Inhibitors of the Thioesterase Activity of Pks13 Discovered Using DNA-Encoded Chemical Library Screening.

DNA-encoded chemical library (DEL) technology provides a time- and cost-efficient method to simultaneously screen billions of compounds for their affinity to a protein target of interest. Here we report its use to identify a novel chemical series of inhibitors of the thioesterase activity of polyketide synthase 13 (Pks13) from (Mtb). We present three chemically distinct series of inhibitors along with their enzymatic and Mtb whole cell potency, the measure of on-target activity in cells, and the crystal structures of inhibitor-enzyme complexes illuminating their interactions with the active site of the enzyme.

Early ERP indices of gender-biased processing elicited by generic masculine role nouns and the feminine-masculine pair form.

In most gender-marked languages, the masculine form is used to refer to male people specifically as well as to people of any gender generically. This dual functionality was shown in behavioral studies to lead to male-biased mental representations. Here, using EEG, we targeted the neurophysiological basis of this bias by investigating whether and how the generic masculine influences the early perceptual and cognitive processing of anaphoric references to men and women.

Plasma-enabled superhydrophobic coatings on mild steel.

This work demonstrates a new pathway to the direct on-surface fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface coating on mild steel. The coating was formed using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma to convert a liquid small-molecule precursor (1,2,4-tricholorobenzene) to a solid film via plasma-assisted on-surface polymerization. Plasma treatments were performed under a nitrogen atmosphere with a variety of power levels and durations.

Antimicrobial adhesive films by plasma-enabled polymerisation of m-cresol.

This work reveals a versatile new method to produce films with antimicrobial properties that can also bond materials together with robust tensile adhesive strength. Specifically, we demonstrate the formation of coatings by using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma to convert a liquid small-molecule precursor, m-cresol, to a solid film via plasma-assisted on-surface polymerisation. The films are quite appealing from a sustainability perspective: they are produced using a low-energy process and from a molecule produced in abundance as a by-product of coal tar processing.