News Chemistry

A way to snap molecules together like Lego wins 2022 chemistry Nobel

Three chemists are pioneers of 'click chemistry' and 'bioorthogonal chemistry'

Large surface proteins with chains of sugars (illustrated, yellow) are shown on the outside of a cancer cell in this illustration of bioorthogonal or click chemistry, the subject of the 2022 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

By incorporating Lego-like chemicals into sugars on the cell surface, scientists can snap on green-glowing or other molecules to track specific cells. Here, large surface proteins with chains of sugars (illustrated, yellow) are shown on the outside of a cancer cell.

NICOLLE RAGER FULLER

By Meghan Rosen and Nikk Ogasa

- More than 2 years ago

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

A toolkit for snapping together molecules like Lego building blocks has won the 2022 Nobel Prize in chemistry.