Activation of the insulin receptor by insulin-like growth factor 2.

Insulin receptor (IR) controls growth and metabolism. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) has different binding properties on two IR isoforms, mimicking insulin's function. However, the molecular mechanism underlying IGF2-induced IR activation remains unclear.

Applications of cryo-EM in drug development for STING.

STING is a critical adaptor protein in the cGAS-mediated DNA-sensing innate immune pathway. Binding of the second messenger cGAMP generated by cGAS to STING induces the high-order oligomerization and activation of the STING dimer. STING is a promising target for diseases associated with the cGAS/STING pathway such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Activation of human STING by a molecular glue-like compound.

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a dimeric transmembrane adapter protein that plays a key role in the human innate immune response to infection and has been therapeutically exploited for its antitumor activity. The activation of STING requires its high-order oligomerization, which could be induced by binding of the endogenous ligand, cGAMP, to the cytosolic ligand-binding domain. Here we report the discovery through functional screens of a class of compounds, named NVS-STGs, that activate human STING.

Structural basis of insulin fibrillation.

Insulin is a hormone responsible for maintaining normal glucose levels by activating insulin receptor (IR) and is the primary treatment for diabetes. However, insulin is prone to unfolding and forming cross-β fibers. Fibrillation complicates insulin storage and therapeutic application.

CTCF and R-loops are boundaries of cohesin-mediated DNA looping.

Cohesin and CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) are key regulatory proteins of three-dimensional (3D) genome organization. Cohesin extrudes DNA loops that are anchored by CTCF in a polar orientation. Here, we present direct evidence that CTCF binding polarity controls cohesin-mediated DNA looping.

Structural insights into the assembly of the agrin/LRP4/MuSK signaling complex.

MuSK is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that plays essential roles in the formation and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction. Distinct from most members of RTK family, MuSK activation requires not only its cognate ligand agrin but also its coreceptors LRP4. However, how agrin and LRP4 coactivate MuSK remains unclear.

Structural basis of the alkaline pH-dependent activation of insulin receptor-related receptor.

The insulin receptor (IR) family is a subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases that controls metabolic homeostasis and cell growth. Distinct from IR and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, whose activation requires ligand binding, insulin receptor-related receptor (IRR)-the third member of the IR family-is activated by alkaline pH. However, the molecular mechanism underlying alkaline pH-induced IRR activation remains unclear.

Inhibition of FAM46/TENT5 activity by BCCIPα adopting a unique fold.

The FAM46 (also known as TENT5) proteins are noncanonical poly(A) polymerases (PAPs) implicated in regulating RNA stability. The regulatory mechanisms of FAM46 are poorly understood. Here, we report that the nuclear protein BCCIPα, but not the alternatively spliced isoform BCCIPβ, binds FAM46 and inhibits their PAP activity.

The Activation Mechanism of the Insulin Receptor: A Structural Perspective.

The insulin receptor (IR) is a type II receptor tyrosine kinase that plays essential roles in metabolism, growth, and proliferation. Dysregulation of IR signaling is linked to many human diseases, such as diabetes and cancers. The resolution revolution in cryo-electron microscopy has led to the determination of several structures of IR with different numbers of bound insulin molecules in recent years, which have tremendously improved our understanding of how IR is activated by insulin.

Molecular basis for the role of disulfide-linked αCTs in the activation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor and insulin receptor.

The insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) control metabolic homeostasis and cell growth and proliferation. The IR and IGF1R form similar disulfide bonds linked homodimers in the apo-state; however, their ligand binding properties and the structures in the active state differ substantially. It has been proposed that the disulfide-linked C-terminal segment of α-chain (αCTs) of the IR and IGF1R control the cooperativity of ligand binding and regulate the receptor activation.

Structural basis for gating mechanism of the human sodium-potassium pump.

P2-type ATPase sodium-potassium pumps (Na/K-ATPases) are ion-transporting enzymes that use ATP to transport Na and K on opposite sides of the lipid bilayer against their electrochemical gradients to maintain ion concentration gradients across the membranes in all animal cells. Despite the available molecular architecture of the Na/K-ATPases, a complete molecular mechanism by which the Na and K ions access into and are released from the pump remains unknown. Here we report five cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the human alpha3 Na/K-ATPase in its cytoplasmic side-open (E1), ATP-bound cytoplasmic side-open (E1•ATP), ADP-AlF trapped Na-occluded (E1•P-ADP), BeF trapped exoplasmic side-open (E2P) and MgF trapped K-occluded (E2•P) states.

An antibody that neutralizes SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 by binding to a conserved spike epitope outside the receptor binding motif.

The rapid evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), such as the Omicron variants that are highly transmissible and immune evasive, underscores the need to develop therapeutic antibodies with broad neutralizing activities. Here, we used the LIBRA-seq technology, which identified SARS-CoV-2-specific B cells via DNA barcoding and subsequently single-cell sequenced BCRs, to identify an antibody, SW186, which could neutralize major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including Beta, Delta, and Omicron, as well as SARS-CoV-1. The cryo-EM structure of SW186 bound to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein showed that SW186 interacted with an epitope of the RBD that is not at the interface of its binding to the ACE2 receptor but is highly conserved among SARS coronaviruses.

SNARE assembly enlightened by cryo-EM structures of a synaptobrevin-Munc18-1-syntaxin-1 complex.

Munc18-1 forms a template to organize assembly of the neuronal SNARE complex that triggers neurotransmitter release, binding first to a closed conformation of syntaxin-1 where its amino-terminal region interacts with the SNARE motif, and later binding to synaptobrevin. However, the mechanism of SNARE complex assembly remains unclear. Here, we report two cryo-EM structures of Munc18-1 bound to cross-linked syntaxin-1 and synaptobrevin.

Cryo-electron Microscopic Analysis of Single-Pass Transmembrane Receptors.

Single-pass transmembrane receptors (SPTMRs) represent a diverse group of integral membrane proteins that are involved in many essential cellular processes, including signal transduction, cell adhesion, and transmembrane transport of materials. Dysregulation of the SPTMRs is linked with many human diseases. Despite extensive efforts in past decades, the mechanisms of action of the SPTMRs remain incompletely understood.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients: a single-center retrospective study.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Methods: We retrospectively collected and compared the data of patients with CDH admitted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021(study group) with the CDH patients admitted before the pandemic between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 (control group).

Results: During the pandemic, 41 patients with CDH diagnosed prenatally were transferred to our hospital, and 40 underwent surgical repair.

Activation of STING by targeting a pocket in the transmembrane domain.

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an adaptor protein in innate immunity against DNA viruses or bacteria. STING-mediated immunity could be exploited in the development of vaccines or cancer immunotherapies. STING is a transmembrane dimeric protein that is located in the endoplasmic reticulum or in the Golgi apparatus.

Synergistic activation of the insulin receptor via two distinct sites.

Insulin receptor (IR) signaling controls multiple facets of animal physiology. Maximally four insulins bind to IR at two distinct sites, termed site-1 and site-2. However, the precise functional roles of each binding event during IR activation remain unresolved.

Characterization of the subunit composition and structure of adult human glycine receptors.

The strychnine-sensitive pentameric glycine receptor (GlyR) mediates fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian nervous system. Only heteromeric GlyRs mediate synaptic transmission, as they contain the β subunit that permits clustering at the synapse through its interaction with scaffolding proteins. Here, we show that α2 and β subunits assemble with an unexpected 4:1 stoichiometry to produce GlyR with native electrophysiological properties.

Structural basis of the activation of c-MET receptor.

The c-MET receptor is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that plays essential roles in normal cell development and motility. Aberrant activation of c-MET can lead to both tumors growth and metastatic progression of cancer cells. C-MET can be activated by either hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), or its natural isoform NK1.

Architecture of the Sema3A/PlexinA4/Neuropilin tripartite complex.

Secreted class 3 semaphorins (Sema3s) form tripartite complexes with the plexin receptor and neuropilin coreceptor, which are both transmembrane proteins that together mediate semaphorin signal for neuronal axon guidance and other processes. Despite extensive investigations, the overall architecture of and the molecular interactions in the Sema3/plexin/neuropilin complex are incompletely understood. Here we present the cryo-EM structure of a near intact extracellular region complex of Sema3A, PlexinA4 and Neuropilin 1 (Nrp1) at 3.

Cryo-EM structure of the Hippo signaling integrator human STRIPAK.

The striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex is a large, multisubunit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) assembly that integrates diverse cellular signals in the Hippo pathway to regulate cell proliferation and survival. The architecture and assembly mechanism of this critical complex are poorly understood. Using cryo-EM, we determine the structure of the human STRIPAK core comprising PP2AA, PP2AC, STRN3, STRIP1, and MOB4 at 3.