Biochemistry

The non-muscle actinopathy-associated mutation E334Q in cytoskeletal γ-actin perturbs interaction of actin filaments with myosin and ADF/cofilin family proteins

1. Johannes N Greve
2. Anja Marquardt
3. Robin Heiringhoff
4. Theresia Reindl
5. Claudia Thiel
6. Nataliya Di Donato
7. Manuel H Taft
8. Dietmar J Manstein

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study presents a valuable characterization of the biochemical consequences of a disease-associated point mutation in a nonmuscle actin. The study uses well-characterized in vitro assays to explore function. The data are convincing and should be helpful to others.

Reviewed by eLife

DBF4, not DRF1, is the crucial regulator of CDC7 kinase at replication forks

1. Anja Göder
2. Chrystelle Antoinat Maric
3. Michael D. Rainey
4. Aisling O’Connor
5. Chiara Cazzaniga
6. Daniel Shamavu
7. Jean-Charles Cadoret
8. Corrado Santocanale

Reviewed by Review Commons

Structural basis of closed groove scrambling by a TMEM16 protein

1. Zhang Feng
2. Omar E. Alvarenga
3. Alessio Accardi

• Curated by Biophysics Colab

  Evaluation statement (17 January 2024; revised 31 January 2024)

  Feng and colleagues investigate the molecular basis of lipid scrambling in a fungal member of the TMEM16 family of Ca²⁺-dependent lipid scramblases. These proteins possess a groove in their 3D structure that has been implicated in lipid scrambling, which the authors investigate in the absence and presence of Ca²⁺ using a combination of cryo-EM structure determination, mutagenesis and functional assays. Their closed-groove structure reveals a continuous file of lipid molecules around the catalytic groove region, providing a structural basis for lipid interaction with the protein. Additionally, the authors capture three novel states of TMEM16, completing the picture of conformational transitions that this protein undergoes. Strikingly, the authors show that both structure and distribution of the protein’s conformations depend on lipid composition and nanodisc scaffold protein.

  Biophysics Colab considers this to be exceptional work and recommends it to scientists interested in plasma membrane lipid homeostasis and cryoEM.

  (This evaluation by Biophysics Colab refers to version 2 of this preprint, which has been revised in response to peer review of version 1.)

Reviewed by Biophysics Colab

Remote loop evolution reveals a complex biological function for chitinase enzymes beyond the active site

1. Dan Kozome
2. Adnan Sljoka
3. Paola Laurino

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

The catalytic mechanism of the RNA methyltransferase METTL3

1. Ivan Corbeski
2. Pablo Andrés Vargas-Rosales
3. Rajiv Kumar Bedi
4. Jiahua Deng
5. Dylan Coelho
6. Emmanuelle Braud
7. Laura Iannazzo
8. Yaozong Li
9. Danzhi Huang
10. Mélanie Ethève-Quelquejeu
11. Qiang Cui
12. Amedeo Caflisch

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study combines experimental and computational data to address crucial aspects of RNA methylation by a vital RNA methyltransferase (MTase). The authors have provided compelling, strong evidence, utilizing well-established techniques, to elucidate aspects of the methyl transfer mechanism of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3), which is a part of the METTL3-14 complex. This work will be of broad interest to biochemists, biophysicists, and cell biologists alike.

Reviewed by eLife

Purine nucleosides replace cAMP in allosteric regulation of PKA in trypanosomatid pathogens

1. Veronica Teresa Ober
2. George Boniface Githure
3. Yuri Volpato Santos
4. Sidney Becker
5. Gabriel Moya Munoz
6. Jérôme Basquin
7. Frank Schwede
8. Esben Lorentzen
9. Michael Boshart

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This landmark study sheds light on a long-standing puzzle in Protein kinase A activation in Trypanosoma. Extensive experimental work provides exceptional evidence for the conclusions of the work, which represents a significant advancement in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of cyclic nucleotide binding domains. The work is relevant for researchers with interests in kinases and their mechanistic study.

Reviewed by eLife

Rapid, DNA-induced interface swapping by DNA gyrase

1. Thomas RM Germe
2. Natassja G Bush
3. Victoria M Baskerville
4. Dominik Saman
5. Justin LP Benesch
6. Anthony Maxwell

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This is an important study on DNA gyrase that provides further evidence for its mode of action via a double-stranded DNA break and against a recently-proposed alternative mechanism. The evidence presented is solid and is derived from state-of-the-art techniques. The work casts new light on the interactions that occur between gyrase molecules and will be of interest to biochemists and cell biologists.

Reviewed by eLife

Semi‐synthetic nanobody‐ligand conjugates exhibit tunable signaling properties and enhanced transcriptional outputs at neurokinin receptor‐1

1. Nayara Braga Emidio
2. Ross W. Cheloha

Reviewed by Biophysics Colab

Structural dynamics of the active HER4 and HER2/HER4 complexes is finely tuned by different growth factors and glycosylation

1. Raphael Trenker
2. Devan Diwanji
3. Tanner Bingham
4. Kliment A Verba
5. Natalia Jura

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This manuscript describes structures of HER4 homo- and HER4/HER2 hetero-dimer complexes using single particle cryo-EM. This important work describes convincingly new structural details of these complexes that expand our understanding of their function. This work will be of interest to researchers working on cell surface signalling and kinase activity.

Reviewed by eLife

Guanidine production by plant homoarginine-6-hydroxylases

1. Dietmar Funck
2. Malte Sinn
3. Giuseppe Forlani
4. Jörg S Hartig

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This fundamental study advances our understanding of nitrogen metabolism by identifying a new type of guanidine-forming enzyme in eukaryotes. The key claims of the article are convincingly supported by the data, with meticulous biochemical, cellular, and in vivo studies on guanidine production. The work will stimulate interest in the cellular roles of homoarginine, and, more generally, in the biochemistry and metabolism of guanidine derivatives.

Reviewed by eLife