Knowra Chemical biology Chemical biology Chemical biology uses chemical tools and principles to investigate and manipulate biological systems. It applies molecular design and chemical reactivity to questions about how living systems work.
Activity-based protein profiling : A method that uses reactive probes to label and identify active enzymes in complex biological samples. It reveals enzyme activity directly, rather than inferring it from abundance.
Small molecule : A low-molecular-weight organic compound that can often diffuse into cells and bind specific biomolecules. Small molecules are common tools for changing biological activity on demand.
Target identification : The process of determining which biomolecule produces a compound’s biological effect. Finding a compound’s target links a chemical perturbation to a biological mechanism.
Organic chemistry : The study of carbon-containing compounds, their structures, properties, and reactions. Its synthesis and reaction design provide the molecular toolkit used in the field.
Biochemistry : The study of chemical substances and reactions in living organisms. Biochemistry often characterizes native reactions, while chemical biology uses designed compounds to perturb them.
Bioorthogonal chemistry : Chemical reactions that proceed selectively in living systems without interfering with native biochemistry. It enables selective labeling and modification of molecules inside living cells.
Molecular recognition : The selective association of molecules through structural and chemical complementarity. Selective recognition lets a probe distinguish one biological target from others.
Proteomics : The large-scale study of proteins, including their abundance, modifications, interactions, and functions. Chemical probes extend proteomics from protein inventories to activity and engagement.
Molecular biology : The study of biological processes at the level of molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. Its questions about molecular function became accessible to chemical intervention.
Chemical genetics : The use of small molecules to perturb biological pathways and identify the genes or proteins involved. It is a closely related strategy focused specifically on linking compound effects to genetic components.
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