Inhibitors of the small membrane (M) protein viroporin prevent Zika virus infection.

, including (ZIKV), are a significant global health concern, yet no licensed antivirals exist to treat disease. The small membrane (M) protein plays well-defined roles during viral egress and remains within virion membranes following release and maturation. However, it is unclear whether M plays a functional role in this setting.

The cryoEM structure of the Hendra henipavirus nucleoprotein reveals insights into paramyxoviral nucleocapsid architectures.

We report the first cryoEM structure of the Hendra henipavirus nucleoprotein in complex with RNA, at 3.5 Å resolution, derived from single particle analysis of a double homotetradecameric RNA-bound N protein ring assembly exhibiting D14 symmetry. The structure of the HeV N protein adopts the common bi-lobed paramyxoviral N protein fold; the N-terminal and C-terminal globular domains are bisected by an RNA binding cleft containing six RNA nucleotides and are flanked by the N-terminal and C-terminal arms, respectively.

Cryo-EM structure of SKP1-SKP2-CKS1 in complex with CDK2-cyclin A-p27KIP1.

p27KIP1 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B, p27) is a member of the CIP/KIP family of CDK (cyclin dependent kinase) regulators that inhibit cell cycle CDKs. p27 phosphorylation by CDK1/2, signals its recruitment to the SCF (S-phase kinase associated protein 1 (SKP1)-cullin-SKP2) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex for proteasomal degradation. The nature of p27 binding to SKP2 and CKS1 was revealed by the SKP1-SKP2-CKS1-p27 phosphopeptide crystal structure.

High Resolution Membrane Structures within Hybrid Lipid-Polymer Vesicles Revealed by Combining X-Ray Scattering and Electron Microscopy.

Hybrid vesicles consisting of phospholipids and block-copolymers are increasingly finding applications in science and technology. Herein, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) are used to obtain detailed structural information about hybrid vesicles with different ratios of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and poly(1,2-butadiene-block-ethylene oxide) (PBd -PEO , M  = 1800 g mol ). Using single particle analysis (SPA) the authors are able to further interpret the information gained from SAXS and cryo-ET experiments, showing that increasing PBd -PEO mole fraction increases the membrane thickness from 52 Å for a pure lipid system to 97 Å for pure PBd -PEO vesicles.

Eco-friendly particleboard production from coconut waste valorization.

Reusing agro-industrial waste does not only help to mitigate environmental impact but also enables valorization through the development of new products. The aim is to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard panels produced with Eucalyptus wood and different proportions of waste products-coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera L.).

Mechanism of glycogen synthase inactivation and interaction with glycogenin.

Glycogen is the major glucose reserve in eukaryotes, and defects in glycogen metabolism and structure lead to disease. Glycogenesis involves interaction of glycogenin (GN) with glycogen synthase (GS), where GS is activated by glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and inactivated by phosphorylation. We describe the 2.

Chemically induced protein cage assembly with programmable opening and cargo release.

Engineered protein cages are promising tools that can be customized for applications in medicine and nanotechnology. A major challenge is developing a straightforward strategy for endowing cages with bespoke, inducible disassembly. Such cages would allow release of encapsulated cargoes at desired timing and location.

In vitro functional analysis of gRNA sites regulating assembly of hepatitis B virus.

The roles of RNA sequence/structure motifs, Packaging Signals (PSs), for regulating assembly of an HBV genome transcript have been investigated in an efficient in vitro assay containing only core protein (Cp) and RNA. Variants of three conserved PSs, within the genome of a strain not used previously, preventing correct presentation of a Cp-recognition loop motif are differentially deleterious for assembly of nucleocapsid-like particles (NCPs). Cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the T = 4 NCPs formed with the wild-type gRNA transcript, reveal that the interior of the Cp shell is in contact with lower resolution density, potentially encompassing the arginine-rich protein domains and gRNA.

Single Particle Cryo-Electron Microscopy: From Sample to Structure.

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is a powerful technique for structure determination of macromolecular complexes, via single particle analysis (SPA). The overall process involves i) vitrifying the specimen in a thin film supported on a cryoEM grid; ii) screening the specimen to assess particle distribution and ice quality; iii) if the grid is suitable, collecting a single particle dataset for analysis; and iv) image processing to yield an EM density map. In this protocol, an overview for each of these steps is provided, with a focus on the variables which a user can modify during the workflow and the troubleshooting of common issues.

Cryo-EM structures of an insecticidal Bt toxin reveal its mechanism of action on the membrane.

Insect pests are a major cause of crop losses worldwide, with an estimated economic cost of $470 billion annually. Biotechnological tools have been introduced to control such insects without the need for chemical pesticides; for instance, the development of transgenic plants harbouring genes encoding insecticidal proteins. The Vip3 (vegetative insecticidal protein 3) family proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis convey toxicity to species within the Lepidoptera, and have wide potential applications in commercial agriculture.

Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like protein 6 (SmVAL6) maintains tegumental barrier function.

The Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like protein (SmVAL) superfamily is a collection of at least 29 molecules that have been classified into two distinctive groups (Group 1 and Group 2 SmVALs). The fundamental basis for SmVAL segregation relates to signal peptide and conserved cysteine retention (present in all Group 1 SmVALs, but absent in all Group 2 SmVALs). These structural differences have led to the hypothesis that most Group 1 SmVALs, found as components of schistosome excretory/secretory (E/S) products, predominantly interact with their environment (intermediate or definitive hosts) whereas the Group 2 SmVALs are retained within the schistosome to fulfil parasite-related functions.

Research on Prediction Model for Durability of Straw Bale Walls in Warm (Humid) Continental Climate-A Case Study in Northeast China.

This research analyses straw degradation inside straw bale walls in the region and develops the prediction of degradation inside straw bale walls. The results show that the straw inside straw bale walls have no serious concerns of degradation in the high hygrothermal environment in the region with only moderate concerns of degradation in the area 2-3 cm deep behind the lime render. The onsite investigations indicate that the degradation isopleth model can only predict straw conditions behind the rendering layer, whereas the isothermal model fits the complete situation inside straw bale walls.

Retroviral integration into nucleosomes through DNA looping and sliding along the histone octamer.

Retroviral integrase can efficiently utilise nucleosomes for insertion of the reverse-transcribed viral DNA. In face of the structural constraints imposed by the nucleosomal structure, integrase gains access to the scissile phosphodiester bonds by lifting DNA off the histone octamer at the site of integration. To clarify the mechanism of DNA looping by integrase, we determined a 3.

Structure-Guided Optimization of HIV Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors.

Integrase mutations can reduce the effectiveness of the first-generation FDA-approved integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir (EVG). The second-generation agent, dolutegravir (DTG), has enjoyed considerable clinical success; however, resistance-causing mutations that diminish the efficacy of DTG have appeared. Our current findings support and extend the substrate envelope concept that broadly effective INSTIs can be designed by filling the envelope defined by the DNA substrates.

HBV RNA pre-genome encodes specific motifs that mediate interactions with the viral core protein that promote nucleocapsid assembly.

Formation of the hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid is an essential step in the viral lifecycle, but its assembly is not fully understood. We report the discovery of sequence-specific interactions between the viral pre-genome and the hepatitis B core protein that play roles in defining the nucleocapsid assembly pathway. Using RNA SELEX and bioinformatics, we identified multiple regions in the pre-genomic RNA with high affinity for core protein dimers.

Structural basis for spumavirus GAG tethering to chromatin.

The interactions between a retrovirus and host cell chromatin that underlie integration and provirus expression are poorly understood. The prototype foamy virus (PFV) structural protein GAG associates with chromosomes via a chromatin-binding sequence (CBS) located within its C-terminal region. Here, we show that the PFV CBS is essential and sufficient for a direct interaction with nucleosomes and present a crystal structure of the CBS bound to a mononucleosome.

A supramolecular assembly mediates lentiviral DNA integration.

Retroviral integrase (IN) functions within the intasome nucleoprotein complex to catalyze insertion of viral DNA into cellular chromatin. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we now visualize the functional maedi-visna lentivirus intasome at 4.9 angstrom resolution.

HIV-1 Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors with Reduced Susceptibility to Drug Resistant Mutant Integrases.

HIV integrase (IN) strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are among the newest anti-AIDS drugs; however, mutant forms of IN can confer resistance. We developed noncytotoxic naphthyridine-containing INSTIs that retain low nanomolar IC50 values against HIV-1 variants harboring all of the major INSTI-resistant mutations. We found by analyzing crystal structures of inhibitors bound to the IN from the prototype foamy virus (PFV) that the most successful inhibitors show striking mimicry of the bound viral DNA prior to 3'-processing and the bound host DNA prior to strand transfer.

Structural basis for retroviral integration into nucleosomes.

Retroviral integration is catalysed by a tetramer of integrase (IN) assembled on viral DNA ends in a stable complex, known as the intasome. How the intasome interfaces with chromosomal DNA, which exists in the form of nucleosomal arrays, is currently unknown. Here we show that the prototype foamy virus (PFV) intasome is proficient at stable capture of nucleosomes as targets for integration.

Molecular architecture and assembly of the yeast kinetochore MIND complex.

The MIND multiprotein complex is a conserved, essential component of eukaryotic kinetochores and is a constituent of the tripartite KMN network that directly attaches the kinetochore to the mitotic spindle. The primary microtubule-binding complex in this network, NDC80, has been extensively characterized, but very little is known about the structure or function of the MIND complex. In this study, we present biochemical, hydrodynamic, electron microscopy, and small-angle x-ray scattering data that provide insight into the overall architecture and assembly of the MIND complex and the physical relationship of the complex with other components of the KMN network.