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1. FlyBase: updates to the Drosophila melanogaster knowledge base

   https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaa1026  

   Larkin, Aoife; Marygold, Steven J; Antonazzo, Giulia; Attrill, Helen; dos Santos, Gilberto; Garapati, Phani V; Goodman, Joshua L; Gramates, L Sian; Millburn, Gillian; Strelets, Victor B; et al (November 2020, Nucleic Acids Research)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract FlyBase (flybase.org) is an essential online database for researchers using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, facilitating access to a diverse array of information that includes genetic, molecular, genomic and reagent resources. Here, we describe the introduction of several new features at FlyBase, including Pathway Reports, paralog information, disease models based on orthology, customizable tables within reports and overview displays (‘ribbons’) of expression and disease data. We also describe a variety of recent important updates, including incorporation of a developmental proteome, upgrades to the GAL4 search tab, additional Experimental Tool Reports, migration to JBrowse for genome browsing and improvements to batch queries/downloads and the Fast-Track Your Paper tool. 

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2. Influence of 5-Methylation and the 2′- and 3′-Hydroxy Substituents on the Base Pairing Energies of Protonated Cytidine Nucleoside Analogue Base Pairs: Implications for the Stabilities of i -Motif Structures

   https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.1c04303  

   Seidu, Yakubu S.; Roy, H. A.; Rodgers, M. T. (July 2021, The Journal of Physical Chemistry A)

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3. Base Modifications of Nucleosides via the Use of Peptide‐Coupling Agents, and Beyond

   https://doi.org/10.1002/tcr.202200182  

   Lakshman, Mahesh K. (September 2022, The Chemical Record)

   Abstract Several naturally occurring purine and pyrimidine nucleosides contain an amide linkage as part of the heterocyclic aglycone. Enolization of the amide and conversion to leaving groups at the amide carbon atom permits base modification by addition‐elimination types of processes. Although a number of methods have been developed over the years for accomplishing such conversions, the present Personal Account describes efforts from the Lakshman laboratories. Facile activation of the amido groups in nucleobases can be achieved with peptide‐coupling agents. Subsequent reaction with nucleophiles then accomplishes the base modifications. In many cases, the activation and displacement steps can be done as two‐step, one‐pot processes, whereas in other cases, discrete storable activated nucleosides can be isolated for subsequent displacement reactions. Using such an approach a wide range of nucleoside base modifications is readily achievable. In many instances, mechanistic investigations have been conducted so as to understand the activation process. 

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4. Predictive chirality sensing via Schiff base formation

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C9OB01265F  

   Pilicer, Samantha L.; Mancinelli, Michele; Mazzanti, Andrea; Wolf, Christian (July 2019, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry)

   Among the large number of chiroptical sensors that have been developed to date, few allow rational determination of the absolute configuration of chiral substrates together with quantitative ee analysis. We have prepared and tested stereodynamic N -aryl aminobenzaldehyde sensors that bind chiral amines via Schiff base formation. The covalent binding of the amine substrate generates a conformational bias in the chromophoric sensor moiety which results in characteristic CD signals. Computational analysis revealed that CD prediction of the sign of the Cotton effect and thus determination of the absolute configuration of the substrate becomes practical with a sterically crowded sensor design because the number of conformations to be considered is largely reduced and the chiroptical sensor response is less sensitive to conformational equilibria. The amplitude of the measured CD signal can be used for quantitative ee analysis of nonracemic amine samples with the help of a calibration curve. 

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5. Heritable base-editing in Arabidopsis using RNA viral vectors

   https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiac206  

   Liu, Degao; Xuan, Shuya; Prichard, Lynn E; Donahue, Lilee I; Pan, Changtian; Nagalakshmi, Ugrappa; Ellison, Evan E; Starker, Colby G; Dinesh-Kumar, Savithramma P; Qi, Yiping; et al (May 2022, Plant Physiology)

   Heritable base-editing using a viral delivery system enables high-throughput functional analysis of genes in Arabidopsis. 

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