Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - Current issue : November 2009 - Vol 16 No 11
Latest highlights
Article of the month
The poxvirus 2L protein binds tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Structural data now indicate that 2L interacts with TNFα at a site overlapping with that for its receptor, arguing for the basis of inhibition of receptor interaction and TNFα–induced immune responses.
Advance online publication
Taking Rho steps
Article by Boudvillain and colleaguesThe bacterial transcriptional termination factor Rho is a hexameric helicase that tracks along RNA and dissociates DNA-RNA hybrids. Here the activity of Rho is examined using nucleotide analog interference mapping, revealing that the helicase takes large, 7-nt steps, triggered by contacts with 2'OH in the tracked RNA substrate.
Advance online publication
Block by displacement
Article by Lu and colleaguesInward rectifying K+ channels respond to voltage via blockage by intracellular polyamines, but how these blockers work is not entirely clear. Now a crystal structure of the cytoplasmic portion of Kir3.1 reveals 5 ion sites, and functional analyses indicate these ions are displaced by spermine binding.
Advance online publication
Keeping chromosomes condensed
Article by Vanoosthuyse, Keogh and colleaguesH2A.Z is implicated in genome stability across species. Acetylation of this histone variant in S. pombe is now found to be involved in maintaining condensed chromosomes during mitosis, with premature dissociation of condensin occurring in its absence.
Advance online publication
TRICky Htt interaction
Article by Frydman and colleaguesThe eukaryotic group II chaperonin TRiC can block polyQ tract aggregation, present in proteins such as Htt. Here the TRiC-Htt interaction is examined using in vitro and in vivo experiments, revealing that TRiC does not physically block the polyQ tract, but rather sequesters a short N-terminal sequence that promotes the amyloidogenic conformation.
Advance online publication
More than a phosphatase
Article by Kimura and colleaguesCondensins are protein complexes essential for eukaryotic mitosis and whose chromosomal association is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events. Now protein phosphatase PP2A is shown to be important for association of condensin II with mitotic chromosomes, but its catalytic activity is not required.
Advance online publication
Planting methylation
Brief Communication by Jacobsen and colleaguesDe novo methylation of DNA can affect the function of underlying genes and transposons in plants. Using a genetic screen, two factors required for de novo demethylation in Arabidopsis thaliana are identified and analyzed.
Web focus
Focus on telomeres and ribosomes
Focus on telomeres and ribosomesThe 2009 Nobel Prizes celebrated research on telomeres and ribosomes. This web focus on telomeres and ribosomes collects current research papers, Reviews, Perspectives and News & Views from Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, as well as from Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, that give a feel for the diversity of research in these continually evolving and exciting fields.
