Category: Biochemistry

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Biochemistry Chemistry in the News

What is folic acid, and why is it important during pregnancy?

Infographic titled 'Why is folic acid important during pregnancy?'. Folic acid is a human-made form of folate, vitamin B9. We have to get it from our diet. It's converted into folate in the body. Folate is found naturally in a number of foods, particularly leafy vegetables, seeds, and nuts. It can also be added to some foods including flour, a process known as fortification. Low levels of folate have been linked to neural tube defects (NTDs). These happen when the neural tube, which forms the brain and spinal cord, doesn't develop or close properly, leading to conditions like spina bifida. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of NTDs by about 70%. The mechanism by which folate reduces NTDs isn't known, but folate is important for building nucleic acids, the building blocks of DNA. Large quantities of nucleic acids are required by the developing neural tube for DNA replication, and folic acid deficiency may impact this.

This week, the UK has confirmed it plans to fortify non-wholemeal flour with folic acid. It’s not the first country to do so: the United States has been fortifying flour with folic acid since 1998. Most countries in South America and a number in Asia also have mandatory fortification programs. This graphic looks at the […]

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Biochemistry

Dahlia colour chemistry: Why don’t we see blue dahlias?

Infographic on the chemistry of dahlia flower colours. The colours of dahlias are a result of anthocyanin-, chalcone- and aurone-derived pigments. Colourless sflavones also interact with and stabilisse anthocyanin pigments. Chalcones and aurones lead to yellow and orange dahlias, while anthocyanins play a part in orange, pink, red and black dahlias. Blue dahlias aren't seen because dahlias lack an enzyme for making delphinidin, the anthocyanin which leads to blue flowers.

Dahlias: the jewels of the late summer garden. Shades of red, yellow, orange, pink, with their petals forming intricate geometric structures. But, like roses and many other flowers, the dahlia spectrum is missing one colour: blue. So why are blue blooms so rare in nature?

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Biochemistry C&EN

How the sun affects our skin: vitamin D, sunburn and skin cancer – in C&EN

Summers are filled with sunny days to enjoy the outdoors, but you need to bring along the proper sun protection to prevent skin damage. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News looks at the chemistry the sun triggers in our skin. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.

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Biochemistry C&EN

The chemistry of plant flowering – in C&EN

What causes plants to flower in the springtime, and what is responsible for the range of colours and aromas their bloom produce? In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News, we look at the chemicals in play. Visit the C&EN site to view the full graphic.

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Biochemistry ChemVsCOVID Coronavirus

#ChemVsCOVID: How was the spike protein structure identified?

The second part of the #ChemVsCOVID series, produced with the Royal Society of Chemistry, looks at how the structure of the spike protein was determined and how it helped our efforts against the virus.

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Biochemistry Biology C&EN

How do some animals survive freezing? – in C&EN

Many animals, including some species of fish and frogs, can tolerate subzero temperatures. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News, we look at the biochemical adaptations that help them stay alive. Click through to the C&EN site to view the full graphic.