to axonal fragmentation, illustrated as fractured roots

$The cover depicts the neuron as a plant with the nodules surrounding the roots representing condensates of SARM1, which lead to axonal fragmentation, illustrated as fractured roots. SARM1 contains a TIR domain, also found in plants, known to form condensates that trigger NADase activity.$

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 05/02/2026

Our February issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover depicts the mapping of ligand-induced changes in the E. coli Lac repressor captured by HX-MS data, used to calculate ensemble free energies of opening for proteins.

The cover line for the February issue is "Probing protein ensemble energies" The cover image depicts the mapping of ligand-induced changes in the E. coli Lac repressor captured by HX-MS data, used to calculate ensemble free energies of opening for proteins.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 13/01/2026

Directed evolution of functional intrinsically disordered proteins www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on evolving synthetic intrinsically disordered proteins (synIDPs) with function

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 13/01/2026

Structural basis for the catalytic mechanism of human lipid phosphate phosphatases www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the structure and catalytic mechanism of human LPP1 variants

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 13/01/2026

Ubiquitin acts as a proteinaceous glue to fasten the intersubunit interaction within the Polycomb repressive deubiquitinase complex to allosterically enhance its activity www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the unique gluing effect of ASXL1 K351 monoubiquitination enhancing deubiquitinase activity

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 13/01/2026

LipoID profiles lipid droplet interactions and identifies interorganelle regulators www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 13/01/2026

RNA capped with dinucleoside polyphosphates has been recently discovered in bacteria and eukaryotes. A new paper provides a structural explanation of how dinucleoside polyphosphates initiate RNA transcription www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract showing dinucleoside polyphosphate recognition and non-canonical transcription initiation

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

Activity-based protein profiling covalent small molecules that potentiate the activity of the METTL5:TRMT112 complex through binding to a complexoform-restricted allosteric pocket absent in other TRMT112:methyltransferase complexes www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on small molecule discovery targeting TRMT112:METTL5

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

Engineering polymerases to synthesize alternative genetic polymers remains a challenge. Using DNA shuffling and droplet microfluidics, this study provides a short evolutionary path from a DNA polymerase to one with robust RNA-synthesizing activity www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the evolution of DNA polymerases to an RNA polymerase

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

Glycosylation often functions to mediate protein folding, stability, and protein-protein interactions. Here, O-GlcNAcylation of histone H2B S112 allosterically activates E2 enzyme RAD6A and directly enhances its activity for H2B K120 monoubiquitylation www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the mechanism of action of the O-GlcNAc moiety

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

A new paper developed a photo-crosslinking platform to capture ligands from complex samples, identifying Little-LEN as a ligand for GPR50 which coordinately regulates body metabolism www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the photocrosslinking platform

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

A new paper reports the upper S1-S4 pocket as a multifunctional regulatory hub for TRPM5. Its probing reveals the mechanism of communication between the transmembrane and intracellular domains in the modulation of TRPM5 activity www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the crosstalk between transmembrane and intracellular domains in TRPM5

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 12/01/2026

A new paper reports on a synthetic yeast toolbox that programs cell-cell adhesion and cross-feeding, enabling spatial patterning coupled with division of labor, boosting high-value antioxidant resveratrol production www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract of the synthetic yeast toolbox

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

Cryo-EM structures of type-I and type-II Lamassu systems in apo and double-stranded DNA-bound states reveal the unique architecture and mechanisms of this prokaryotic antiphage system www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract depicting the mechanism of the Lamassu antiphage system

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

Biopolymers can couple to membrane lipids and condense to prewet membranes. A new paper shows prewetting is sensitive to membrane composition and phase transitions and can drive interorganelle contact #lipidtime www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract showing prewetting at membranes

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

A DNA nanoruler platform enables precise measurement of the labeling radii of TurboID and APEX2, uncovering their contact-dependent mechanisms www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on the DNA nanoruler platform

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

A new Perspective highlights advances in BRET technology for measuring intracellular drug-target engagement www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on applications of BRET target engagement assays

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

The enzyme PCMT1 was found to install a C-terminal cyclic imide modification on proteins that marks them for degradation by CRBN, uncovering a conserved protein turnover pathway with implications in metabolism and neurological function www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graphical abstract on cyclic imide modification by PCMT1 and recognition by CRBN, leading to protein degradation

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 08/01/2026

Our January issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover depicts a method for real-time monitoring of microenvironmental changes in protein substructures using site-specific integration of a noncanonical amino acid with a rotor-based fluorophore

The January cover depicts a method for real-time monitoring of microenvironmental changes in protein substructures using site-specific integration of a noncanonical amino acid with a rotor-based fluorophore

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 03/12/2025

Our December issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover depicts a diffusion-based generative deep learning pipeline for de novo design of a macrocyclic peptide targeting the protein, myeloid cell leukemia 1

Cover image of the December issue. It depicts a diffusion-based generative deep learning pipeline for de novo design of a macrocylic peptide targeting the protein, myeloid cell leukemia 1.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 31/10/2025

Our November issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover depicts a SEM image of a dorsal surface of liverwort M. polymorpha female thallus. Liverwort were found to have a noncanonical pathway for the regulation of master growth repressor DELLA.

The cover of the December issue. The cover depicts a SEM image of a dorsal surface of liverwort M. polymorpha female thallus. Liverwort were found to have a noncanonical pathway for the regulation of master growth repressor DELLA.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 27/10/2025

‘Pausing for stress’ – Check out the associated News & Views by Amy Strom on how MED1 acetylation tunes transcriptional condensates and RNA Pol II pausing during stress responses www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A cartoon showing how lysine acetylation within the IDR of MED1 reduces its affinity for the Pol II CTD

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 29/09/2025

Our October issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts synergistic yeast consortia that mimic the collaborative interactions in plant multicellular systems, enabling the de novo biosynthesis of complex natural product lignans

The October cover of Nature Chemical Biology depicting synergistic yeast consortia that mimic the collaborative interactions in plant multicellular systems, enabling the de novo biosynthesis of complex natural product lignans

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 28/08/2025

Our September issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts translocation of synthetic condensates and DNA and RNA, facilitated by engineered DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in the presence of small molecules.

The September issue cover showing translocation of synthetic condensates and DNA and RNA, facilitated by engineered DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in the presence of small molecules.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 19/08/2025

The 21st annual Tri-Institutional Chemical Biology Symposium will be held on Thursday, August 28, 2025, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, on the campus of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Registration will close on Wednesday, August 20.

Poster the 21st annual Tri-Institutional Chemical Biology Symposium.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 30/07/2025

Our August issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts a phage-defense system TdpABC, wherein a phosphorothioate (PT) modification is made to bacterial DNA by TdpC and the invading PT-free phage DNA is degraded by the TdpAB complex

The cover image depicts a phage-defense system TdpABC, wherein a phosphorothioate (PT) modification is made to bacterial DNA by TdpC and the invading PT-free phage DNA is degraded by the TdpAB complex

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 27/06/2025

Our July issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts a target protein bound to a high-affinity aptamer that gets enriched after a single selection round with multiple elution steps.

July cover featuring the UltraSelex method with the coverline - "Rapid discovery of high-affinity aptamers". The cover image depicts a target protein bound to a high-affinity aptamer that gets enriched after a single selection round with multiple elution steps.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 02/06/2025

Our June issue is live with a mini-focus on metabolism, featuring an Editorial, Research Highlights, Reviews, and Perspectives on the interplay between chemical biology and metabolism. www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The spotlights in the cover highlight beta cell regeneration in the pancreas

June cover image showing an artistic depiction of a pancreas slice with spotlights on beta cells that are regenerating

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 30/04/2025

Our May issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image depicts a 3D model of an engineered group I intron set against a background of electronic circuits

The cover of the May issue with cover line "Biocomputing with trans-splicing"

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 28/03/2025

Our April issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover features a SEM image of a cluster of MRSA strain NRS21 from the Mobashery group, reporting on inhibitors of the β-lactam-sensing protein BlaR that is key to the β-lactam resistance response in MRSA.

Cover of the April issue featuring a scanning electron microscopy image of a cluster of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 28/02/2025

Our March issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover from first-author Rachel Deis features light-reflecting crystals in the zebrafish eye with unique morphology and function that are genetically controlled through tissue-specific expression of paralogs

March cover image of Nature Chemical Biology with caption 'Sculpted by genes' on crystal biogenesis in zebrafish

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 31/01/2025

Our February issue is live! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... The cover image is a botanical illustration of a Saponaria plant taken from a book in the rare book collection at the John Innes Centre

February cover image of a Saponaria plant illustration

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 06/01/2025

Our January issue is live and it’s our 20th Anniversary Issue! www.nature.com/nchembio/vol... It includes a collection of Retrospective News & Views on historical developments in the field, a Feature “Thoughts for the future” from chemical biologists on the next challenges, and more.

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Nature Chemical Biology @natchembio.nature.com · 19/12/2024

Our December issue has been out for a new weeks but it has quite a striking confocal microscopy image on the cover. www.nature.com/nchembio/vol...

Image shows a confocal microscopy image of methylated proteins in gold in HeLa cells organizing into cytosolic puncta with a nuclear costain shown in blue.

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