Proteins and proteomics

The molecular orchestra of memory

Calcium, calmodulin and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II form a molecular axis that turns fleeting neural activity into lasting memories. New research shows how memories are stabilized, and possibly even protected or repaired.

Differences in pili structure modulate bacterial behavior

Researchers demonstrate how small changes in the structure of hair-like protein appendages can affect the behavior of Acinetobacter bacteria.

Disease-linked mutations disrupt protein phase behavior

Researchers find that pathogenic missense mutations are enriched threefold in phrase-separating intrinsically disordered regions of proteins.

Novel inhibitor targets RAS-driven cancers

Researchers in Louisville identify a small-molecule drug that blocks RALGEF signaling downstream of mutant RAS. The compound suppresses tumor growth with low toxicity, revealing a new therapeutic strategy for RAS-driven malignancies.

Catching tau in the act

Using a new proximity-labeling approach, researchers reveal how tangles of the brain-associated protein tau may disrupt RNA biology long before neurons die.

How copper delivery fuels bacterial respiration

Researchers identify the roles of several proteins in copper homeostasis in the aerobic bacterium Caulobacter vibrioides.

Revealing the glycoproteome of a cancer subtype

Researchers mapped the glycoproteome of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and compared it to intrahepatic tumors. Differences in sugar modifications and immune cell content suggest new biomarkers and guide development of targeted immunotherapies.

Uncovering the mechanisms of a glycosylation disorder

Mutations in OGT, an enzyme that adds sugars to proteins, cause a rare neurological disorder. Using proteomics, researchers reveal how OGT interactions with TET proteins may trigger epigenetic changes and early neural defects.

Heat shock proteins as a promising breast cancer therapeutic

Researchers unveiled isoform-specific targets on heat shock protein 90 which may be beneficial in therapeutic development.