A grouping of amino acids—part of an important signaling protein, STING—plays an important role in activating the immune system. A study conducted through the Collaborative Crystallography program at the ALS confirmed how this part of the STING protein helps to bind a protein-modifying enzyme associated with autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Read more »
A Two-Pronged Defense against Bacterial Self-Intoxication
Researchers solved the structure of a bacterial toxin bound to a neutralizing protein, revealing two distinct mechanisms for how the toxin-producing bacteria avoid poisoning themselves. The findings offer clues to the evolutionary origins of the potent toxins that enable bacterial pathogens to cause human diseases such as cholera and diphtheria. Read more »
Unwinding a Quadruple Helix
The double helix is not the only structure formed by DNA and RNA. Guanine-rich DNA and RNA sequences can fold into quadruple-helix structures called G-quadruplexes. Recently, researchers visualized the unfolding of a G-quadruplex by a protein called DHX36, gaining valuable insight into a potential target for drug development. Read more »
Open and Shut: Pain Signals in Nerve Cells
Researchers used x-ray data to define the structure of a closed protein gate important for neuronal signaling. Comparing the closed gate with previously known structures of the same gate when open, researchers now have a comprehensive picture of proton-dependent channels in neurons. Read more »
Structures Reveal New Target for Malaria Vaccine
Researchers isolated human-derived antibodies that protect against malaria, and protein-structure studies revealed the antibodies’ site of attack. The discovery paves the way for the development of a more effective and practical human vaccine for malaria, which is responsible for half a million deaths every year. Read more »
ALS Passes the 7000-Protein Milestone
The eight structural biology beamlines at the ALS have now collectively deposited over 7000 proteins into the Protein Data Bank (PDB), a worldwide, open-access repository of protein structures. The 7000th ALS protein (entry no. 6C7C) is an enzyme from Mycobacterium ulcerans (strain Agy99), solved with data from Beamline 5.0.2. Read more »
Genentech Advances Research Toward Better Medicines to Lower Cholesterol
Genentech has been working in collaboration with the ALS for years with the goal of identifying a better cholesterol treatment mechanism that targets a cholesterol-regulating protein in the body known as PCSK9. Recent advances in understanding PCSK9’s structure have put them closer to that goal. Read more »
NIH Grant Will Enhance Structural Biology Research Experience for ALS Users
A recently awarded National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant will help integrate existing structural biology resources at the ALS to better serve users. The funds will help establish a centralized collaborative mechanism, called ALS-ENABLE, that will guide users through the most appropriate routes for answering their biological questions. Read more »
A Bacterial Jigsaw Puzzle Is Solved
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are hollow protein shells that encapsulate enzymes involved in bacterial metabolism. Crystallography studies have provided atomic-resolution views of a fully assembled BMC, revealing basic principles of shell construction for fighting pathogens or bioengineering applications. Read more »
Structure of a Key Protein from the Zika Virus
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen recently linked to birth defects in infants. At the ALS, researchers have resolved the structure of a key ZIKV protein to 3.0 Å, an important step toward the rational design of drugs capable of disrupting viral functions and halting the spread of the disease. Read more »
