Article
Biology
Sabrina Pospich, H. Lee Sweeney, Anne Houdusse, Stefan Raunser
Summary: This study reports the structural transitions of the molecular motor myosin during its force-producing motor cycle, providing valuable insights into the high-resolution structures of myosin-V in different states.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hanoch Templehof, Noga Moshe, Inbal Avraham-Davidi, Karina Yaniv
Summary: ApoB is crucial for the production of key lipoproteins in humans and defects in its synthesis and secretion can lead to various diseases. Using zebrafish mutants, researchers identified potential new functions of ApoB in organ development, shedding light on mechanisms underlying hypolipidemia-related diseases. The study highlights the importance of understanding the roles of ApoB in embryonic development and disease pathology.
Article
Cell Biology
Meiqin Jiang, Vivek Reddy Palicharla, Darcie Miller, Sun-Hee Hwang, Hanwen Zhu, Patricia Hixson, Saikat Mukhopadhyay, Ji Sun
Summary: This study reports the cryo-EM structures of human IFT-A complexes, revealing their lariat shape and vital zinc-binding domains. The cargo adapter TULP3 interacts with IFT-A through its N-terminal region, and mutations disrupt cargo transport. These findings provide insights into the structure and function of IFT-A, ciliary transport, and disease mutations.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Arka Porey, Bhaskar Deb Mondal, Joyram Guin
Summary: Enantioenriched acyclic alpha-substituted beta-hydroxy amides were successfully synthesized via enantioselective acylation of primary alcohol with N-heterocyclic carbene, with enhanced selectivity achieved by using cyclic tertiary amine as base additive. Diastereomeric transition state models were proposed to rationalize the origin of enantioselectivity in the catalytic kinetic resolution process.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Le Thi My Le, James Robert Thompson, Sepehr Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh, Shashank Pant, Phuoc Xuan Dang, Jarrod Bradley French, Takahisa Kanikeyo, Emad Tajkhorshid, Amer Alam
Summary: Phospholipid extrusion by ABC subfamily A (ABCA) exporters is essential for cellular physiology, but the molecular details of substrate interactions and transport mechanisms are still not well understood. In this study, cryo-EM structures of lipid-embedded human ABCA7 in different states were determined, revealing the structural framework for substrate entry and exit from ABCA7 and providing insights into the underlying conformational transitions. Combining functional analysis and molecular dynamics simulations, the study also shed light on lipid partitioning and localized membrane perturbations that contribute to ABCA7 function and may have implications for other ABCA family transporters.
Article
Microbiology
Anke Chen, Dan Wang, Rui Ji, Jixi Li, Shaohua Gu, Rong Tang, Chaoneng Ji
Summary: In this study, a thermostable beta-glucosidase (TsBGL) was isolated and characterized from the Thermoprotei Thermofilum sp. ex4484_79, exhibiting high activity and specific activity at elevated temperatures and pH levels. The crystal structure of TsBGL reveals a classical (alpha/beta)(8)-barrel catalytic domain, with catalytic sites including Glu210 and Glu414. TsBGL shows promise for potential industrial applications with its high thermostability and catalytic activity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rebecca Mercier, Danielle Yama, Paul LaPointe, Jill L. Johnson
Summary: Molecular chaperones, such as Hsp90, play a crucial role in maintaining protein stability and cellular health. Hsp90 facilitates the folding and activation of numerous client proteins through an ATP-dependent pathway. The interaction between Hsp90 and cochaperones, such as Hch1 and Cpr6, tightly regulate Hsp90 function and the conformational changes it undergoes during the folding cycle. Understanding these interactions and conformational changes may lead to new strategies for modulating Hsp90 function.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Na Liu, Lian Wu, Jinhui Feng, Xiang Sheng, Jian Li, Xi Chen, Jianjiong Li, Weidong Liu, Jiahai Zhou, Qiaqing Wu, Dunming Zhu
Summary: This study reported the crystal structures of a l-erythro-3,5-diaminohexanoate dehydrogenase and its variants, the only known member of beta-AADH family, revealing differences in substrate binding and catalytic mechanism compared to alpha-AADHs. Engineered variants with improved activity towards various aliphatic beta-amino acids were obtained, allowing for the preparation of beta-amino acids with excellent enantioselectivity and high yields. These results provide insights into the molecular mechanism of 3,5-DAHDH and lay a solid foundation for further design of beta-AADHs for asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino acids.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haon Futamata, Masahiro Fukuda, Rie Umeda, Keitaro Yamashita, Atsuhiro Tomita, Satoe Takahashi, Takafumi Shikakura, Shigehiko Hayashi, Tsukasa Kusakizako, Tomohiro Nishizawa, Kazuaki Homma, Osamu Nureki
Summary: Outer hair cell electromotility, driven by prestin, is essential for mammalian cochlear amplification. In this study, the cryo-EM structures of thermostabilized prestin in the presence of different anions are reported, providing insights into the mechanisms of mammalian cochlear amplification.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuyuan Zhang, Shuyuan Qiao, Jinfang Yu, Jianwei Zeng, Sisi Shan, Long Tian, Jun Lan, Linqi Zhang, Xinquan Wang
Summary: This study identified structural similarities and differences between the spikes of bat and pangolin coronaviruses compared to SARS-CoV-2, with implications for receptor binding and cell entry. Critical residues in the receptor-binding domain play a key role in determining the activity of the spikes from different coronaviruses.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Guizhi Feng, Juxun Wu, Yanhui Xu, Liqing Lu, Hualin Yi
Summary: High-throughput RNA sequencing was utilized to analyze gene expression changes during Citrus fruit development, identifying regulatory networks and key genes involved in phytohormone regulation. The study provided important insights into the molecular networks underlying citrus fruit development and ripening by illustrating the spatiotemporal expression patterns and functions of crucial genes.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Yaohua Huang, Wenping Zhang, Shimei Pang, Junmin Chen, Pankaj Bhatt, Sandhya Mishra, Shaohua Chen
Summary: Chlorpyrifos is widely used as an insecticide, but its long-term and irregular applications have caused environmental pollution and toxic effects on non-target organisms. Microbial metabolism-based bioremediation is an effective strategy to remove chlorpyrifos residues.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Omar M. Hedaya, Kadiam C. Venkata Subbaiah, Feng Jiang, Li Huitong Xie, Jiangbin Wu, Eng-Soon Khor, Mingyi Zhu, David H. Mathews, Chris Proschel, Peng Yao
Summary: By analyzing ribosome profiling data, researchers identified a dsRNA structure in the uORF of the GATA4 gene that enhances uORF translation and inhibits mORF translation. The RNA helicase DDX3X inhibits the activity of the GATA4 uORF-dsRNA and regulates the translation balance of uORF and mORF. ASOs that disrupt the dsRNA structure promote mORF translation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Omar M. Hedaya, Kadiam C. Venkata Subbaiah, Feng Jiang, Li Huitong Xie, Jiangbin Wu, Eng-Soon Khor, Mingyi Zhu, David H. Mathews, Chris Proschel, Peng Yao
Summary: This study identifies a dsRNA structure in the GATA4 uORF that regulates uORF translation and inhibits mORF translation. It also discovers that a trans-acting RNA helicase DDX3X inhibits the activity of this dsRNA structure and modulates the translational balance of uORF and mORF. ASOs that disrupt or target the dsRNA structure can alter protein expression and cellular phenotypes. This work demonstrates a generalizable translational control mechanism and provides a valuable strategy for protein expression regulation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Prerona Bora, Manjima B. Sathian, Harinath Chakrapani
Summary: Sulfane sulfur species and hydrogen sulfide play a protective role against oxidative stress in cells and are important antioxidants in cellular antioxidant pool. A study introduces perthiocarbamate-based prodrugs that can be cleaved by beta-glycosidases to produce persulfide and harmless byproducts. The persulfide donor activated by beta-glucosidase enhances cellular sulfane sulfur levels and provides protection against cell death induced by elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS).
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)