Non-enzymatic variations of posttranslational modifications (nPTMs) form throu
gh reactions of electrophilic metabolites (here, in the eye) with nucleophilic protein side chains (ar
ginine in the hour
glass). Such modifications accumulate over time, but are poorly understood at the molecular level. In their Communication on
g/10.1002/anie.201605366" rel="references:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201605366">page 11397 ff., C. F. W. Becker and co-workers report on the impact of the nPTM ar
gpyrimidine on the structure and activity of a human chaperone protein. (Ima
ge: iStock.com/Dmytro
Kozlov.)