Sodium ions control the rates of both substrate binding and dissociation of an archaeal homologue of glutamate transporters in a manner that minimizes binding intermediates and maximizes transport efficiency.
Drosophila has almost all transcription factor binding specificities available to humans; and human transcription factors with divergent specificities operate in cell types that are not found in fruit flies.
Solid state NMR is unable to detect any association of substrate to the second binding site, S2, in the extracellular vestibule of the Neurotransmitter:Sodium Symporter LeuT.
Although odorant binding proteins are widely believed to be required for transport of odorants to receptors, six types of sensilla of Drosophila respond robustly in their absence to many odor stimuli.
A genetic analysis reveals that some olfactory sensilla of Drosophila do not require an abundant odorant binding protein and that one such protein may act in gain control.
The RNA-binding protein, Zfp36, which is critical for resolving inflammation, inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines via modulation of the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein.
The identification of four acidic amino acids as potential calcium-binding residues in the TMEM16A calcium-activated chloride channel furthers the molecular understanding of this ion channel family.
The RNA-binding protein MSI1, which is required for stem cell and cancer cell proliferation in the brain and epithelial tissues, also directly senses the concentration of long non-esterified omega-9 fatty acids.
Inactivation of a multifunctional RNA-binding protein can lead to the acquisition of pro-metastatic phenotypes, possibly by stabilizing large-scale transcriptomic changes that provide a selective advantage during cancer progression.
Zfp106 functions as an RNA binding protein, binds directly to GGGGCC RNA repeats, is required in motor neurons to prevent ALS-like neurodegeneration in mice, and can suppress neurotoxicity in an established fly model of ALS.
