Cryo-EM structure of the zinc-activated channel (ZAC) in the Cys-loop receptor superfamily.

Cys-loop receptors are a large superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels with various physiological roles, especially in neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Among them, zinc-activated channel (ZAC) is a Zn-activated ion channel that is widely expressed in the human body and is conserved among eukaryotes. Due to its gating by extracellular Zn, ZAC has been considered a Zn sensor, but it has undergone minimal structural and functional characterization since its molecular cloning.

Bio-inspired multinuclear copper complexes covalently immobilized on reduced graphene oxide as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Inspired by the multicopper active site of laccase, which efficiently catalyzes the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), herein we report a novel bio-inspired ORR catalyst composed of a multinuclear copper complex that was immobilized on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via the covalently grafted triazole-dipyridine (TADPy) dinucleating ligand. This rGO-TADPyCu catalyst exhibited high ORR activity and superior long-term stability compared to Pt/C in alkaline media.