Browse our latest Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics articles

Mechanosensitive Piezo channel induces local membrane curvature to mediate mechanical gating.

Near atomic-resolution structures have provided insights into the mechanisms by which the Piezo1 ion channel senses and responds to mechanical stimuli.

A computational method identifies the functions of orphan enzymes by organizing them into metabolic pathways; the prediction of a new l-gulonate catabolic pathway is experimentally tested and confirmed.

A new approach using combination of electron microscopy (EM) and high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) clearly demonstrates dynamics of dynamin-amphiphysin complexes during membrane constriction and fission suggesting a novel 'clusterase' model of the dynamin-mediated membrane fission.

A comprehensive structural, biochemical, and cell biological analysis reveals the molecular mechanism and significance of the conserved interaction of centromeric protein N (CENP-N) with the centromeric nucleosome.

Understanding the structure of an antigen can guide the design of improved antigen-based vaccines.

Engineered E3 ubiquitin ligases are utilized to elucidate mechanisms underlying ubiquitin regulation of membrane proteins, and to achieve robust post-translational functional knockdown of ion channels.

Cryo-EM structures of actomyosin VI in multiple nucleotide states reveal a unique actin-myosin interface and a mechanism of force-sensitivity; furthermore, myosin VI remodels F-actin, suggesting a role for actin structural plasticity during force generation.

Structural, biochemical, and proteomic analyses of a four-subunit core module of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor complex reveal its molecular architecture and specific determinants of polyadenylation signal recognition in human mRNAs.

Quantitative FRET UPR induction assay is used to measure IRE1 and BIP association and dissociation by a variety of ER misfolded proteins and by an important BiP substrate-binding domain mutant, significantly enhancing the evidence for the allosteric UPR induction model.