Biochemistry articles within Nature

Featured

  • Research Briefing |

    Genetic scores for predicting levels of several types of biomolecule have been developed and validated in people of diverse ancestries, and used to uncover insights into disease biology. An open resource to disseminate these scores, OmicsPred, will enable researchers to predict various molecular traits from genetic profiles in their own data sets.

  • News & Views |

    Light-sensitive proteins called rhodopsins in the vertebrate eye initiate the cellular processes of vision. Leading-edge crystallography experiments have revealed the molecular mechanism by which light activates these proteins.

    • Marius Schmidt
    •  & Emina A. Stojković

  • Article
    | Open Access

    X-ray, cryo-EM and kinetic studies of the circadian oscillator KaiBC from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides shed light on the evolution of self-regulating oscillators.

    • Warintra Pitsawong
    • , Ricardo A. P. Pádua
    •  & Dorothee Kern

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A structure–function analysis of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator shows its two nucleotide-binding domains dimerize before channel opening, and reveals a mechanism through which conformational changes in the channel regulate chloride conductance.

    • Jesper Levring
    • , Daniel S. Terry
    •  & Jue Chen

  • Article |

    The structural basis for the molecular mechanism of recognition of different IgM forms by the IgM receptor FcμR is determined using crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.

    • Yaxin Li
    • , Hao Shen
    •  & Junyu Xiao

  • News & Views |

    An analysis confirms that humid tropical forests recovering from degradation and deforestation absorb substantial amounts of carbon dioxide — but much less than is emitted by the destruction of the original forests.

    • Pieter A. Zuidema
    •  & Catarina C. Jakovac

  • Article |

    Through the use of cryo-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics stimulations, mechanistic insight into the binding of an odorant to the human odorant receptor OR51E2 is provided.

    • Christian B. Billesbølle
    • , Claire A. de March
    •  & Aashish Manglik

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Structural and biochemical studies of the Mycobacterium smegmatis hydrogenase Huc provides insights into how [NiFe] hydrogenases oxidize trace amounts of atmospheric hydrogen and transfer the electrons liberated via quinone transport.

    • Rhys Grinter
    • , Ashleigh Kropp
    •  & Chris Greening

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fumarate metabolism regulates the innate immune response through a mechanism in which high levels of fumarate result in the generation of mitochondrial-derived vesicles and the release of mitochondrial DNA into the cytosol, which activates inflammatory pathways.

    • Vincent Zecchini
    • , Vincent Paupe
    •  & Christian Frezza

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A deep-learning-based strategy is used to design artificial luciferases that catalyse the oxidative chemiluminescence of diphenylterazine with high substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency.

    • Andy Hsien-Wei Yeh
    • , Christoffer Norn
    •  & David Baker

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A neuron-specific activity-dependent DNA repair mechanism is identified, the impairment of which may lead to neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegeneration and ageing.

    • Elizabeth A. Pollina
    • , Daniel T. Gilliam
    •  & Michael E. Greenberg

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Philological analysis of labels and instructions, together with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of residues on vessels recovered from a 26th Dynasty embalming workshop at Saqqara, Egypt provide insights into ancient Egyptian embalming practices.

    • Maxime Rageot
    • , Ramadan B. Hussein
    •  & Philipp W. Stockhammer

  • Article |

    Cryo-EM is used to visualize the SARS-CoV-2 RTC bound to each of the natural NTPs as well as remdesivir triphosphate (RDV-TP) in states poised for incorporation, explaining the interactions required for NTP recognition and RDV-TP selectivity.

    • Brandon F. Malone
    • , Jason K. Perry
    •  & Seth A. Darst

  • News & Views |

    The discovery of bacterial compounds that have antifungal properties opens up opportunities for the development of agents that protect crops from a devastating disease.

    • Andrew Mitchinson

  • Article |

    A cryo-electron microscopy analysis of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii TOC–TIC supercomplex reveals that Tic214 traverses the chloroplast inner membrane, the intermembrane space and the outer membrane, connecting the TOC complex with the TIC proteins.

    • Hao Liu
    • , Anjie Li
    •  & Zhenfeng Liu

  • Research Briefing |

    Mitochondria are intracellular organelles that contain a large set of proteins to help them produce energy, among other functions. A systematic analysis reveals how mitochondrial proteins are organized into complexes and assemblies, facilitating the identification of the molecular mechanisms and pathways that underlie the organelle’s many functions.

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Structural studies of the ribosome-associated endoplasmic reticulum translocon complex based on cryo-electron tomography and molecular modelling reveal multiple intermediate states and interactions between the components of the complex and its cofactors.

    • Max Gemmer
    • , Marten L. Chaillet
    •  & Friedrich Förster

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Serine deficiency can increase small fibre neuropathy in wild-type mice and serine replacement in diabetic mice alleviates diabetic neuropathy, directly linking amino acid metabolism to peripheral nerve disorders.

    • Michal K. Handzlik
    • , Jivani M. Gengatharan
    •  & Christian M. Metallo

  • Article |

    Mass spectrometry and structural studies demonstrate the specific changes in protein composition that accompany the transition of ribosomes in zebrafish and Xenopus eggs from a dormant to an active state during early embryogenesis.

    • Friederike Leesch
    • , Laura Lorenzo-Orts
    •  & Andrea Pauli

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Analysis of the kinase activity of 300 protein Ser/Thr kinases reveals that the substrate specificity of the kinome is substantially more diverse than expected and is driven extensively by negative selectivity

    • Jared L. Johnson
    • , Tomer M. Yaron
    •  & Lewis C. Cantley

  • Article |

    Structural studies of Escherichia coli transcription intrinsic termination complexes representing distinct intermediates using cryo-electron microscopy provide insights into the steps and mechanism of transcription termination.

    • Linlin You
    • , Expery O. Omollo
    •  & Yu Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Structural analysis of Cas12a2, a CRISPR-associated nuclease that nonspecifically cleaves ssRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA, reveals a complete activation pathway involved in the abortive infection system protecting cells against invasion.

    • Jack P. K. Bravo
    • , Thomson Hallmark
    •  & David W. Taylor

  • News & Views |

    An analysis of more than 1,500 field observations has identified a collection of agricultural practices that can improve the use of nitrogen fertilizers — boosting crop yields while reducing environmental pollution.

    • Longlong Xia
    •  & Xiaoyuan Yan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cryo-electron microscopy structures of Staphylococcus aureus BlaR1 reveal dynamic signalling states regulating broad spectrum β-lactam antibiotic resistance through cleavage of the transcriptional repressor BlaI and induced expression of the β-lactamase blaZ and the β-lactam-resistant cell-wall transpeptidase mecA.

    • J. Andrew N. Alexander
    • , Liam J. Worrall
    •  & Natalie C. J. Strynadka

  • Article
    | Open Access

    RNA targeting by the Sulfuricurvum type V single-effector nuclease SuCas12a2 drives abortive infection through non-specific cleavage of double-stranded DNA—after recognition of an RNA target through an activating protospacer-flanking sequence, SuCas12a2 efficiently degrades ssRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA.

    • Oleg Dmytrenko
    • , Gina C. Neumann
    •  & Chase L. Beisel

  • Article |

    Structures of the human METTL1–WDR4 complex are revealed, providing molecular insights into substrate recognition, modification and catalytic regulation by the N7-methylguanosine methyltransferase complex.

    • Jiazhi Li
    • , Longfei Wang
    •  & Richard I. Gregory

  • News & Views |

    Atmospheric methane concentrations rose unexpectedly during the lockdowns of 2020. It now seems that this was due to warm, wet weather in the Northern Hemisphere and, ironically, a slowdown in air-pollutant emissions.

    • George H. Allen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Structural studies of the CRISPR-associated transposon comprising Cas12k, TnsC, TnsB and TniQ from Scytonema hofmannii using cryo-electron microscopy reveal insights into the architecture and mechanism of RNA-guided DNA transposition.

    • Jung-Un Park
    • , Amy Wei-Lun Tsai
    •  & Elizabeth H. Kellogg

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Structural insights into the poly-ADP-ribosyltransferase tankyrase reveal its filamentous architecture and illustrate how assembly controls catalytic and non-catalytic functions.

    • Nisha Pillay
    • , Laura Mariotti
    •  & Sebastian Guettler

  • Career Column |

    A need for community drove Jennifer Geddes-McAlister to found a network for mothers in science. Here’s what she learnt.

    • Jennifer Geddes-McAlister

  • Research Briefing |

    The world’s largest tropical peatland complex is in the central Congo Basin. A drying of the climate between 5,000 and 2,000 years ago triggered decomposition of peat in the Congo Basin and emission of carbon into the atmosphere. The tipping point at which drought results in carbon release might accelerate future climate change if regional droughts become more common.

  • Article |

    Electrophysiological, structural and biochemical studies on the bestrophin-2 anion channel reveal asymmetric permeability to glutamate and show that it forms a cooperative machinery in complex with glutamine synthetase for glutamate release.

    • Aaron P. Owji
    • , Kuai Yu
    •  & Tingting Yang

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