Molecular Biology
Folding–function relationship of the most common cystic fibrosis–causing CFTR conductance mutantsThe tight correlation between folding and function in cystic fibrosis patients with CFTR mutations of the altered-conductance CFTR class provides an attractive paradigm for characterizing mode of action of novel therapeutics.
Rab1b and ARF5 are novel RNA-binding proteins involved in FMDV IRES–driven RNA localizationIntegration of proteomic data with functional and imaging analysis revealed that Rab1b and ARF5, two ER-Golgi members, are RNA-binding proteins that colocalize with picornavirus IRES-RNA reporters in human cells.
Direct binding of Cdt2 to PCNA is important for targeting the CRL4Cdt2 E3 ligase activity to Cdt1The C-terminal end of Cdt2 contains a PIP box for binding to PCNA to promote CRL4Cdt2 function, creating a new paradigm where the substrate receptor and substrates bind to a common multivalent docking platform for ubiquitination.
Mouse REC114 is essential for meiotic DNA double-strand break formation and forms a complex with MEI4Mouse REC114 is essential for meiotic DNA double-strand break formation and forms a complex with IHO1. Its N-terminal region forms a Pleckstrin homology domain, while its C-terminal region is interacting with MEI4.
Dimerization and auto-processing induce caspase-11 protease activation within the non-canonical inflammasomeThis study provides a detailed molecular mechanism for caspase-11 activation within the non-canonical inflammasome, giving new insight into host defence against cytosolic bacterial infection.
Topological in vitro loading of the budding yeast cohesin ring onto DNAThe biochemical reconstitution of topological DNA binding by budding yeast cohesin yields surprises and opens opportunities to exploit experimental approaches developed in this model organism.
Specificity for deubiquitination of monoubiquitinated FANCD2 is driven by the N-terminus of USP1Deubiquitination of FANCD2, FANCI, and PCNA by USP1 is essential for DNA repair signalling. Reconstitution of the system reveals that USP1-mediated specificity towards K561 of FANCD2 is directed by a unique sequence at USP1's N-terminus.
Ribosomal stalling landscapes revealed by high-throughput inverse toeprinting of mRNA librariesHigh-throughput inverse toeprinting identifies peptide-encoding transcripts that induce ribosome stalling and allows the systematic analysis of sequence-dependent translational events.
Interaction modulation through arrays of clustered methyl-arginine protein modificationsExtensively modifiable arrays of clustered arginines in a large set of human proteins function as regulatory protein interaction platforms. Quantitative immunoprecipitation assays defined two distinct cumulative binding mechanisms operating across an array of 18 methyl-arginine motifs in SYNCRIP.
Transposon silencing in the Drosophila female germline is essential for genome stability in progeny embryosSuppression of transposons by the Piwi-interacting RNA biogenesis factor Vasa in the supporting nurse cells is essential to prevent their accumulation in the developing oocyte, ensuring proper Drosophila embryonic development.