Thread by @biochem_bri

Spectroscopy allows us to spy on molecules invisible to the naked eye. Through a cuvette the spectrophotometer allows us to peer and measure concentrations with the help of Beer! 👉 bit.ly/2N4nzXE
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

The Beer Lambert law (Beer’s law) allows you to convert between concentration (c) of a dissolved thing (solute) & absorbance of light. Don't have a lot - use a NanoDrop so the UV-Vis fun don't stop! bit.ly/beerslawexplai…
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Do you listen to your spectrograph peaks when they try to speak? Or just look at highest 1 & assume purification's done? Peakiest peak *might* tell concentration - but rest can reveal contamination! 👉 bit.ly/2NblGc2
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

A spectrophotometer can be used to “light up the life” of the molecules that give us life - hopefully to the scientist’s delight! bit.ly/whatabsorbswhe… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

About her work on DNA, there's much to say - but she also did work on coal that's really cool! It’s hard enough to try to get Rosalind Franklin credit for contributions to solving structure of DNA...👉 bit.ly/2t6bgDs
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Turns out that DNA stuff was only a brief stint in Rosalind Franklin's incredibly productive, though tragically short, career. Today in #366DaysOfScience I look at her life & her work on carbon bit.ly/rosalindfrankl… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

If muscles need energy ASAP, they use phosphocreatine to quickly make ATP. Creatine? What's that mean? An amino acid not in protein? @iubmb helps me explain.

text bit.ly/2FFA1sS & pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1215825639611064320?s=20

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You can’t just keep a bunch of free energy money (ATP) floating around or you'll have cellular anarchy! You need to keep it under control. But accessible... Creatine helps act as an "ATP buffer" bit.ly/creatineatp #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb What’s the deal w/cryo? Cryo-Electron Microscopy (CryoEM) has transformed structural biology. So what is it? How does it compare to crystallography? & What's structural biology? text 👉 bit.ly/2TfLuYo & pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Structural biology works to connect the “what it does” to the “what it looks like” to help determine “how it does it” & it uses techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM to get looks bit.ly/cryoemxray #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb How does penicillin do its bacteria killin’? And how did a couple superhero female crystallographers help us harness its power to defeat those villains? more text here: 👉 bit.ly/2QLTvT1 & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb A great example of the power of structural biology comes from one of the first “complex molecules” to have its structure solved by x-ray crystallography - penicillin bit.ly/penamp #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Getting messy to get protein clean - it’s a part of my frequent routine! What’s a typical day like?” I get asked this a lot - there’s really no “typical day,” but here’s what I’ve got👉 bit.ly/2u0QJ3h more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb I spend a lot of time “designing,” “making” & purifying proteins - so I want to take you through an overview of what that involves - “molecular cloning”, “recombinant expression,” “chromatography”... bit.ly/proteincleaning #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb What’s a biochemist to do once pure protein she’s got? Test its RNA-binding-ability w/a slot blot! Binding affinity shouldn’t be ignored,but learning abt it shouldn’t make u bored!👉 bit.ly/2strAOy & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb I have a strong affinity for protein & for RNA - now it’s time to see how much the 2 of them like to play - thankfully, the filter-binding assay gives us a way bit.ly/slotblot #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Sometimes I can’t believe how awesome people are…Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was a true pioneer in x-ray crystallography – and overall awesome person. Here's some of why...👉 bit.ly/2TscWlv
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin harnessed x-rays to solve the structure of increasingly complex molecules including penicillin (1945), vitamin B12 (1955) & her lifelong goal, the hormone insulin (1969) bit.ly/dorothycrowfoo… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Today’s post might get heavy - but it was heavy atoms that let Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin see what insulin looks like - which let pharma develop optimized versions for treating diabetes👉 bit.ly/2RpGPR2
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Different versions of insulin have been created to be fast-acting or slow-acting - and their design was made possible by Dorothy Hodgkin figuring out its “natural design” - the 3D structure it adopts. bit.ly/insulindiabetes #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb If you make seemingly boring tasks more fun you can come to appreciate them more, understand them at molecular level & even perform them better. Like the serial dilution. @iubmb bit.ly/2TyONKf #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1218336332050624512?s=20

Today I’m treating myself to a revisit of my favorite topic -RNA interference (RNAi). You might remember this post from a while *Ago* but it’s something I (biased-ly) think is really important to know! instagram.com/p/B7fOpZWp-vM/… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I’ve been semi off the grid this weekend celebrating my grandma’s 80th birthday. She’s one of my biggest supporters and today I got to spend time telling her about my research. And it was such a privilege. So thought I’d repost this #366Daysofscience massivesci.com/articles/senio…

I think biochemistry is pretty sweet, but how “sweet”’s your blood after you eat? For people with diabetes, that’s something they might need to measure & teaching you the science'd be my pleasure! 👉 bit.ly/3asQhvr
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

The ability of glucose to reduce allows glucometers to deduce, the concentration of sugar after you drink juice, helping diabetics know how much insulin to infuse!
bit.ly/glucometers #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is kinda like giving wetsuit-wearing proteins a bath and seeing where they get wet. More text 👉 bit.ly/36ePNWv & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Deuterated water may be heavy but it isn’t “hot” which makes it helpful for seeing if protein regions are “open” or not. HDX-MS is a cool technique that allows us to protein-spy & I can't wait to try! bit.ly/hdxms #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Caps off to mRNA decapping! And you’ve gotta hear about these de-tails of mRNA decay! more text👉 bit.ly/36fnZBn & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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mRNA protein “recipes” have “front matter” put on in the form of a 7-methyl-guanosine cap. This helps them get through cellular security when they want it there. Then cells can remove it to degrade it bit.ly/mrnaprocessing #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

An experiment you’ll probably do - & do, & do & do - if you take a #molecularbiology or #biochemistry course or join such a lab - but might not know how works is alkaline lysis, the good ole’ miniprep!👉bit.ly/3azLDMh more pics 👇#366DaysOfScience #scicomm #realtimechem

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Alkaline lysis (mini/midi/maxi/giga prep) lets you purify DNA which you put into bacteria for copying away from the bacteria’s own DNA, so you can do things like check it’s a-okay! bit.ly/minipreps #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Grad school interview coming up? Or just wondering what goes on during them (other than getting awesome tote bags?) I tell you my experience with them & I bring tips from actual interviewers! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1220855398040662018?s=20

@iubmb By showing a DNA letter swap could lead to a single protein letter swap that enfeebled a protein in Sickle Cell Anemia, Sanger & Ingram validated existence of a “genetic code”👉 bit.ly/2tGRlvt more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Even once scientists knew hereditary info was stored & passed on in form of DNA, it still wasn’t clear how “faulty” DNA could lead to any sort of symptoms. Sickle cell anemia would provide the answer bit.ly/paulingingram #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb What does hemoglobin fingerprinting have to do with crime scene fingerprint fingerprinting? Have to do with fossil dating? Ninhydrin!👉 bit.ly/2sY0gbi
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Ninhydrin reacts with amines (nitrogen-hydrogen) groups - like those of amino acids (protein letters) to form a purpley product - and, from chromatograms to crime scenes it has a lot of random uses! #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/ninhydrin

@iubmb Dry ice videos are cool, but what's even cooler is knowing what's going on. More text 👉 bit.ly/2U83SCC & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Dry ice's long-lasting super-cold-yet-dry-ness will hopefully keep my protein safe on their cross-country journey. But what makes the solid form of CO₂ we affectionately call “dry ice” so magical? bit.ly/dryicescience #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Using cool dry ice to draw attention to surface tension & talk about what causes it and how it relates to “day-to-day” labb-y things like liquid measuring and crystallography? Guilty as charged!👉 bit.ly/2RY1iN6
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

From meniscuses to hanging drops, to rain drops, and dry ice bubble pops, it all has to do with SURFACE TENSION. So I think it’s worth many a mention! bit.ly/surfacetension… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb If you want to master lab work, master mixes are your friend. And stock solutions can be the solution to weighing and dissolving that seems to never end! 👉 bit.ly/3aRbsHS
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

A couple of major lab time savers are “master mixes” and “stock solutions” and while it might sound kinda boring, it lets you get to the exciting stuff faster! So it’s a practice you want to master. bit.ly/stocksolutions #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Weight, weight, do tell me, why are you using a “concentration” that’s oh so confusing?! 👉bit.ly/37LsTrq
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Coming to terms with with weight-volume percentage is something I can’t… I hate this measurement, it seems to seek to make me confused, but here’s why, for biological solutions, you might find it used bit.ly/weightvolume #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Wanna run a western blot? I definitely do not... But I do want to tell you about how they can be used to detect tiny amounts of specific proteins. @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #scicomm #biochemistry #molecularbiology #biology #sciencelife #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1223380187305234438?s=20

The experiment seems to take forever, but explaining it (in a bumbly way) need not, so I hope your schedule has a slot to give some thought to the WESTERN BLOT! bit.ly/westernblotwor… @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #scicomm #biochemistry #molecularbiology #biology #realtimechem

@iubmb Dimensional analysis is seriously one of my favorite things - it may sound boring, but sooooo much helpfulness it brings! text👉 bit.ly/38WSNZq & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Often in lab u want to carry out reactions so fab but units are all over the place & u have 2 rush 2 save face Multiply? Divide? What goes on which side? Eliminate any doubt, make sure units cancel out bit.ly/dimensionalana… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb How do you spell “insulin”? Hint: it starts with a G & an F! I’m talking “spelling” in terms of the order of amino acid “letters” in insulin, the 1st protein to be sequenced text bit.ly/2OkqE6T & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb The winner of the 1st protein spelling bee? Frederick Sanger - who, with colleagues in the early 1950s, correctly spelled insulin (and developed crucial protein-sequencing techniques along the way) bit.ly/insulinsequenc… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb These make quite a big gel & running them can be Hell, but they separate DNA or RNA letters incredibly well! Sanger used similar “sequencing gels” in his “chain termination” method of DNA sequencing👉 bit.ly/37WKX1M
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Sanger day 2, Nobel 2 - What actually happens to DNA when we “send it for sequencing”? bit.ly/sangerDNAseque… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Primary election? How about we talk primer-y selection? Each time you do PCR to copy stretches of DNA you have to do many a selection! So here's a PCR survival guide text👉 bit.ly/396uIQ0 & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb “What is PCR?” and how can we increase our odds of DNA- copying perfection? All aboard the DNA Pol train, with a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) survival guide to fill up your brain! bit.ly/pcrprimer #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Lab rat or copy cat? DNA - let’s Xerox that! And make sure there aren’t any typos in the protein instructions you give to cells to make protein from! COLONY PCR & related plasmid insert checks👉 bit.ly/39cADmK
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Hw do I know if my protein instructions got inside? With COLONY PCR it cannot* hide! (well, it can… but that’s were the sequencing comes in later!) bit.ly/colonypcretc #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Reverse Transcription quantitative PCR (qPCR) provides a way to count protein recipes by making copies of these copies and watching them exponentially amplify in “Real Time” 👉 bit.ly/384xCo9
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

If we can count protein recipe copies, we can get an idea about how much of each protein is being made under different conditions, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) provides a way to do this. Here's how bit.ly/rtrtqpcrprimer #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Blotting encompasses many a technique - here's the bumbling biochemist's guide to what makes them unique! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1225906949356572672?s=20

No matter what “direction” is in the name - the basic premise is the same - take a mix of biomolecules and separate (typically by size) then transfer to a membrane and probe to analyze. @iubmb bit.ly/blotcompass #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Is your protein present? How do you know? Perhaps by playing antibody “Where’s Waldo?” Whether in the body or in the lab, antibodies can be quite Fab. text👉 bit.ly/2SrTxzf & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb How do you make sure you find the real Waldo and don’t get confused by the fakers? A discussion on monoclonal & polyclonal antibodies in a Where’s Waldo analogy - any takers? bit.ly/antibodytypesu… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb I hope it wouldn’t bore you if I discussed the Bohr effect - it’s the reason the hemoglobin in your blood chooses whether to oxygen bind or eject! text 👉 bit.ly/39p5RqW & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb The Bohr effect describes how low pH lowers affinity of hemoglobin for O2, making it more likely to offload o2 in areas of low pH, which tissues in need of O2 tend to have. How? bit.ly/bohreffect #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Who took a proton from the proton jar? The bumbling biochemist is on the case and her prime suspect is the base! pH vs. pkA and where are those H⁺ coming from anyway? 👉 bit.ly/38hk5tE
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

If pH is something about which you'd like to know, this post on missing protons will satisfy you more than any other "true crime" show! #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/phacidbase

@iubmb Buffer you start judging me, I’m not hoarding all these bottles and cylinders, instead I’m making pH-stabilizing salt waters (aka buffers!) for a protein purification text👉bit.ly/38mQXBo & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb While it’s easy to focus on the protein we put in the buffer & forget everything else, the buffer itself matters too! A lot! And it’s precisely because of its buffer-ness that we’re able to “ignore it” bit.ly/phbuffers #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb I tend to ramble, so u might be yelling “get to the point!” - but Iso don’t want to get to isoelectric point (pI) bc that’s pH at which my protein's uncharged overall & won’t stick to my IEX column!👉 bit.ly/31R23fb
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

In ion exchange chromatography you separate proteins by their charge by getting them to bind to oppositely-charged resin in a column, washing other stuff off & then pushing your protein off with salt #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/ionexchangechr…

@iubmb Unlike in gel electrophoresis (e.g. SDS-PAGE), it’s the bigger proteins that win the gel mesh drag race when it comes to the size exclusion case! text👉 bit.ly/2Sq3SNq & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Of all the types of protein chromatography you may be usin’ size exclusion chromatography (SEC) tends to cause the most confusion! & whether preparative or analytical, choosing right column's critical! bit.ly/sizeexclusionc… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb I honored #GalentinesDay day by writing a Wikipedia article on a female scientist you likely haven’t heard of, but whose work's been critical to understanding how the 🧠 works - Eileen Southgate #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem @iubmb

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1228453989882175488?s=20

Eileen Southgate traced ~8,000 serial section electron micrographs of C. elegans by hand - it wasthe 1st map of an animal’s “mind” ever made, & @iubmb & I want to make sure her story never will fade! bit.ly/eileensouthgate #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Agarose is a sugar that comes from red algae - we use it to “knit” a gel that acts as a sieve so we can separate DNA fragments by size. & we can modify it for different uses. Text 👉 bit.ly/2UWpDGi & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb The agarose “knitting club” is quite popular, and different “yarn modifications” can be used to optimize agarose for many a gel task. So what’s going on? I’m so glad you asked!
bit.ly/agaroses #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb When it comes to growing bacterial colonies, LB-agar steps up to the plate - but first you have to get it in a gel state (a situation to which its agarose can surely relate!) text 👉 bit.ly/2UVJtBi & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb AGAR's a mix of 2 sugars - agaropectin & agarose - you get agarose by purifying agar. Why go through trouble sometimes (like for gel electrophoresis), but not others (like bacterial growth plates)? bit.ly/agarvsagarose #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb If you want to say F you to PKU, what is it you gotta do? Well, first you’ve gotta discover it & figure out what’s going on… The history & biochemistry of PhenylKetonUria - text👉 bit.ly/2SPIzUg & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb The genetic metabolic disorder PKU involves an inability to metabolize (break down or turn into other things) the protein letter (amino acid) phenylalanine. It has a really interesting story... bit.ly/pkustoryandsci… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb If you ask a cell to make a protein for you and it tries to refuse - don’t give up yet, try to to fuse! But what fusion partner should you choose to use? 👉 bit.ly/2SDBlUn
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Some proteins don’t want to go it alone. They need a friend to help them express themselves, protect them from harm, & stick with them as they try to find their “best self” bit.ly/fusionpartners #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Endo- & exo- something-ases can leave you scratching your head for days-es. Protein or DNA or RNA, inside or out? What cuts what? And where about? 👉 bit.ly/2P8HINE
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Guide to exonucleases (DNA/RNA chewers), endonucleases (DNA/RNA scissors), exopeptidases (protein chewers) & endopeptidases (protein scissors) - what makes difft ones special & how we use them in lab bit.ly/nucleasespepti… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Protein expression problems? Perhaps you need to be more polite…. and use their spelling! Codon usage bias & codon optimization. text 👉 bit.ly/37KIiHJ & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb The RNA “words” (codons) that “spell” the protein "letters" can be written with different spellings. Different organisms all recognize them but prefer different spellings. Which can affect expression bit.ly/codonbias #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Data storage fads come & go but there’s 1 storage form that’s been consistently used by “all” organisms since almost the beginning of life itself - DNA! Molecular story time, so gather round! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1231014517196279808?s=20

@iubmb What's genetic info written in? Protein? DNA? Debate was settled w/help of a blender, some bacteria, bacteria-infecting viruses (“phages”) & scientists named Martha Chase and Alfred Hershey.
bit.ly/hersheychaseexp
@iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Thankfully it’s easier to predict DNA sequence based on a template strand than it is to predict elections! & if you want to know about DNA copying better call Meselson & Stahl! text👉 bit.ly/38XjBcE & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb I'm liberal, but when it comes to DNA replication, we're all semi-conservative! And we know thanks to Matthew Meselson & Franklin Stahl's beautiful, classic experiment tracking DNA copying. bit.ly/meselsonstahl #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb What's meant by “Okazaki fragment”? Don’t worry if your knowledge of DNA replication's lagging, I'm here to tell you how Okazakis used pulse-chase experiments to figure it out text 👉 bit.ly/2VhuhP2 & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb When DNA gets copied, 1 strand (leading strand) gets made continuously, while other strand (the lagging strand) is made discontinuously, in pieces that get stitched together. Here's why & how we know bit.ly/okazakifragmen… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb When DNA letters get married, who pays for the wedding? Linking DNA letters together is energetically expensive & DNA Pol & DNA ligase pay differently. Text👉 bit.ly/3a2ojWm & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb When DNA Pols link dNA letters together the incoming letter “pays” but when DNA ligases stitch together strands that have been broken post-payment, it relies on “philanthropic donations” bit.ly/DNAligasepol #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb DNA Pol can copy DNA text, but it can’t copy an epigenetic “highlight” - and this can be the source of biochemists’ despair or delight 👉 bit.ly/39X28ky
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

If you want to steal bacterial machinery like DNA scissors (restriction enzymes) from different bacteria, at least make sure the parts are compatible! bit.ly/reasesvsmtases #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb In a cellular David vs. Goliath, microRNAs (miRNAs) direct protein-recipe-destroying machinery at specific “target” recipes (mRNAs) to prevent production of specific proteins text👉 bit.ly/2vmLAUe & vids below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb Meet Miranda the miRNA - 1small RNA on a mission to make a big difference (in cellular protein production. What’s this tiny RISC-taking superhero’s origin story? The birds & bees of microRNA BIOGENESIS bit.ly/micrornabirth
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Restriction cloning - a time it’s a good thing to be in a sticky situation! 👉 bit.ly/385GMQv
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Restriction enzymes are frequently used a to cut and paste pieces of DNA together in RESTRICTION CLONING bit.ly/restrictionenz… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb This weeks' @iubmb Bri*fing it's time for some technique talk cuz if you want to be a biochemist, there are some protein-measuring experiments (e.g Bradford, BCA, Lowry) you’ve gotta learn to rock! 👉 bit.ly/2Tr6WYG
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb I want to know the protein concentration. And, as I’m painstakingly learning, that’s not as easy as it may sound because protein quantification methods do abound! @iubmb bit.ly/proteinassays #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Time for your weekly Bri*fing from the Bench!

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1233539119994875907?s=20

@iubmb I can't give help you with work-life balancing. But I can (hopefully) help you with chemical equation balancing. Text👉 bit.ly/396UHXX & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb You put some molecules in, you get some molecules out, you count the atoms within to be sure they balance out. If all is okey-dokey then you give yourself a bow - that’s what it’s all about! bit.ly/chemequationba… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb I’m at pretty stressful point in my PhD research & overall state of the world isn’t really helping, so I’ve been focusing on a few of my favorite things 🎶amino acids. text (& song)👉 bit.ly/38jcnP3 & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb An overview of amino acids - I compare and contrast, and hopefully create or foster a love of them that’ll last! And I now devoted a whole section of my blog to help you get to know them bit.ly/aminoacidalpha… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Enzymes can speed up all types of biochemical reactions - by 5-17 orders of magnitude! So like quadrillions of times! Text 👉 bit.ly/2VGlI0u & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb “Enzyme” literally means in (“en”) leaven (“zyme”) but 4 me it's more like “in heaven” I love these things! So I hope u have some time to discuss the ENZYME! (& thanks to enzymes, rxns take less time!) bit.ly/enzymecatalysis #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

@iubmb Km on - you know we’ve got to talk enzyme kinetics! #WomensHistoryMonth is perfect time to Menten 1 of only biochemistry equations named after a woman, the Michaelis-Menten equation👉 bit.ly/2IdivxD & pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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@iubmb What determines enzyme speed? How we can measure it? Today we use Michaelis-Menten kinetics to look at age-old question: How many sticks could a stick-snapper snap if a stick-snapper could snap sticks? bit.ly/mentenkinetics #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

How many sticks a stick breaker could break if a stick breaker could break sticks depends on if those sticks are breakable! & sticks are fake-able. Enzyme inhibitor types & their evidence. bit.ly/2IdivxD & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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The enzyme fun post-wise isn't stopping, but enzyme inhibitors can put an end to enzyme fun activity-wise. There are a few different ways to inhibit, and different evidence they exhibit. bit.ly/enzymeinhibiti… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

1 of my favorite activities is talking abt enzyme activities. But 1 of my least favorite activities is tracking down what people are using to define their enzyme’s specific activity text👉 bit.ly/2xeMWBg & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Biochemists - I call upon you to unite against undefined units! I hope “U” will permit a little rant about a pet peeve of mine that’s peeving me that has to do with enzyme activity. bit.ly/enzymeactivity #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

The adventures of Folate coenzymes & folate: from bacteria playing dead to fortified bread. Molecular (&human) superheroes (do you know Lucy Wills?) in today's @iubmb Bri*fing. #WomensHistoryMonth #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1236082132520296448?s=20

You might remember the bumbling biochemist’s trusty sidekick Steppy the Stepstool… Well, even some enzymes need sidekicks - small molecules called cofactors bind to enzymes to help them speed up reactions. @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

How comfy is your couch? Wanna try a different one? Sometimes choice is easy, but other times you have to consider trade-offs between squirminess (enthalpy) & spread-out-ability (entropy) bit.ly/2TOX5Mm & pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Why Gibb a damn about thermodynamics? It can tell you if you need to “bribe” a reaction with energy, or whether it can instead occur spontaneously. So let's go couch shopping... #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/thermodynamics…

Happy #InternationalWomensDay! Many female scientists have contributed to odyssey I’ve been taking you thru - no room to honor them all, but here are a few…👉 bit.ly/2Ty1Smv & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem #womeninscience #womeninSTEM

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In today’s post, in honor of #InternationalWomensDay, I highlight some of female biochemists I’ve encountered throughout my research for #366DaysOfScience. Of course there are MANY more! bit.ly/femalebiochemi… #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem #womeninscience #womeninSTEM

20 L of insect cells in the shaker, 20 L of cells - spin them down and break the cell membranes down, 20 L-worth of insect-cell-expressed protein to purify! Text 👉 bit.ly/38APYwz & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Trying to express a protein in bacteria & it isn’t going well? Maybe you should try expression in an insect cell! It takes a bit more work but BEVS is worth it if e. coli make your protein go berserk! bit.ly/bevsinsect #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Want a lot of protein made on demand? And you don’t just want it expressed - you want it over-expressed? Take a page out of the book of T7-phage! text👉& pics below bit.ly/3cPVhLO
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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In recombinant protein over-expression in bacteria, I can use IPTG induction of T7 Pol to get bacteria to devote almost all their energy & resources to making aprotein I want when I want. How it works: bit.ly/bacoverexpress… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Feeling blue? These bacteria are too - and that makes us molecular cloners feel blue because it means our gene didn’t get in there. What's the meaning of blue-white screening? text👉 bit.ly/2ve5EYZ & pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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last pic - the difference between screening & selection

Did your gene get in the plasmid? Blue-white screening system makes it easy to tell - so we can choose a colonywhere molecular cloning went well! bit.ly/2TVwNZe #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Extracting RNA w/o the help of a kit isn’t as easy, but you can do it! RNA extraction kits are in high demand & at times like this it’s great to know how to do it the “old-school” way. bit.ly/3cW3i1N #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

With the (normally) ready ability of RNA extraction kits, you might not know the attraction of phenol-chlororm RNA EXTRACTION. Actually it’s not that fun - but let’s try to make it fun! bit.ly/rnaextraction #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Looking for something to do? Why not get started Wikipedia editing? The bumbling biochemist's beginner's guide! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1238542724741001216?s=20

Here's a blog post about how you can get started editing Wikipedia & help improve its diversity. And below's a link to accompanying slides. Happy editing! @iubmb bit.ly/wikieditinggui… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

powerpoint form of Wikipedia editing slides: bit.ly/wikieditingppt
PDF form of Wikipedia editing slides: bit.ly/wikieditingpdf

I know you’ve been hearing A LOT about COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (aka 2019-nCoV)) & you might be wondering how the tests work. I explain 👉 bit.ly/39UfWNc & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Most of the "coronavirus tests" utilize what is called Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), to detect the virus' genetic information. Here's how they work bit.ly/coronavirustes… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

It’s ironic how “social distancing” can isolate you more physically from people while at the same time making you feel more connected than ever. Some thoughts from life in a wait-and-see situation…👉 bit.ly/2WbJHFb
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

We're all in this together & we all can contribute to keeping everyone safer & happier. Whether it's writing a blog post, donating lab supplies, or checking in on a neighbor, there's something you're perfect for
bit.ly/socialdistanci… #366DaysOfScience #scicomm #realtimechem

I have a strong affinity for protein purification, and an avid interest in streptavidin. So don't get stressed, get Strep-ed!👉 bit.ly/33lYUF4
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I love streptavadin's ability to bind biotin but when sticking reversibly is what you have in mind you’ll want modified versions like Strep-Tactin & “Strep Tags” that less-strongly bind. bit.ly/streptag #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Flash freeze and chill - and keep your proteins chill until return you will! But don't *really* freeze them... My final antifreeze dance for a while... 👉 bit.ly/3b5bSK5
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

You don’t want the little rivers of water flowing in & around your proteins to “really freeze” (as in crystallize into ice) when you “freeze” your proteins! So you do the antifreeze dance! bit.ly/cryoprotectant… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I might have (temporarily) left the lab but I didn't leave the cape - & science posts you shall not escape! Today, CRISPR, as a reminder that even bacteria have to protect themselves against viruses 👉 bit.ly/3a6iUhy
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Scientists and doctors have only recently started harnessing CRISPR’s power - but bacteria have known about it for years! bit.ly/CRISPRcas #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Anybody wanna talk about antibodies? Whether in the body or in the lab, antibodies can be quite Fab. Text👉 bit.ly/396ljaA & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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What are antibodies anyway? Where do they come from? How can we use them in the lab? A discussion on monoclonal & polyclonal antibodies in a Where’s Waldo analogy - any takers? bit.ly/antibodytypesu… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Last week I put out post on how #coronavirus tests work & people seemed to find it helpful so, working w/
@IUBMB, we put out a call for translators & got an outpouring of offers from around the world #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1241138187784708098?s=20

I've set up a blog page devoted to #Covid19 - currently includes long, medium, & short English versions of post on how tests work as well as translated versions added continuously. More topics to come #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/covid19bbresou…

You might think that if you’re diagnosed with #COVID19 covid19, your doctors will give you a specific drug to target it - but this isn’t the case - at least not yet. text👉 & more pics below bit.ly/2Uaa3Gg
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Why are viruses hard to target? And how do potential #COVID19 treatments try to do so? bit.ly/covid19treatme… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Struggling to come to terms with the new realty? Me too! So I thought I’d try to at least help people come to terms with drug trial and terms! 👉 bit.ly/2QCjeNk
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Open-label, double-blind, what do clinical trial investigators have in mind?! Study size, placebo - just a couple terms that you should know (& which you’ve likely been hearing a lot about these days) bit.ly/clinicaltrialt… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I’m not involved in clinical trials, but the experiments I carry out in the lab are each like mini (more easily controlled) trials 👉 bit.ly/2xmQS2F
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

A lot of the same principles about dependent variables, independent variables, replicates, etc. for clinical trials apply to everyday experiments. So I thought I’d tell you about experimental design. bit.ly/experimentalde… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

As I continue working on covid-19 post translations, naturally I figured I should review my favorite type of translation - the biochemical process in which protein is made! (peptide weddings!)👉 bit.ly/2J9dVkq
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I like to talk about genes as “recipes” for “baking” proteins (written in amino acids). But when it comes to the details of that “baking” process, TRANSLATION, I find it easier to explain as a wedding bit.ly/translationtim… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I LOVE proteins! But what *is* a protein anyway? Because I love them & think u should too, here's an amino acid (protein letter) to peptide (linked amino acids) to protein (folded-up peptide) review!👉 bit.ly/2UFyquc
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

A protein is a peptide with a plan... What do amine by that? bit.ly/proteinsyay #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Energy - need more energy! Need the ATP ATM ASAP! So here’s a review of ATP, and how it can serve as cellular “energy currency" 👉 bit.ly/2Uk2oF6
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

ATP can serve as cellular “energy currency” - I found this super confusing in undergrad - and I want to show people it’s actually pretty rad! bit.ly/atpenergymoney #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Tired of singing Happy Birthday to count to 20 while washing your hands? Try singing the amino acids instead! And maybe learn some Italian after? #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem @iubmb

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1243675183220588546?s=20

And with your nice amino-acid-song-clean hands you now visit my blog and learn even learn more about amino acids in wait for it….. Italian! @iubmb bit.ly/aminoacidsong #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

As many of us struggle to cope, &, for radical new treatments hope, there’s a lot of love being given to good ole’ soap! But what makes soap (and its “artificial soap” detergent friends) so dope?!👉 bit.ly/3bvsFpR
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Soap - yup, soap. Sounds pretty boring but it's one of the greatest tools we have against #COVID19, and here's why... bit.ly/soapsanddeterg… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Covid-19 have you losing your sanity trying to find hand sanitizer? Well, if soap & sink are available, that’d be wiser, but you can also go all MacGyver!👉 bit.ly/39ud3kS
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Turns out you only need a few things to make an alcohol-based hand sanitizer… WHO knew - and so can you! bit.ly/handsanitizerss #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Looking for something fun to do with your kids? Why not use candy and q-tips to model LIPIDS! Text👉 bit.ly/2UKQLGk & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Physicists get people excited about an obscure thing by calling it antimatter - so can I get people excited about super common biochemistry things (lipids like fats and oils) by calling them antiwater? #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/lipidlove

Looking for some at-home activity you can do for free? How ‘bout building a paper model of GFP?! 👉 bit.ly/2WXXShu
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

GFP’s a protein that glows green, making it useful for all sorts of things. & you can build a paper model without having to go out! Today’s post is for those who wanna know - what gives GFP its glow! #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/gfpfunscience

An Update On The Drugs Being Developed And Tested To Fight COVID-19 one.npr.org/i/824730497:82…

“Coronavirus tests:” the tests that people actually want to take! But what #COVID19 test is best? There isn’t a single answer! Text explanation👉 bit.ly/39E674S & more figures below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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PCR & ID NOW tests look for virus itself, so can only detect *current* infections. Serological tests look for evidence of virus-specific response, so can detect *past* infections. We need both. Here's why 👉bit.ly/covid19testtyp… #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Need something happy? I do & if you do too, this post is for you! I thought I'd lighten your feed w/some female biochemists who're awesome, indeed!👉 bit.ly/3aE82b1 & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem Hodgkin: bit.ly/dorothycrowfoo…

2/9 more on Barbara Low: bit.ly/penamp⠀

3/9 more on Janet Litster Rideout: bit.ly/38yNyib

4/9 more on Martha Chase: bit.ly/hersheychaseexp

5/9 more on Rosalind Franklin: bit.ly/rosalindfrankl…

6/9 more on Eileen Southgate: bit.ly/eileensouthgate

7/9 more on Ilona Banga: bit.ly/ilonabanga

8/9 more on Sylvey Kornberg: bit.ly/sylvy_kornberg

9/9 more on Maud Menten: bit.ly/mentenkinetics

I’m sure you’ve been seeing a lot of maps lately - sad ones - but this map is a happy map. A VERY HAPPY map! It shows all the translators who've volunteered to help bring #Covid19 information to people worldwide! THANK YOU all! @iubmb

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1246185569522073601?s=20

These translators are just a few of the many people who really give me hope for humanity and have helped me feel a sense of connection and purpose in these physically isolating times. @iubmb bit.ly/ahappymap ⠀#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

As I work on formatting & posting translated Covid-19 test posts, making sure I credit volunteers - TY! - thought I’d repost story of someone who did NOT get credit she deserved - Rosalind Franklin👉bit.ly/39HCj7q
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

A fiber diffraction “picture” Rosalind Franklin took of DNA proved the key to unlocking it's double helical nature bit.ly/fiberdiffracti…
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Our muscles don’t wait until a crisis to stock up on essentials - they “hoard” some energy - but not as ATP. Instead, if they need energy ASAP, they use creatine phosphate to quickly make ATP.👉 bit.ly/2wglV09
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

If your muscles need energy ASAP, they use creatine phosphate to quickly make ATP. Creatine? What does that mean? An amino acid that’s not in protein?bit.ly/creatineatp #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Not being able to to find toilet paper is annoying - not being able to find meds you rely on can be deadly serious & when that drug's being hoarded w/o proof it's time for some tough treatment talk…👉 bit.ly/2X9PsDM
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Before you go trying to hoard hydroxychloroquine, stock up on knowledge about the lack of knowledge about its effectiveness against #Covid19... bit.ly/hcqcaution #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

What’s the difference between a respirator and a mask? I’m so glad you asked! 👉 bit.ly/39T1OTw
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

"Respirators" may sound like robots but they're actually "just" masks w/superpowers! Unlike surgical masks, they can trap tiny particles & healthcare workers (i.e. prob. not you) are 1s who need these bit.ly/respiratorsand… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

“Push electrons, not people.” Lately, more than ever, I’ve been thinking about this bumbling biochemist catchphrase... Some sciencey solidarity thoughts...👉 bit.ly/2XkGnYU
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

As the world struggles with the Covid-19 pandemic, and uncertainty hangs everywhere like a dark cloud, it is so heartening to see the beauty of people, including scientists, coming together to help. bit.ly/pushelectronsn… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Despite desperate digging, I couldn’t get NEAR the details about the ID NOW rapid tests but if they use same technology as their flu tests, they rely on something called NEAR. text 👉 bit.ly/2UVYiDt & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Fast results?! Not so fast… I’d like to know now how ID NOW Covid-19 "rapid tests work"! So do you? Then, I hope this post will do... bit.ly/idnowrapidtests #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Covid-19 knows no borders. Neither does #scicomm - coming together in the time of coronavirus to provide accessible, multilingual, scientific info in the face of a crisis. Huge TY to @iubmb & translators! #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1248717337131274240?s=20

This is honestly 1 of the things I'm most proud of in life - my infographics on science of #Covid19 testing have been translated into 24 lang. helping me help ppl around🌎 TY all who made it possible! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #realtimechem bit.ly/translatorthan…

Tonight my family;s holding a Passover Zeder (Seder over Zoom) & Snoopy & I are ready w/some science! Today, the secrets behind matzo ball fluffiness & difference between baking powder & baking soda👉 bit.ly/34vvqFy #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Why’s matzoh flat, but matzoh balls are fluffy? Fluffiness comes from gas generation in dough that causes it to expand (leaven), which can come from biological fermenters (yeast) or chemical LEAVENING AGENTS. bit.ly/leaveningagents #366DaysOfScience #scicomm #realtimechem

Today (as I work on new post & catch up on energy production) thought I’d tell u about NAD⁺, how it’s crucial 4 energy-making & how aerobic respiration allows us to regenerate it w/o making alcohol!👉 bit.ly/2Xr16u9 #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD⁺) and it’s cousin NADP⁺ play important energy-storage & transfer roles in cells too - but if ATP’s cellular energy money, NAD⁺ is more like an energy IOU! bit.ly/cellularrespir… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Rapidly awaiting rapid antibody tests! Everyone wants to know date which they can un-isolate & we keep getting told it depends on testing. How lateral flow tests work & what can/can't they tell us👉 bit.ly/2K7BXfT
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Rapid antibody tests use lateral flow & are a lot like a pregnancy test, except you bleed on it instead of peeing on it and you’re looking for evidence of past disease instead of future babies.... bit.ly/rapidantibodyt… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

One of 1st things I did b4 leaving lab for was check out 1 of my fave books: Mapping Fate by Alice Wexler. It tells (very personal for her) story of discovery of genetic mutation that causes Huntington’s disease👉 bit.ly/34AArfS #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm

Huntington’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disease. It's a rare disease but it's commonly used to explain genetic inheritance because it's a dominant mutation. What this means -> bit.ly/glutaminehd #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Hey! I know him! As we wait for a breakthrough drug for Covid-19 we can learn more about a past medical breakthrough - a lifesaving SMA treatment called nusinersen (Spinraza) text 👉 bit.ly/2VxE1TL & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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The science behind the SMA treatment Spinraza was largely worked out by Dr. Adrian Krainer, here at CSHL. I get to see him frequently & now everyone can see him in Part 2 of PBS’ documentary “The Gene" bit.ly/spinrazasma #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #RealTimeChem

What the hell is sickle cell? And can CRISPR treat it well? If you watched PBS doc “The Gene” you heard about a few amazing treatments for genetic diseases enabled by knowledge of genetics including👉bit.ly/2VfqgKx
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Sickle cell disease and related hemoglobin disorders are being experimentally treated by removing the brakes from a version of beta globin that is usually only made in fetuses. bit.ly/sicklecelldise… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

This is my favorite Bri*fing too! My new e-friend (& Greek translator!) @Nefeli_BK & I interview each other about everything from the amino acid lysine to our favorite lab equipment to LEGOs! @iubmb #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1251227666822262790?s=20

When life gives you a pandemic, make new e-friends! The other day I was feeling really down so I reached out to one of my new translator friends, Nefeli & ended up having great chat (tx again!) @iubmb bit.ly/nefeliandbri #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

In tests we trust? Too much? We (desperately) need Covid-19 tests, so a lot of companies are starting to make &/or sell their own. BUT a bad test can be worse than no test. Text👉 bit.ly/2VhC8vJ & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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#Covid19 test development's a tug-of-war between sensitivity (find all infected) & specificity (avoid false alarms). Those, combined with who gets tested, determine what a test’s predictive values are bit.ly/testterminology #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

#Covid19 is an acquired disease, but some diseases come from inside of us - tiny typos in genetic info can have disastrous consequences, as in Sickle cell anemia. Here's how that typo was discovered👉 bit.ly/2ViUQTM #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

As I prepare to bring you more posts about the disease you likely care more abt now, thought I’d reshare this post on discovery of cause of Sickle cell anemia. Hope you find story as fascinating as I! bit.ly/paulingingram #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

What was the deal with the CDC #Covid19 diagnostic tests? It’s taken pretty long, but we now know more about what went wrong. Text 👉 bit.ly/3cwB2Sy & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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If a CSI-er didn’t wear gloves when testing for fingerprints & his fingerprints were found on evidence, is he the culprit? We can’t know & this was what happened with CDC #Covid19 tests - they got viral RNA in one of their “detective mixes.” bit.ly/cdctestproblems #scicomm

Don’t go rushing to get a rapid coronavirus test! According to a Cleveland Clinic study, the ID NOW rapid #Covid19 test has an almost 15% false negative rate. Here's what that means 👉 bit.ly/3bsCTI1
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

That Abbott ID NOW #covid19 test that was the talk of the town for it’s speed is now once again the talk of the town - for its inaccuracy, or more precisely, its (lack of) sensitivity. #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/rapidtestrelia…

Traditional Covid-19 tests use RT-PCR to see if *any* copies of viral genome are present, but technique has many other uses incl. counting *how many* copies of protein recipes there are 👉 bit.ly/34VYTZi pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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If we can count protein recipe copies, we can get an idea about how much of each protein is being made under different conditions & qPCR provides a way to do this bit.ly/rtrtqpcrprimer #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Tuesday (4/21/20) the NIH’s COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel put out fact-based recommendations on how (and how not) to treat patients with #Covid19. Here are some highlights and lowlights👉 bit.ly/3cNQ9r3 #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Although there are NO FDA-approved treatments for #Covid19, there are a lot of drugs being investigated, and here is a bumbly look at where things stand & what the NIH currently recommends. bit.ly/covid19potenti… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

TESTS! Oh, the good ole days when people dreaded taking tests… These days, everyone is *wanting* to take tests - to see if they have or had #COVID19. But how do they work? @iubmb

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1253790777496354816?s=20

#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

There are a lot of different variations of #COVID19 tests. Here’s an overview of how they work, and what you need to watch out for. @iubmb bit.ly/covid19testtyp… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

You might be hearing people preach, PLEASE DON’T DRINK OR INJECT BLEACH! But what is bleach? I hope you’ll let me teach…👉 bit.ly/2xYdHun
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Chlorine bleach is a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and it works as a strong oxidizing agent (oxidant). It attacks chemical bonds in bugs, dyes, and people! bit.ly/bleachbeware #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

picture should read 2nd pic, second line should ClO- above hypochlorite ion - sorry for typo

What U should know about UV and how it differs from what you might have heard about on TV… I explain 👉 bit.ly/2VFK1v4
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem #COVID19

DON’T SHINE UV LIGHT ON PEOPLE! That warning out of the way, how *can* (and *cannot*) UVC light be used in the fight against Covid-19 (and other germs)? bit.ly/uvlightcaution #365DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer is the one on the right (with the square center part) and the 6-4 photoadduct is on the left - apologies for the mislabeling!

Too much UV light and your DNA’s no longer right! Here’s a quick primer on what’s called a PYRIMIDINE DIMER. They’re one of the reasons why you should not shine UV light on or in people.👉 bit.ly/2y25NA4
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

So, you've probably been hearing about how UV light needs to be treated cautiously because it can damage your DNA. But *HOW*?! A bumbly explanation of biochemical boo-boos... bit.ly/uvdnadamage #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

There are 2 main types of bleach (chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach). You hopefully have gotten the “do not drink” message, but do you know how these chemical concoctions actually work?👉 bit.ly/2Yh2QX8
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Bleaches work as “oxidants” and today I want to tell you more about what this means, and why hydrogen peroxide (the key player in oxygen bleach) is good at its job…. #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/oxygenbleachte…

I’m normally all for informal information-giving, but today I thought I’d bring some class (& hopefully help people pass their class) by discussing formal charges, oxidation numbers & bond types.👉 bit.ly/35ie8fk #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Chemical bond types, oxidation #, formal charges. Sounds pretty boring, I know, but I promise to try to make it fun - I’m talking dogs & poker, so I hope you’ll stick around 4 a trip to electron pound #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/oxidationnumbe…

Will a molecule act as a nucleophile or a base? How do we determine which is the case? Here's a repost I hope can help finals-takers "Yippee" instead of "whelp!" Much more👉 bit.ly/3bVlO9Y
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

This post isn’t meant as a substitution for class and it won’t eliminate all difficulty, but hopefully it helps explain differences between electrophiles & nucleophiles and basicity & nucleophilicity! #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/nucleophilesan…

Soap - howdya get so dope?! Answer: it has both positive and negative parts, you see, (we call this amphiphilicity) and it can break up germs before they get in you and me! @iubmb

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1256324029750710272?s=20

#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

There’s been a lot of talk of “disinfectants” - here's bumbling biochemist's review - spoiler alert, my fave's cheapest & safest (though not to drink or inject!) good ole soap & water! @iubmb #COVID19 #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/cleanercompari…

People stuck at home are baking. And they might be needing to scale up or down their recipes. It can be done w/my FAVORITE equation! One I can’t wait to get to use in the lab again… C₁V₁=C₂V₂ 👉bit.ly/2StMpDe
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

I’m not gonna share any beautiful baked good pictures w/you, or even baking tips - I’d be no help with that - but I can hopefully help with recipe-adjusting. Cuz it can be done w/my FAVORITE equation! bit.ly/c1v1equalsc2v2 #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

#Covid19 - the hunt for a vaccine, and some of the key candidates and strategies on the scene. Text explanation 👉 bit.ly/2YtyroF & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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In addition to the “classic ways” of making a vaccine, there are new ways being tried to produce a #COVID19 vaccine. Each way has pros and cons, and I hope I can help you understand what’s going on. #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/coronavirusvac…

There are over 90 #coronavirus vaccines in development, and people want to know which work best. I mean, who doesn’t want to know? WHO does, so they’re proposing a unique international vaccine trial 👉 bit.ly/3fgatDv
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Some of the 90+ #COVID19 vaccines in development are likely to fizzle out early, but how will the rest get tested and proven? bit.ly/coronavirusvac… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Forget remaining neutral, neutralizing antibodies are awesome! They’re so valuable cuz they have the power to prevent a virus from infecting cells! But how do scientists find them? Text👉bit.ly/2L1NY74 & pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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“Neutralizing antibodies” cansingle-handedly block the virus from getting into cells & scientists can use Plaque Reduction Neutralization Tests or Pseudovirus neutralization tests to find them #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/neutralization…

Metabolism & glycoysis! I’m “studying” for a thesis committee meeting, so thought I’d repost this to hopefully help people who are studying for finals (& anyone else)⠀👉 bit.ly/2L5oc1X & more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Learning about glycolysis & metabolism need not bring pessimism! bit.ly/metabolismglyc…⠀#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Hi RNAi - thanks for dropping by. Actually, thoughts about the protein-production regulation mechanism RNAi basically have full-time residence in the bumbling biochemist’s brain. 👉 bit.ly/2WdfYv2 & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Today I took a mental health day because #MentalHealthMatters...👉 bit.ly/3dtXEn6 @iubmb
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1258852277709713408?s=21

https://twitter.com/iubmb/status/1258852277709713408

Beauty *in* the beast? You’ve likely been seeing a lot of (pretty) “pictures” of #coronavirus proteins. Many of these molecular “pictures” were captured using x-ray crystallography. Here's a primer👉 bit.ly/2AepAgC
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Because proteins are so small & free-willed, getting molecular pics w/crystallography's more complicated than telling them to say cheese & pressing button on your camera, but it gives you way more info bit.ly/xraycrystallog… #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

This is the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro). Today's post's on what its structure shows us & how scientists around the🌎 are using it (& others) to custom design #COVID19 treatments👉 bit.ly/2YPmtG1 & more pics below #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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The #coronavirus pandemic has shone light on one of my favorite fields of science, structural biology. Here's one way it's being used to attack SARS-Cov-2 at its heart with custom protease inhibitors. #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/mproinhibitors

The coronavirus has several enzymes that we don’t have, so they offer attractive drug targets, like how yesterday I told you about MPro inhibitors. Today I review enzyme kinetics👉 bit.ly/2AdYlmc more pics below
#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

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Different enzyme inhibitors being developed differ, but there are some concepts about enzyme inhibitors that “always” hold true, so I thought today would be a good time to review…#366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem bit.ly/enzymeinhibiti…

The FDA recently approved a new type of #coronavirus test, an ANTIGEN TEST. Do NOT confuse this with an ANTIBODY TEST! More on how they work👉 bit.ly/35RQAOy #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem

Finding a viral antigen is like catching a robber red-handed. But finding an anti-viral antibody in someone is more like finding a fingerprint the robber left on his way out Antigen vs. antibody tests: bit.ly/antigentests #366DaysOfScience #biochemistry #scicomm #realtimechem