Focus 26 January 2021

Structural biology, biochemistry and biophysics

Understanding cellular processes requires a detailed knowledge of the underlying biochemistry. Here we showcase some of our recent articles in the areas of biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology and mass spectrometry that characterise biomolecules and their interactions in addition to methodology papers in these fields and related multidisciplinary work.

Featured articles

Structural basis of frizzled 7 activation and allosteric regulation

FZD₇ is a class F GPCR involved in intestinal epithelium homeostasis. Using cryo-EM, the authors determine the structure of inactive FZD₇ and compare it with the G-protein-bound form. They refine the FZD activation mechanisms and identify a water pocket and an allosteric cholesterol binding site.
- Julien Bous
- Julia Kinsolving
- Gunnar Schulte
ArticleOpen Access28 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
Visualization of the Cdc48 AAA+ ATPase protein unfolding pathway

The Cdc48 enzyme is an abundant and essential enzyme that functions in many cellular pathways as a protein unfoldase. Here, the authors determine an ensemble of Cdc48 structures that capture snapshots of its unfolding action using a ‘hand-over-hand’ mechanism.
- Ian Cooney
- Heidi L. Schubert
- Peter S. Shen
ArticleOpen Access29 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
A plug-and-play monofunctional platform for targeted degradation of extracellular proteins and vesicles

Existing methods use bifunctional chimaeras for extracellular protein degradation but rely on specific lysosome-targeting receptors, raising resistance issues. Here, the authors develop MONOTAB, a monofunctional platform that degrades extracellular proteins and vesicles without receptor dependency.
- Shasha Yao
- Yi Wang
- Youqing Shen
ArticleOpen Access22 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
FAM72A degrades UNG2 through the GID/CTLH complex to promote mutagenic repair during antibody maturation

Antibody diversification relies on the intentional mutagenesis of immunoglobulin genes for adaptive immune responses. Here, the authors identified a CTLH E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that co-opts FAM72A to recruit and degrade the UNG2 base excision repair factor to permit mutagenesis.
- Philip Barbulescu
- Chetan K. Chana
- Alberto Martin
ArticleOpen Access30 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
SLC17A1/3 transporters mediate renal excretion of Lac-Phe in mice and humans

The lactate metabolite N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) plays a role in suppressing food intake and body weight. Here, the authors identify kidney transporters responsible for the renal excretion of Lac-Phe. This discovery highlights a pathway for Lac-Phe regulation in mice and humans.
- Veronica L. Li
- Shuke Xiao
- Jonathan Z. Long
ArticleOpen Access12 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
OTUD6 deubiquitination of RPS7/eS7 on the free 40 S ribosome regulates global protein translation and stress

Initiation is the rate limiting step of protein translation. Here the authors show that recycling of the free ribosomal 40 S subunit is regulated by the deubiquitinase OTUD6. OTUD6 deubiquitinates monoubiquitinated RPS7/eS7 to promote 40 S recycling into the preinitiation complex.
- Sammy Villa
- Pankaj Dwivedi
- Fred W. Wolf
ArticleOpen Access11 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
Structural insights into Frizzled3 through nanobody modulators

The Wnt receptor Frizzled (FZD) family is crucial for both canonical (β-catenin dependent) and non-canonical (β-catenin independent) Wnt signalling. Here, the authors present the structures of FZD3 in complex with extracellular and intracellular binding nanobodies (Nbs), elucidating extracellular and intracellular interaction surfaces of functional and potentially therapeutic significance.
- James Hillier
- Yuguang Zhao
- E. Yvonne Jones
ArticleOpen Access22 Aug 2024 Nature Communications
Allosteric nanobodies to study the interactions between SOS1 and RAS

Protein-protein interactions are central in cell metabolism but research tools for their characterization are missing. Here, the authors introduce strategies for the discovery of nanobodies that modulate the SOS1•RAS complex formation.
- Baptiste Fischer
- Tomasz Uchański
- Jan Steyaert
ArticleOpen Access23 Jul 2024 Nature Communications
Helical superstructures between amyloid and collagen in cardiac fibrils from a patient with AL amyloidosis

Here the authors report the cryo-EM structure of heart-derived fibrils of an AL amyloidosis patient. Surprisingly, the fibrils form helical superstructures with collagen VI, potentially signifying a distinct pathophysiological mechanism for amyloidoses.
- Tim Schulte
- Antonio Chaves-Sanjuan
- Stefano Ricagno
ArticleOpen Access28 Jul 2024 Nature Communications
Enhanced disulphide bond stability contributes to the once-weekly profile of insulin icodec

In this work, the authors described how the enhanced disulphide bond stability of insulin icodec enables its once-weekly profile. Disulphide bonds in insulin are subject to thiol-disulphide exchange in plasma leading to splitting insulin into its inactive chains, making the insulin disulfide stability crucial for its long duration of action.
- František Hubálek
- Christian N. Cramer
- Thomas B. Kjeldsen
ArticleOpen Access20 Jul 2024 Nature Communications
An extended interaction site determines binding between AP180 and AP2 in clathrin mediated endocytosis

The initial stages of clathrin mediated endocytosis are mediated by clathrin associated sorting proteins (CLASPs) encompassing long IDRs. Here the authors characterise the interaction of CLASP AP180 with the major adaptor protein AP2 using NMR.
- Samuel Naudi-Fabra
- Carlos A. Elena-Real
- Sigrid Milles
ArticleOpen Access13 Jul 2024 Nature Communications
SPRING licenses S1P-mediated cleavage of SREBP2 by displacing an inhibitory pro-domain

The authors report the structural basis of site-one protease (S1P) activation by SREBP regulating gene (SPRING). They show that SPRING displaces the inhibitory pro-domain of S1P, enabling S1P to cleave its canonical substrate SREBP2.
- Sebastian Hendrix
- Vincent Dartigue
- Daniel L. Kober
ArticleOpen Access9 Jul 2024 Nature Communications
Bactericidal effect of tetracycline in E. coli strain ED1a may be associated with ribosome dysfunction

The human gut contains diverse bacterial strains that are beneficial/critical for health. Here, the authors compare the response of human gut and laboratory E. coli strains to the antibiotic tetracycline in molecular detail and find a severe dysfunction of protein synthesis only in the gut strain.
- Iskander Khusainov
- Natalie Romanov
- Martin Beck
ArticleOpen Access5 Jun 2024 Nature Communications
Nucleic acid mediated activation of a short prokaryotic Argonaute immune system

The SPARTA defense system, activated by invading DNA for NAD(P)+ hydrolysis, was recently identified in bacteria. Here, authors visualize SPARTA before and after nucleic acid binding and uncover the basis of its active assembly leading to abortive infection.
- Jithesh Kottur
- Radhika Malik
- Aneel K. Aggarwal
ArticleOpen Access6 Jun 2024 Nature Communications
Inhibition and transport mechanisms of the ABC transporter hMRP5

Human multidrug resistance protein 5 (hMRP5) effluxes anticancer and antivirus drugs, driving multidrug resistance. Here, the authors present cryo-EM structures of hMRP5 in different states, showing that hMRP5 can be autoinhibited by a short peptide from its N-terminal tail, which prevents the entry of substrates into hMRP5’s transport pathway.
- Ying Huang
- Chenyang Xue
- Zhongmin Liu
ArticleOpen Access6 Jun 2024 Nature Communications
The structural basis for 2′−5′/3′−5′-cGAMP synthesis by cGAS

Here, the authors provide structural and biochemical data describing the mechanism through which cGAS synthesizes 2′−5′/3′−5′-cGAMP.
- Shuai Wu
- Sandra B. Gabelli
- Jungsan Sohn
ArticleOpen Access13 May 2024 Nature Communications
Structures of co-transcriptional RNA capping enzymes on paused transcription complex

5′-end capping of pre-mRNA is tightly coupled with the pausing stage of transcription. Here, the authors determine the cryo-EM structures of the paused elongation complex in complex with RNGTT and with both RNGTT and CMTR1.
- Yan Li
- Qianmin Wang
- Ze Li
ArticleOpen Access30 May 2024 Nature Communications
Structural mechanisms for binding and activation of a contact-quenched fluorophore by RhoBAST

FLAPs have recently emerged as RNA counterparts to fluorescent proteins. Here, the authors determine the crystal structure of a FLAP called RhoBAST in complex with its ligand TMR-DN and reveal the mechanisms for binding and activation.
- Yufan Zhang
- Zhonghe Xu
- Xianyang Fang
ArticleOpen Access17 May 2024 Nature Communications
Lipid unsaturation promotes BAX and BAK pore activity during apoptosis

BAX and BAK are proapoptotic proteins that directly mediate mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Here, lipidomics and other data provide insight on how local lipid environment affects BAX and BAK function during apoptosis, suggesting that unsaturated lipids promote BAX pore activity.
- Shashank Dadsena
- Rodrigo Cuevas Arenas
- Ana J. García-Sáez
ArticleOpen Access3 Jun 2024 Nature Communications
Structure and mechanism of the K⁺/H⁺ exchanger KefC

Intracellular potassium (K+) homeostasis is achieved by activity of both ion channels and transporters. Here, the authors report structures of E. coli glutathione (GSH)-gated K+ efflux transporter KefC with bound K+ and conclude that the ion-binding site is adapted for binding a dehydrated ion.
- Ashutosh Gulati
- Surabhi Kokane
- David Drew
ArticleOpen Access4 Jun 2024 Nature Communications
Structural basis for selectivity and antagonism in extracellular GPCR-nanobodies

Nanobodies are promising GPCR-targeting therapeutics. Here, the authors investigate a nanobody targeting atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3), and map trends in GPCR nanobody structure, mechanism, and selectivity.
- Roman R. Schlimgen
- Francis C. Peterson
- Brian F. Volkman
ArticleOpen Access30 May 2024 Nature Communications
Small molecule induced STING degradation facilitated by the HECT ligase HERC4

In this paper, Mutlu et al. identifies a STING degrader, AK59, which inhibits downstream cGAS/STING activity through STING degradation employing a HECT-domain E3 ligase HERC4 and proteasomal ubiquitination pathway.
- Merve Mutlu
- Isabel Schmidt
- Danilo Guerini
ArticleOpen Access29 May 2024 Nature Communications
Deep mutational scanning reveals a correlation between degradation and toxicity of thousands of aspartoacylase variants

The details of how the protein folding and degradation systems collaborate to combat potentially toxic non-native proteins are unknown. Here the authors perform systematic studies of missense and nonsense variants of the cytosolic aspartoacylase, ASPA, where loss-of-function variants are linked to Canavan disease.
- Martin Grønbæk-Thygesen
- Vasileios Voutsinos
- Rasmus Hartmann-Petersen
ArticleOpen Access13 May 2024 Nature Communications
Dynamic inter-domain transformations mediate the allosteric regulation of human 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase

Here the authors present the cryo-EM structure of active and inhibited human MTHFR, revealing a dynamic inhibitory mechanism dependent on dual SAM binding. The resulting closed conformation features an autoinhibitory element effectively blocking enzymatic activity.
- Linnea K. M. Blomgren
- Melanie Huber
- Thomas J. McCorvie
ArticleOpen Access15 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
The complete assembly of human LAT1-4F2hc complex provides insights into its regulation, function and localisation

The amino acid transporter complex LAT1-4F2hc is considered a major drug target for many cancers. Here, the authors apply native mass spectrometry-based approaches to decode a complete LAT1-4F2hc assembly. To do this, they connect post-translational modification and endogenous phospholipid binding to super-dimerization, function and localisation of LAT1-4F2hc.
- Di Wu
- Renhong Yan
- Carol V. Robinson
ArticleOpen Access2 May 2024 Nature Communications
Mechanism of Ψ-Pro/C-degron recognition by the CRL2^FEM1B ubiquitin ligase

A key question in the ubiquitin-proteasome system is how E3 ligases select their substrates. Here, the authors reveal that CRL2^FEM1B E3 ligase functions as a dimer and employs a bipartite mode of substrate recognition, requiring a C-terminal proline and an upstream aromatic residue in the target.
- Xinyan Chen
- Anat Raiff
- Chao Xu
ArticleOpen Access26 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
A conserved N-terminal motif of CUL3 contributes to assembly and E3 ligase activity of CRL3^KLHL22

The assembly integrity of dimeric CRL3 E3 ligases are important in various physiological and pathological processes. Here, the authors show that an evolutionarily conserved CUL3 N-terminal motif contributes to both the assembly and activity of dimeric CRL3 E3 ligases.
- Weize Wang
- Ling Liang
- Yuxin Yin
ArticleOpen Access6 May 2024 Nature Communications
Native N-glycome profiling of single cells and ng-level blood isolates using label-free capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

Single-cell manipulation and processing techniques and improvements in mass spectrometry sensitivity make single-cell proteomic profiling feasible. This study presents a label-free approach for the characterisation of native N-glycans of single mammalian cells and ng-level blood isolates, demonstrating the potential to detect cell surface glycome changes at the single-cell level in health or disease.
- Anne-Lise Marie
- Yunfan Gao
- Alexander R. Ivanov
ArticleOpen Access8 May 2024 Nature Communications
Structural insights into the functional mechanism of the ubiquitin ligase E6AP

The human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein hijacks the ligase activity of the host E6AP to ubiquitinate the tumor suppressor p53. Here, the authors show how the presence of the HPV E6 oncoprotein transforms the inactive E6AP monomer into an active dimer, providing a structural understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of E6AP function.
- Zhen Wang
- Fengying Fan
- Xuekui Yu
ArticleOpen Access26 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
Correlating fluorescence microscopy, optical and magnetic tweezers to study single chiral biopolymers such as DNA

It is hard to correlate force, torque and localization information. The authors report Combined Optical and Magnetic BIomolecule TWEEZers, COMBI-Tweez, that integrates optical trapping, time-resolved electromagnetic tweezers, and fluorescence microscopy: they demonstrate visualisation of higher order structural motifs in DNA.
- Jack W. Shepherd
- Sebastien Guilbaud
- Mark C. Leake
ArticleOpen Access29 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
Concerted transformation of a hyper-paused transcription complex and its reinforcing protein

Here, authors use cryoEM, biochemistry and molecular dynamics simulations to delineate a functional cycle of RfaH, a universally conserved transcription factor that undergoes a fold-switch during recruitment to the transcribing RNA polymerase.
- Philipp K. Zuber
- Nelly Said
- Stefan H. Knauer
ArticleOpen Access8 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
Fuzzy recognition by the prokaryotic transcription factor HigA2 from Vibrio cholerae

Here, the authors dissect the fuzzy interaction between the prokaryote transcription factor HigA2 and its DNA target and show that specific, transient interactions drive specificity despite HigA2 remaining mostly disordered.
- San Hadži
- Zala Živič
- Remy Loris
ArticleOpen Access10 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
RAPP-containing arrest peptides induce translational stalling by short circuiting the ribosomal peptidyltransferase activity

Translation of RAPP (Arg-AlaPro-Pro) motifs induces ribosome stalling. Here, structures of RAPP-stalled ribosomes reveal that RAPP motifs short circuit the ribosomal peptidyltransferase activity to induce stalling.
- Martino Morici
- Sara Gabrielli
- Daniel N. Wilson
ArticleOpen Access19 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
The SecM arrest peptide traps a pre-peptide bond formation state of the ribosome

Stalling of ribosomes by the nascent polypeptide chain is widely used to regulate gene expression. Here, Gersteuer et al determine cryo-EM structures of SecM-stalled ribosomes revealing the mechanism by which the SecM peptide arrests translation.
- Felix Gersteuer
- Martino Morici
- Daniel N. Wilson
ArticleOpen Access19 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
Functionalized graphene-oxide grids enable high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the SNF2h-nucleosome complex without crosslinking

Nucleosome-protein complexes stick to the air-water interface and denature upon plunge freezing for cryoEM. Here, authors Chio and Palovcak et al. develop EM grids that protect such complexes and use these grids to study the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler SNF2h.
- Un Seng Chio
- Eugene Palovcak
- Yifan Cheng
ArticleOpen Access12 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
DJ-1 protects proteins from acylation by catalyzing the hydrolysis of highly reactive cyclic 3-phosphoglyceric anhydride

Human protein DJ-1 displays neuroprotective properties. Here, the authors demonstrate that DJ-1 hydrolyzes cyclic 3-phosphoglyceric anhydride (cPGA), thereby protecting proteins from acylation by this highly reactive metabolite spontaneously forming in glycolysis.
- Aizhan Akhmadi
- Adilkhan Yeskendir
- Darkhan Utepbergenov
ArticleOpen Access5 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
Architecture and regulation of filamentous human cystathionine beta-synthase

Cystathionine beta-synthase is a conserved essential enzyme of one-carbon metabolism. Here, the authors show that the enzyme oligomerises to form filaments that undergo conformational and morphological changes in response to its activator S-adenosyl-L-methionine, the global methyl donor.
- Thomas J. McCorvie
- Douglas Adamoski
- Wyatt W. Yue
ArticleOpen Access4 Apr 2024 Nature Communications
One-Tip enables comprehensive proteome coverage in minimal cells and single zygotes

Traditional proteomics methods are complex and resource-intensive. Here, the authors develop One-Tip, a highly simplified approach that enables efficient, sensitive, and comprehensive analysis across various sample types, from blood plasma to single cells.
- Zilu Ye
- Pierre Sabatier
- Jesper V. Olsen
ArticleOpen Access20 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
Cryo-EM structure of cell-free synthesized human histamine 2 receptor/G_s complex in nanodisc environment

The study describes the molecular structure of the human histamine 2 receptor in active conformation and in complex with G_s heterotrimer, synthesized in a cell-free system and co-translationally inserted into preformed nanodiscs.
- Zoe Köck
- Kilian Schnelle
- Frank Bernhard
ArticleOpen Access28 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Structure of the p53 degradation complex from HPV16

HPV’s E6 protein promotes cancer by degrading p53. This study reveals the cryoEM structure of HPV16 E6 in complex with E6AP and p53, highlighting their picomolar affinity and large protein-protein interaction interface.
- John C. K. Wang
- Hannah T. Baddock
- Aaron H. Nile
ArticleOpen Access28 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Transient disome complex formation in native polysomes during ongoing protein synthesis captured by cryo-EM

Direct visualization of short-lived intermediates during active protein synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors structurally capture transient translation intermediates to uncover temporary disome formation during ribosome collisions.
- Timo Flügel
- Magdalena Schacherl
- Christian M. T. Spahn
ArticleOpen Access26 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
An artificial protein modulator reprogramming neuronal protein functions

Direct modulation of protein by artificial catalysts as enzyme mimetics remains hindered by the lack of highly efficient catalytic centers. Here, the authors present the development of artificial protein modulators (APROMs) with protein phosphatase-like characteristics, catalytically reprogram the biological function of α-synuclein.
- Peihua Lin
- Bo Zhang
- Daishun Ling
ArticleOpen Access6 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
High-resolution cryo-EM of the human CDK-activating kinase for structure-based drug design

Discovery of new therapeutics has been hampered by the often-limiting resolution and throughput of cryo-EM. Here, the authors determine high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the CDK-activating kinase to establish a methodological framework for the use of cryo-EM in structure-based drug design.
- Victoria I. Cushing
- Adrian F. Koh
- Basil J. Greber
ArticleOpen Access13 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
Substrate recognition mechanism of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated ubiquitin ligase Doa10

Doa10/MARCHF6 is a conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane in eukaryotes, but its molecular mechanism was unknown. The authors combine cryo-EM, computational and biochemical analyses to reveal how Doa10 recognizes its substrate proteins for ER-associated degradation.
- Kevin Wu
- Samuel Itskanov
- Eunyong Park
ArticleOpen Access11 Mar 2024 Nature Communications
A mutational atlas for Parkin proteostasis

Gene variants can affect folding and stability of the encoded protein. Here, the authors apply deep mutational scanning to provide genotype-phenotype information for 99% of the possible PRKN variants and reveal mechanistic details on how some variants cause loss-of-function and Parkinsons disease.
- Lene Clausen
- Vasileios Voutsinos
- Rasmus Hartmann-Petersen
ArticleOpen Access20 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Protein degradation by human 20S proteasomes elucidates the interplay between peptide hydrolysis and splicing

Do proteasomes catalyze peptide splicing? Here, the authors develop and apply a method to identify spliced peptides produced from entire proteins, confirm that proteasomes produce a sizeable variety of cis-spliced peptides with well-defined characteristics, and show that non-spliced and spliced peptides are concentrated in hotspots.
- Wai Tuck Soh
- Hanna P. Roetschke
- Michele Mishto
ArticleOpen Access7 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Molecular basis of SAP05-mediated ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation of transcription factors

SAP05, a secreted effector of the obligate parasitic bacteria phytoplasma, bridges host SPL and GATA transcription factors (TFs) to the 26 S proteasome subunit RPN10 for ubiquitination-independent degradation. Here, the authors report the details on how SAP05 interacts with SPL5, GATA18 and RPN10.
- Xiaojie Yan
- Xinxin Yuan
- Cheng Dong
ArticleOpen Access8 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Direct observation of autoubiquitination for an integral membrane ubiquitin ligase in ERAD

The stoichiometry of Hrd1, an integral membrane E3 ubiquitin ligase is critical to maintaining proteostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, the authors establish a single-molecule counting approach coupled with a single-molecule in vitro ubiquitination system to determine the functional stoichiometry of Hrd1.
- Basila Moochickal Assainar
- Kaushik Ragunathan
- Ryan D. Baldridge
ArticleOpen Access13 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Structure-guided engineering enables E3 ligase-free and versatile protein ubiquitination via UBE2E1

Ubiquitin E3 ligases are key to accessing ubiquitinated proteins, but only a few substrates have defined E3 ligases. Here, the authors reveal the mechanism of naturally occurring E3-independent ubiquitination and develop an E3-free enzymatic strategy for the versatile generation of ubiquitinated proteins.
- Xiangwei Wu
- Yunxiang Du
- Lei Liu
ArticleOpen Access10 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Cochaperones convey the energy of ATP hydrolysis for directional action of Hsp90

The precise role of cochaperones and ATP hydrolysis in driving Hsp90’s chaperone cycle is largely unclear. Here, the authors use single-molecule FRET to show that several cochaperones are necessary to establish directionality in Hsp90’s conformational cycle.
- Leonie Vollmar
- Julia Schimpf
- Thorsten Hugel
ArticleOpen Access17 Jan 2024 Nature Communications
Ton motor conformational switch and peptidoglycan role in bacterial nutrient uptake

Gram-negative bacteria rely on the Ton system for nutrient uptake. Here, authors uncover how the ExbD protein acts as a conformational switch and the function of peptidoglycan in order to energize this transport process across the outer membrane.
- Maximilian Zinke
- Maylis Lejeune
- Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
ArticleOpen Access6 Jan 2024 Nature Communications
Multi-scale structures of the mammalian radial spoke and divergence of axonemal complexes in ependymal cilia

Radial spokes (RS) are crucial in coordinating ciliary motility. Here, authors use cryo-EM and cryo-ET to gain insight into mammalian RS divergence in ependymal cilia, RS assembly mechanism and the structure-function relationships of ciliary and flagellar axonemes.
- Xueming Meng
- Cong Xu
- Yao Cong
ArticleOpen Access8 Jan 2024 Nature Communications
Microtubules provide force to promote membrane uncoating in vacuolar escape for a cyto-invasive bacterial pathogen

Shigella enters human cells in a phagocytic vacuole and then escapes the vacuole to colonize the cytosol. Here, Chang and coworkers show that Shigella uses a bacterial effector to subvert host Rab proteins, microtubules and molecular motors to provide mechanical force to facilitate Shigella escape.
- Yuen-Yan Chang
- Camila Valenzuela
- John Rohde
ArticleOpen Access5 Feb 2024 Nature Communications
Structural and biochemical insights into the mechanism of the Gabija bacterial immunity system

The Gabija system is a newly discovered bacterial immune system. Here, the authors report the EM structure of the Gabija complex at 3.6 Å. Here, the authors show that when invading phages depletes cellular NTP and dNTP, the nuclease activity of Gabija complex is activated and cleaves the circular DNA to prevent phage DNA replication.
- Yanwu Huo
- Lingfei Kong
- Taotao Wei
ArticleOpen Access29 Jan 2024 Nature Communications
NEMO reshapes the α-Synuclein aggregate interface and acts as an autophagy adapter by co-condensation with p62

Selective autophagy helps to degrade aggregated proteins accumulating in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, the authors show that NEMO, a ubiquitin binding protein previously linked to innate immune signaling, is recruited to misfolded proteins and promotes their autophagic clearance by forming condensates with the autophagy receptor p62.
- Nikolas Furthmann
- Verian Bader
- Konstanze F. Winklhofer
ArticleOpen Access19 Dec 2023 Nature Communications

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