Crystal structure of the middle and C-terminal domains of Hsp90α labeled with a coumarin derivative reveals a potential allosteric binding site as a drug target.

The 90 kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp90) is an abundant molecular chaperone that is essential to activate, stabilize and regulate the function of a plethora of client proteins. As drug targets for the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, Hsp90 inhibitors that bind to the N-terminal ATP-binding site of Hsp90 have shown disappointing efficacy in clinical trials. Thus, allosteric regulation of the function of Hsp90 by compounds that interact with its middle and C-terminal (MC) domains is now being pursued as a mechanism to inhibit the ATPase activity and client protein-binding activity of Hsp90 without concomitant induction of the heat-shock response.

Structure and function of an effector domain in antiviral factors and tumor suppressors SAMD9 and SAMD9L.

SAMD9 and SAMD9L (SAMD9/9L) are antiviral factors and tumor suppressors, playing a critical role in innate immune defense against poxviruses and the development of myeloid tumors. SAMD9/9L mutations with a gain-of-function (GoF) in inhibiting cell growth cause multisystem developmental disorders including many pediatric myelodysplastic syndromes. Predicted to be multidomain proteins with an architecture like that of the NOD-like receptors, SAMD9/9L molecular functions and domain structures are largely unknown.

Structure of the unique tetrameric STENOFOLIA homeodomain bound with target promoter DNA.

Homeobox transcription factors are key regulators of morphogenesis and development in both animals and plants. In plants, the WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) family of transcription factors function as central organizers of several developmental programs ranging from embryo patterning to meristematic stem-cell maintenance through transcriptional activation and repression mechanisms. The Medicago truncatula STENOFOLIA (STF) gene is a master regulator of leaf-blade lateral development.

Structure of a lipid-bound viral membrane assembly protein reveals a modality for enclosing the lipid bilayer.

Cellular membranes are maintained as closed compartments, broken up only transiently during membrane reorganization or lipid transportation. However, open-ended membranes, likely derived from scissions of the endoplasmic reticulum, persist in vaccinia virus-infected cells during the assembly of the viral envelope. A group of viral membrane assembly proteins (VMAPs) were identified as essential for this process.