Molecular

Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The ASBMB fosters research, teaching and industry in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology through regional and national meetings

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education
Web site for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
An integrated forum for structural and molecular studies.


Mechanics of membrane fusion

Viral membrane fusion

The fusion pores of Ca2+-triggered exocytosis

Synaptic vesicle fusion

Membrane fusion

Mechanism of lid closure in the eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC/CCT
Group II chaperonins, such as TriC/CCT, have a build-in lid that can cover the folding chamber and functions in an analogous way to the GroES-like proteins used by their Group I counterparts. Structural and modeling data suggest an allosteric mechanism of TriC lid closure that differs from GroES?GroEL systems.

Capped small RNAs and MOV10 in human hepatitis delta virus replication
Both genomic and antigenomic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNAs have hairpin-shaped ends. Small capped RNAs have now been identified from both genomic and antigenomic RNAs, and the human homolog of the Arabidopsis RNA amplification factor (SDE3) has been implicated in the replication of HDV.

Molecular mechanism of energy conservation in polysulfide respiration
Polysulfides are chains of sulfur atoms abundant in extreme environments. Some organisms reduce polysulfides, and this reaction may be coupled to respiratory processes. Now the structure of the multicomponent membrane complex that catalyzes this reaction is solved, revealing a potential proton channel that could have a role in energy conservation.

Supramolecular SNARE assembly precedes hemifusion in SNARE-mediated membrane ...
The cooperative action of multiple trans SNARE complexes are a likely requirement for successful membrane fusion. New in vitro analyses reveal the kinetic timescales of the sequential steps of the fusion process, beginning with trans SNARE pairing and clustering of vesicle SNARE proteins, proceeding to hemifusion of outer bilayer leaflets, and ending with full fusion.

Asymmetric bidirectional replication at the human DBF4 origin
The origin of replication located at the human DBF4 promoter is finely characterized. Two initiation zones are on opposite strands and 400 bp apart, being fired in a sequential way, in a manner similar to replication at bacterial oriC.

Fungal Rtt109 histone acetyltransferase is an unexpected structural homolog o...
Rtt109 is a relatively recently identified yeast histone acetyltransferase that forms distinct complexes with two histone chaperones. The structure of Rtt109 now reveals that while functionally distinct, it is structurally homologous to mammalian p300/CBP, which previously appeared to not contain a counterpart in yeast.

Complexin and Ca2+ stimulate SNARE-mediated membrane fusion
Complexin is one of several regulatory molecules known to be important for SNARE-mediated fusion that occurs during neurotransmitter release. In vitro data now suggest that complexin plays inhibitory and Ca2+- dependent stimulatory roles that may be correlated to changing interactions with the SNARE complex.

Structure of an O-GlcNAc transferase homolog provides insight into intracellu...
Cytoplasmic O-GlcNac modification of proteins is thought to have dynamic interplay with phosphorylation and thus be involved in regulation of signaling processes. The complete structure of an OGT homolog is now presented, suggesting how diverse ligands can be presented to the active site of the enzyme.

A second binding site for double-stranded RNA in TLR3 and consequences for in...
Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) recognizes double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules produced by many viruses and activates an inflammatory response. Synthetic dsRNAs such as small interfering RNAs have been shown to activate TLR3. Now the TLR3 ectodomain is found to contain two dsRNA binding sites, and the implications for dsRNA recognition and selectivity and downstream signaling are discussed.

Some classic papers in the field of membrane fusion?a personal view
Every field of research has influential papers that have shaped and guided future work. Reinhard Jahn gives his picks for membrane fusion and a little bit of history about how the field has developed.