IOCB covers 2025

Here are some of the front/back/inside covers created to accompany and illustrate scientific articles authored by IOCB researchers and published in 2025.

Design of potent mannose-6-phosphate derivatives as ligands for CI-M6P/IGF2R using fluorescence polarization assay

High-affinity M6P mimetics. In their Research Article, J. Kaminský, K. Parkan, L. Žáková and co-workers report how they designed stable mannose-6-phosphate derivatives and evaluated their binding to CI-M6P/IGF2R by using a fluorescence polarization assay. Multivalent ligands and phosphonate-based mimetics showed enhanced affinity, offering promising tools for targeted lysosomal delivery. (Cover art: Tomáš Belloň/IOCB Prague)

Article: Mrázková, L.; Hladoníková, K.; Toncarová, B.; Fischer, M.; Zýka, J.; Kozák, J.; Kráľ, M.; Kožíšek, M.; Jiráček, J.; Kaminský, J.; Parkan, K.; Žáková, L. Design of Potent Mannose‐6‐Phosphate Derivatives as Ligands for CI‐M6P/IGF2R Using Fluorescence Polarization Assay. Chem. Eur. J. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202500973
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Beyond natural flavonoids: exploring bioisosterism in design and synthesis of influenza endonuclease inhibitors

Cover art: Tomáš Belloň/IOCB Prague

Article: Reiberger, R.; Kráľ, M.; Radilová, K.; Kotačka, T.; Dračínský, M.; Tsalyy, A.; Brynda, J.; Majer, P.; Konvalinka, J.; Kožíšek, M.; Machara, A. Beyond Natural Flavonoids: Exploring Bioisosterism in Design and Synthesis of Influenza Endonuclease Inhibitors. RSC Med. Chem. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5md00071h
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The mysterious world of non-canonical caps – What we know and why we need new sequencing techniques

Dive into the intriguing world of 5’ non-canonical RNA caps —unique modifications derived from metabolites and cofactors such as NAD, FAD, CoA, UDP-glucose, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, and dinucleoside polyphosphates—that challenge the long-held belief that RNA is capped solely by N7-methylguanosine. This review 10.1002/cbic.202400604 by Flaminia Mancini and Hana Cahova highlights how cutting-edge techniques like LC-MS have uncovered these caps across all domains of life and evaluates existing sequencing methods, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative technologies to decipher their biological roles. Discover a rapidly evolving field that could reshape our understanding of RNA biology.

Article: Mancini, F.; Cahova, H. The Mysterious World of Non-Canonical Caps – What We Know and Why We Need New Sequencing Techniques. ChemBioChem 2025, 26 (3), e202400604. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202400604
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3’-dehydroxypurpurogallin-4-carboxamides as influenza A endonuclease inhibitors: synthesis, structure-activity relationship analysis, and structural characterization of protein complex

The image shows a scene where the mushroom motif is linked to the chemical formulas of purpurogallin derivatives – colchicine, fomenanthriol, and aurantricholone – natural pigments in mushroom caps. These compounds appear as orange, red, or brown dyes, echoing the mushrooms’ colors. It also represents the mushroom season, popular in Europe during autumn. A blue “shield” symbolizes the protective effect of our developed purpurogallines, which block influenza endonuclease, depicted as scissors ready to cleave RNA. (Cover art: Tomáš Belloň/IOCB Prague)

Article: Mancini, F.; Cahova, H. The Mysterious World of Non-Canonical Caps – What We Know and Why We Need New Sequencing Techniques. ChemBioChem 2025, 26 (3), e202400604. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202400604
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From boom to bloom: synthesis of diazidodifluoromethane, its stability and applicability in the ‘click’ reaction