structural biology

Researchers highlight protein structure considerations for designing inhibitors that target familial Parkinson’s disease mutations.

Makio Murayama, a Japanese-American biochemist who was turned away from the Manhattan Project due to his heritage, rose to prominence for his work uncovering the link between the structure of hemoglobin and the mechanisms of sickle cell disease.

Known as SLiMs, these stretches of up to 10 amino acids play notable roles in cell biology, including responses to viral invasion.

He coined the term “structural biology.”

Unlike other cellular appendages, bacterial nanotubes are made solely of lipids and can connect the cytoplasm of different microbial species.

A gift of medical books from an unlikely source spurred Chrystal Starbird’s scientific career. She talks about what motivates her research on cell surface receptors and the obstacles she has faced as a Black woman in academia.

Researchers demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is more stable and binds the human ACE2 receptor with much higher affinity than the spike protein of its closest known relative, bat coronavirus RaTG13.

Once considered an unimportant curiosity, Z-DNA is now recognized to provide an on-the-fly mechanism to regulate how an RNA transcript is edited.

The virus’s tool for prying open host cells is coated in a protective armor of sugar—but gaps may offer vulnerability to disruption by antibodies.

The DNA-protein complex has branches that fold back on themselves.

The University of Cambridge scholar’s research on folding proteins advanced scientists’ understanding of illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The former Columbia University professor’s early work helped illuminate the structure of penicillin, allowing chemists to make variants and broaden the scope of antibiotic treatments.

In Chapter 13, “The Final Assault,” author Venki Ramakrishnan relays the moment when he and collaborators finally solved the structure of a ribosomal subunit.