Biochemistry

NMPylation and de-NMPylation of SARS-CoV-2 nsp9 by the NiRAN domain

1. Bing Wang
2. Dmitri Svetlov
3. Irina Artsimovitch

Reviewed by ScreenIT

Tissue-specific targeting of DNA nanodevices in a multicellular living organism

1. Kasturi Chakraborty
2. Palapuravan Anees
3. Sunaina Surana
4. Simona Martin
5. Jihad Aburas
6. Sandrine Moutel
7. Franck Perez
8. Sandhya P Koushika
9. Paschalis Kratsios
10. Yamuna Krishnan

• Curated by eLife

  Evaluation Summary:

  This paper is of interest to anyone who wants to deliver nucleic acids to specific cell types in whole animals. The work provides a new method to target and deliver of nanodevices to specific cell types and intracellular compartments within live animals. It relies on cell types that can be induced to express a transmembrane protein chimera with a newly developed DNA sequence-specific camelid antibody. In general the data appeared to be of high quality and were well controlled, supporting the authors' conclusions. This work could help pave the way for future advancements in the cell-specific delivery of custom-engineered payloads such as dsDNA nanodevices utilized as quantitative chemosensors and effectors in living cells.

  (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

Reviewed by eLife

Cellular Activities of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Reveal Their Unique Characteristics

1. Wenyue Cao
2. Chia-Chuan Dean Cho
3. Zhi Zachary Geng
4. Xinyu R. Ma
5. Robert Allen
6. Namir Shaabani
7. Erol C. Vatansever
8. Yugendar R. Alugubelli
9. Yuying Ma
10. William H. Ellenburg
11. Kai S. Yang
12. Yuchen Qiao
13. Henry Ji
14. Shiqing Xu
15. Wenshe Ray Liu

Reviewed by ScreenIT

The fatty acid site is coupled to functional motifs in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and modulates spike allosteric behaviour

1. A. Sofia F. Oliveira
2. Deborah K. Shoemark
3. Amaurys Avila Ibarra
4. Andrew D. Davidson
5. Imre Berger
6. Christiane Schaffitzel
7. Adrian J. Mulholland

Reviewed by ScreenIT

Structure and mechanistic features of the prokaryotic minimal RNase P

1. Rebecca Feyh
2. Nadine B Waeber
3. Simone Prinz
4. Pietro Ivan Giammarinaro
5. Gert Bange
6. Georg Hochberg
7. Roland K Hartmann
8. Florian Altegoer

• Curated by eLife

  Evaluation Summary:

  This manuscript provides the first 3D structure of a novel type of RNA processing enzyme recently identified in bacteria. It convincingly uses cryoEM and biochemistry to describe how this small enzyme makes a new type of homo polymeric complex as required for its activity. The manuscript provides important conceptual novelties that will be of interest for a broad readership of biologists interested in gene expression processes.

  (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Reviewed by eLife

Drug Repurposing for the SARS‐CoV‐2 Papain‐Like Protease

1. Chia‐Chuan Cho
2. Shuhua G. Li
3. Tyler J. Lalonde
4. Kai S. Yang
5. Ge Yu
6. Yuchen Qiao
7. Shiqing Xu
8. Wenshe Ray Liu

Reviewed by ScreenIT

Characterization of SARS2 Nsp15 nuclease activity reveals it's mad about U

1. Meredith N Frazier
2. Lucas B Dillard
3. Juno M Krahn
4. Lalith Perera
5. Jason G Williams
6. Isha M Wilson
7. Zachary D Stewart
8. Monica C Pillon
9. Leesa J Deterding
10. Mario J Borgnia
11. Robin E Stanley

Reviewed by ScreenIT

Endomembrane systems are reorganized by ORF3a and Membrane (M) of SARS-CoV-2

1. Yun-Bin Lee
2. Minkyo Jung
3. Jeesoo Kim
4. Myeong-Gyun Kang
5. Chulhwan Kwak
6. Jong-Seo Kim
7. Ji-Young Mun
8. Hyun-Woo Rhee

Reviewed by ScreenIT

Analysis of the PcrA-RNA polymerase complex reveals a helicase interaction motif and a role for PcrA/UvrD helicase in the suppression of R-loops

1. Inigo Urrutia-Irazabal
2. James R Ault
3. Frank Sobott
4. Nigel J Savery
5. Mark S Dillingham

• Curated by eLife

  Evaluation Summary:
  The resolution of R-loops that form during collisions between replication and transcription machineries is crucial for cell survival. This is exemplified by the lethality of deletion of PcrA, a helicase that appears to be involved in the resolution of such collisions. Here, the authors aim to characterize the critical regions of PcrA/RNAP interactions and determine the function of such interactions. The manuscript's structural work is refined, elegant and leaves little room for doubt concerning the importance of the CTD PcrA-RNAP molecular interactions. This work moves the field forward in a meaningful way and unravels key aspects of PcrA/UvrD function with regards to interaction and function on RNAP. It will be of interest across the wide field of protein-DNA interactions, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic.

  (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

Reviewed by eLife

MBNL1 and RBFOX1 co-regulate alternative splicing events transcriptome-wide through a conserved buffering mechanism

1. Melissa Hale
2. Joseph Ellis
3. Ryan Meng
4. Sunny McDaniel
5. Amy Mahady
6. Stacey Wagner
7. Jared Richardson
8. Ona McConnell
9. Eric Wang
10. J. Andrew Berglund

• Curated by eLife

  Evaluation Summary:

  A major question in the field of alternative splicing regulation is how information from multiple, independently-acting splicing factors is integrated into a single signal that informs the spliceosome to include or skip an exon. This study addresses the extent of co-regulation of alternative splicing events by the two RNA binding proteins RBFOX1 and MBNL1. The work has implications for how the effects of perturbing one splicing factor can be buffered by the action of a second RNA binding protein, with broad relevance in development and disease. Additional work would provide more support for a generalized mechanism underlying regulation alternative splicing events.

  (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

Reviewed by eLife