Stepwise hydride transfer in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll Hydride transfer is an important reaction for chemistry (e.g., fuel cells), as well as biology (e.g., respiratory chain and photosynthesis). Often, one partial reaction involves the transfer of a hydride ion (H−). But does this hydride transfer involve one step or several individual steps In the journal Angewandte Chemie, scientists have now provided …

Three papers help to crack the code of coenzyme Q biosynthesis Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a vital cog in the body’s energy-producing machinery, a kind of chemical gateway in the conversion of food into cellular fuel. But six decades removed from its discovery, scientists still can’t describe exactly how and when it is made. Dave Pagliarini, director of metabolism at …