Robust T cell activation requires an eIF3-driven burst in T cell receptor translation.

Activation of T cells requires a rapid surge in cellular protein synthesis. However, the role of translation initiation in the early induction of specific genes remains unclear. Here, we show human translation initiation factor eIF3 interacts with select immune system related mRNAs including those encoding the T cell receptor (TCR) subunits TCRA and TCRB.

Structure of the bacterial ribosome at 2 Å resolution.

Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of the 70S ribosome with a global resolution of 2.0 Å. The maps reveal unambiguous positioning of protein and RNA residues, their detailed chemical interactions, and chemical modifications.

Metabolic engineering of yeast for lignocellulosic biofuel production.

Production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass remains an unsolved challenge in industrial biotechnology. Efforts to use yeast for conversion face the question of which host organism to use, counterbalancing the ease of genetic manipulation with the promise of robust industrial phenotypes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae remains the premier host for metabolic engineering of biofuel pathways, due to its many genetic, systems and synthetic biology tools.

Leveraging transcription factors to speed cellobiose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Background: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a key organism used for the manufacture of renewable fuels and chemicals, has been engineered to utilize non-native sugars derived from plant cell walls, such as cellobiose and xylose. However, the rates and efficiencies of these non-native sugar fermentations pale in comparison with those of glucose. Systems biology methods, used to understand biological networks, hold promise for rational microbial strain development in metabolic engineering.