Protein crystallography at ALS Beamline 8.3.1 helped scientists understand the M2 proton-channel structure from the influenza A virus, an understanding that is needed to design better anti-influenza medications. Read more »
ALS Work Using Protein Crystallography
Protein crystallography is used for determining the molecular structure of proteins. Crystallized protein molecules cause a beam of incident x-rays to scatter in many directions, with constructive and destructive interference generating a diffraction pattern. By analyzing these patterns, a crystallographer can produce a three-dimensional picture of the density of electrons within the crystal and thus determine the protein's structure.
Improving Meningococcal Vaccines
Scientists have found a way to improve the stability of an essential antigenic protein to develop vaccines with higher efficacy for prevention of bacterial meningitis. Read more »
Foreign DNA Capture during CRISPR–Cas Adaptive Immunity
Using macromolecular crystallography at Beamline 8.3.1 at the ALS, Berkeley researchers discovered how CRISPR/Cas captures foreign DNA for the bacterial immune system. Read more »
A New Pathway for Radionuclide Uptake
Scientists have reported a major advance in understanding the biological chemistry of radioactive metals, opening up new avenues of research into strategies for remedial action in the event of possible human exposure to nuclear contaminants. Read more »
Binding Behavior of Dopamine Transporter Key to Understanding Chemical Reactions in the Brain
Scientists working at the ALS recently solved the crystallographic structures of several amine transporters in an effort to better understand why the human brain responds to chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. What they found will help in the design of drugs to treat many neurological diseases, and may also lead to a better understanding of how addiction to abused drugs such as cocaine can be managed. Read more »
SIBYLS Beamline Builds on Nobel Research
Often the full impact of a scientific discovery takes decades to realize, during which the research is developed further and adopted by other scientists. Such was the case for the work of biochemist Paul Modrich, one of three recipients of this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source was a core resource Modrich used to build on his earlier work. Read more »
A Designed Protein Maps Brain Activity
A team of scientists designed and validated via x-ray crystallographic studies a fluorescent protein (CaMPARI) that allows the permanent marking of active brain cells. The protein was then used to study live changes via fluorescence in the active nerve cells in brains of fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice. Read more »
Carotenoid Pigment Is the Key to Photoprotection
A technique newly available at the ALS has enabled the discovery of a surprising key event in photosynthetic systems. A protein shifting from an “orange” light-absorbing state to a “red” photoprotective state turns out to be an unanticipated molecular priming event in photoprotection. Read more »
Ancient Proteins Help Unravel a Modern Cancer Drug’s Mechanism
The cancer drug Gleevec is extremely specific, binding and inhibiting only the cancer-causing tyrosine protein kinase Blc-Abl, while not targeting homologous protein kinases found in normal, healthy cells. Researchers at the ALS have uncovered exactly why that is the case, pointing to novel methods of drug discovery. Read more »
Takeda Advances Diabetes Drug Development at the ALS
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), characterized by abnormally high blood glucose levels, affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In the pursuit to better treat this disease, the human receptor protein GPR40 has been identified by pharmaceutical company Takeda as a potential new drug target.