The detection of protein biomarkers is crucial for early disease diagnosis. However, these biomarkers are present at low levels in serum, and the detection signal is easily interfered with by high levels of proteins. These factors pose major challenges for direct biomarker detection by existing technologies; thus, sample pre-treatments are performed as the best solution. Molecularly imprinted polymers have excellent properties of good binding ability, high selectivity and low cost, making this technique one of the best for serum pre-treatment. This review discusses the recent research status and development of bulk and surface imprinting techniques for high-abundance proteins. Furthermore, this paper emphasizes the research overview and progress of substrate and template selection, template immobilization technology and strategies to control the thickness of imprinted polymers when using the surface imprinting technique. Finally, the main challenges of molecular imprinting technique (MIT) application for high-abundance proteins and the future direction of this field are highlighted.

In deionised water, ascorbic acid (AH−), through oxidation by oxygen in the presence of copper(ii), was found to degrade with zero-order kinetics. The magnitude of the reaction rate varied directly with the copper(ii) concentration. At a higher pH (7.4), the same reaction was found to be pseudo-first order. Once again, the magnitude of the rate increased linearly with copper(ii) concentration at a micromolar level. Dissolved oxygen levels, in excess AH− and trace copper(ii), displayed similar kinetics under both conditions. Monitoring of either AH− levels or dissolved oxygen concentration was found to be a useful novel undergraduate practical laboratory for trace copper(ii) determination. Students can measure the kinetics for standards and their unknown copper solution and quantitate the unknown copper.

In the glutaminase II pathway (which we now refer to as the glutamine transaminase-ω-amidase (GTωA) pathway), l-glutamine is transaminated to α-ketoglutaramate (KGM), which, in turn, is hydrolyzed to α-ketoglutarate and ammonia by an enzyme known as ω-amidase. Despite the fact that the GTωA pathway was discovered more than 70 years ago, and is widespread in nature, the pathway has received limited attention. This is partly due to the broad amino acid/α-keto acid specificity of the glutamine transaminases, which has led to confusion over nomenclature and in assigning precise biological roles. Secondly, the α-keto acid product of glutamine transaminases – KGM – has not, until recently, become available in pure form. Here, we briefly discuss the metabolic importance of the GTωA pathway in microorganisms, plants and mammals. We pay special attention to the chemistry of KGM and methods for its synthesis. We discuss the importance of KGM as a biomarker for hyperammonemic diseases. We provide evidence that the GTωA pathway satisfies, in part, ‘glutamine addiction’ in a variety of cancer cells. We show that the anti-cancer drugs 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine and l-azaserine are transaminase and β-lyase substrates of glutamine transaminase K, respectively. We suggest that there is a pressing need for the development of: (1) inexpensive and scaled-up procedures for the synthesis of KGM to facilitate research on the biological importance of the GTωA pathway in mammalian and human tissues and in agricultural research; and (2) potent and selective inhibitors of ω-amidase, both as anti-cancer agents and as a means for investigating the detailed enzyme mechanism.

Women experience numerous forms of discrimination in the workplace, both direct and indirect. Historically, bias against women was institutionalised by organisations and governments to keep women from pursuing long-term careers in science and remain in the home. Although changes to policy have occurred within Australia, societal perceptions around women in science have proven resistant to change, with discrimination continuing even today. Despite the barriers facing them, some women were able to break through and achieve impactful science, proving themselves vital members of the workforce and paving the way for future generations. Herein, we describe four such female chemist trailblazers, Isabel Joy Bear, Enid Plante, Catherine Anne Money and Annabelle Duncan, who each worked at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) or the subsequent Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and helped to shape the face of chemistry in Australia in a male dominated environment.

The intrinsic pathway of apoptosis is regulated by the Bcl-2 family of proteins. Inhibition of the anti-apoptotic members represents a strategy to induce apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. We have measured the membrane binding properties of a series of peptides, including modified α/β-peptides, designed to exhibit enhanced membrane permeability to allow cell entry and improved access for engagement of Bcl-2 family members. The peptide cargo is based on the pro-apoptotic protein Bim, which interacts with all anti-apoptotic proteins to initiate apoptosis. The α/β-peptides contained cyclic β-amino acid residues designed to increase their stability and membrane permeability. Dual polarisation interferometry was used to study the binding of each peptide to two different model membrane systems designed to mimic either the plasma membrane or the outer mitochondrial membrane. The impact of each peptide on the model membrane structure was also investigated, and the results demonstrated that the modified peptides had increased affinity for the mitochondrial membrane and significantly altered the structure of the bilayer. The results also showed that the presence of an RRR motif significantly enhanced the ability of the peptides to bind to and insert into the mitochondrial membrane mimic, and provide insights into the role of selective membrane targeting of peptides.

Nirmatrelvir is the main component of the first oral drug against SARS-CoV-2 called Paxlovid®. Its development from an orally unavailable predecessor through hydrogen bond donors (HBD) replacement is highlighted, followed by an examination of the synthetic routes described in the original PCT application WO2021/250648. Based on its attributes, nirmatrelvir shows the potential to be a game changer in SARS-CoV-2 treatment.

The layered Ti3C2 was successfully fabricated by etching the Al layer of Ti3AlC2 with the assistance of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). By controlling the reaction time, the residual Ti3AlC2 phase in the Ti3C2 materials can be well removed by the TFA and the thickness of single Ti3C2 layer is ~10 nm. The absorption activity of the samples were also evaluated by adsorbing Congo red (CR) in the aqueous solution. The layered Ti3C2 exhibits much better absorption performance than that of pristine Ti3AlC2 and the maximum adsorption amount of CR is up to 351 mg g−1. This work develops a novel strategy to synthesize layered Ti3C2 without using the corrosive solvent.

This article is a brief review of the history of printing, centred around the life and inventions of Johannes Gutenberg, who is widely regarded as the father of printing. Starting with what we know of the earliest developments in printing in China, the article will present the little knowledge we have about Gutenberg’s life and a summary of his contribution to the invention and development of the printing press and its associated technologies. This will be illuminated by an examination of how his most famous publication, the 42-line Gutenberg Bible, came to be created. Gutenberg’s improvements to the chemistry of metal type and printing ink are outlined. The crucial importance of printing on the development of European society in the critical periods of the Reformation and the Renaissance and in the development and culture of science is obvious, but the lasting impact of the language of printing in today’s world is surprising.

A 2-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octa-4,7-diene derivative was unexpectedly isolated from the photochemical irradiation of 2-vinyl-1,2-dihydropyridine. A cascading 6π–8π–4π electrocyclic rearrangement has been proposed as a possible mechanistic pathway.

Although one can trace the roots of proteomics well back into the 20th century, it is basically a discipline of the new millennium. At its outset, it was defined primarily by the technology available to analyze complex mixtures (basically 2D-gel electrophoresis, hybridizations/arrays and mass spectrometry) and what mainly set it aside from protein chemistry, that had flourished since the end of the second world war, was this use of unfractionated starting material as opposed to homogenous samples. Early on, two major new insights were quickly revealed: that the protein complement of cells was overwhelmingly involved in multiple protein–protein interactions and that it was nearly universally involved in a myriad of post-translational modifications. The revelations of the complex networks that result from these two phenomena have created a new understanding of cell biology that has affected our appreciation of such processes as transcription and translation, transmembrane signaling, differentiation, homeostasis and cell death. The development of these methods and strategies that principally characterize the field of proteomics depended heavily on the evolution of those that advanced protein chemistry, particularly during the last half of the twentieth century leading up to the elucidation of the human genome and will be briefly summarized in this article.

This study was conducted to develop nano-ZnO/alginate films with good mechanical properties and potent antibacterial activity as a new kind of wound dressing. The nano-ZnO/alginate films were prepared by a solvent casting method. Meanwhile, the thickness, water absorption and water vapour permeability (WVP) of alginate films with different alginate and glycerol contents were evaluated. Results show a positive influence of alginate and glycerol on the thickness and moisture sorption properties. In addition, the WVP of the films first increased and then decreased as the glycerol content increased, but it was not significantly affected by the concentration of alginate. Finally, the antimicrobial properties of the films were tested against E. coli and S. aureus, the results revealed that when the nano-ZnO content based on the film-forming solution was 0.25% (w/v) the films exhibited strong activity against both pathogens with a reduction in CFU of 99.48% for E. coli and 99.02% for S. aureus. The outcome of this study indicated that the nano-ZnO/alginate films could be used as a new kind of wound dressing.

Multistage mass spectrometry (MSn) experiments were used to explore extrusion–insertion (ExIn) reactions of the palladium complex [(phen)Pd(O2CPh)]+ (phen, 1,10-phenanthroline). Under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions, the organopalladium cation [(phen)Pd(Ph)]+ was formed via decarboxylation and was found to react with phenylmethylketene to yield the enolate [(phen)Pd(CPhMeC(O)Ph)]+ via an insertion reaction. A further stage of CID revealed that the enolate fragments via loss of styrene to form the acyl complex [(phen)Pd(C(O)Ph)]+. Formation of both the coordinated enolate and acyl anions is supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Attempts to develop a palladium-mediated one-pot synthesis of ketones from 2,6-dimethoxybenzoic acid as the key substrate and the ketene substrates R1R2C═C═O (R1 = Ph, R2 = Me; R1 = R2 = Ph) proved challenging owing to low yields and side product formation.

Nanoscale SAPO-34 molecular sieves were synthesized by adding different types of seed into hydrothermal synthesis systems with tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and triethylamine (TEA) & tetraethylammonium bromide (TEABr) as templates. The effects of different types of template and seed on the crystal structure, morphology, grain size and acidity of the molecular sieves were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 isothermal adsorption–desorption and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD). The methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction performance of the synthesized samples was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor. The results showed that crystalline supernatant and seed soaking solution could be used as liquid seeds to assist in the synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieves with a lamellar structure. The yield of SAPO-34 synthesized by seed increased from 38.64 to 59.68%, and the methanol conversion rate was significantly improved as compared with that of SAPO-34 synthesized without seed. The nano-thickness of SAPO-34 synthesized with TEA&TEABr instead of TEAOH as template decreased from 100–150 to 40–50 nm, and the lifetime increased from 360 to 400 min with the original yield kept constant.

The disaccharide Gal-β-(1→4)-Gal was recently identified as a ligand for the adhesin UcaD, a fimbrial protein used by Proteus mirabilis to adhere to exfoliated uroepithelial cells and colonise the urinary tract. To facilitate further studies, Gal-β-(1→4)-Gal was synthesised as the α-methyl glycoside via glycosylation of methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-α-d-galactopyranoside with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-d-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate, followed by deprotection. The disaccharide was fully characterised by NMR spectroscopy. Earlier attempts to use a thiogalactoside as the glycosyl acceptor were hindered by intermolecular aglycone transfer side reactions.

A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/SiO2 organic-inorganic hybrid membrane was fabricated, using PVA as the basic material, SiO2 nanoparticles as the inorganic material, γ-(2,3)-glycidoxy propyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTEOS) as the second modified agents. The dehydration performance of PVA-SiO2/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite membrane to ethyl acetate (EA)/H2O, EA/ethanol (EtOH)/H2O and EA/EtOH/acetic acid (HAc)/H2O solutions was investigated. After modification of the second coupling agent of APTEOS or GPTMS, PVA-SiO2/PAN composite membrane had the better dehydration performance to these aqueous solutions. When dehydrating PVA-SiO2/PAN composite membrane modified by GPTMS (M5 membrane) in EA/H2O binary solution (98/2, wt%) at 40°C, the separation factor and the total permeation flux were 5245 and 293.9 g m−2 h−1, respectively. The preparation method of PVA/SiO2 membrane through adding the second coupling agent was simple, it had good dehydration performance and has excellent application prospects. The sorption behavior of PVA/SiO2 hybrid membrane was systematically studied, providing sufficient data for studying the separation mechanism of pervaporative membrane. The degree of swelling (DS) and the sorption selectivity of the membrane in different feed compositions and temperatures were measured to determine the static sorption of membrane. Dynamic sorption more clearly reflects the sorption and swelling processes of the membrane, and the dynamic sorption curves of the membrane in EA aqueous solutions were obtained. The sorption behavior of membrane to permeate components was studied by ATR-FTIR. Changes in the characteristic peaks for the permeate components and membrane indicated the sorption behavior of the membrane.

The excessive use of chemical products in agricultural production has brought many problems such as water pollution, air pollution, soil acidification and eutrophication of water bodies. Biodegradable methylcellulose microcapsules are used as carriers to achieve pollution-free and intelligent controlled release of agricultural chemical products. Methylcellulose was used as a coating material, loaded with fulvic acid (FA) and attapulgite (ATP), and then prepared into microcapsules by spray drying. The preparation process had good repeatability, and the obtained microcapsules possessed uniform particle size distribution. Methylcellulose microcapsules showed good heat sensitivity during water absorption process. The water absorption ratio was more than 10 times that of its own weight at 25°C, and the swelling ratio was 5–7 times that of its own weight at 35°C. The microcapsules reduced the loss of FA nearly 50% during the leaching process. Planting experiments showed that the microcapsules had good biocompatibility and exhibited obvious positive effects on the wheat growth.

The gas-phase extrusion–insertion (ExIn) reactions of the palladium complexes [(phen)nPd(O2SC6H5)]+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, n = 1 or 2), were investigated in the gas phase by multistage mass spectrometry (MSn) experiments consisting of electrospray ionisation and a linear ion trap combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Desulfination of palladium sulfinate cations under collision-induced dissociation (CID) generates the organopalladium intermediates [(phen)nPd(C6H5)]+. Of these two organometallic cations, only [(phen)Pd(C6H5)]+ reacts with phenyl isocyanate via insertion to yield [(phen)Pd(NPhC(O)C6H5)]+. The formation of a coordinated amidate anion is supported by DFT calculations. In exploring this reactivity in the solution phase, we found that heating a mixture of benzenesulfinic acid, phenylisocyanate and palladium trifluoroacetate under a range of different conditions (ligand free versus with ligand, different solvents, addition of acid or base) failed to lead to the formation N-phenyl-benzamide in all cases. Instead, biphenyl was formed and could be isolated in a yield of 46%. DFT calculations using a solvent continuum reveal that the barrier associated with the insertion reaction lies above the competing sequential reactions of desulfination of a second phenyl sulfinate followed by reductive elimination of biphenyl.

The application of machine learning to predicting the properties of small and large discrete (single) molecules and complex materials (polymeric, extended or mixtures of molecules) has been increasing exponentially over the past few decades. Unlike physics-based and rule-based computational systems, machine learning algorithms can learn complex relationships between physicochemical and process parameters and their useful properties for an extremely diverse range of molecular entities. Both the breadth of machine learning methods and the range of physical, chemical, materials, biological, medical and many other application areas have increased markedly in the past decade. This Account summarises three decades of research into improved cheminformatics and machine learning methods and their application to drug design, regenerative medicine, biomaterials, porous and 2D materials, catalysts, biomarkers, surface science, physicochemical and phase properties, nanomaterials, electrical and optical properties, corrosion and battery research.

A screen for compounds with antigiardial activity in the Compounds Australia Scaffolds library identified SN00797640 (supplied structure being 8-acylaminodibenzoxazepinone 1) as a hit compound with potent anti-parasitic activity (concentration for 50% growth inhibition of Giardia duodenalis, IC50 0.18 μM). To further explore the structure–activity relationships in this series, compound 1 and analogues, including its 7-acylaminodibenzoxazepinone regioisomer (2), were synthesized and assessed for anti-Giardia activity. While regioisomer 2 demonstrated antigiardial activity, resynthesized 1 and other 8-acylaminodibenzoxazepinone analogues were inactive. Comparison of spectroscopic and physical properties demonstrated the correct structure of SN00797640 to be 7-acylamino regioisomer 2. These results highlight the importance of independent synthesis in verifying the structure and activity of screening hits.

In order to understand autoimmune phenomena contributing to the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and post-COVID syndrome, we have been profiling autoantigens (autoAgs) from various cell types. Although cells share numerous autoAgs, each cell type gives rise to unique COVID-altered autoAg candidates, which may explain the wide range of symptoms experienced by patients with autoimmune sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on the unifying property of affinity between autoAgs and the glycosaminoglycan dermatan sulfate (DS), this paper reports 140 candidate autoAgs identified from proteome extracts of human Jurkat T-cells, of which at least 105 (75%) are known targets of autoantibodies. Comparison with currently available multi-omic COVID-19 data shows that 125 (89%) DS-affinity proteins are altered at protein and/or RNA levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells or patients, with at least 94 being known autoAgs in a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Protein alterations by ubiquitination and phosphorylation during the viral infection are major contributors of autoAgs. The autoAg protein network is significantly associated with cellular response to stress, apoptosis, RNA metabolism, mRNA processing and translation, protein folding and processing, chromosome organization, cell cycle, and muscle contraction. The autoAgs include clusters of histones, CCT/TriC chaperonin, DNA replication licensing factors, proteasome and ribosome proteins, heat shock proteins, serine/arginine-rich splicing factors, 14-3-3 proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins. AutoAgs, such as LCP1 and NACA, that are altered in the T cells of COVID patients may provide insight into T-cell responses to viral infection and merit further study. The autoantigen-ome from this study contributes to a comprehensive molecular map for investigating acute, subacute, and chronic autoimmune disorders caused by SARS-CoV-2.