scholarly journals Structural biology of human telomerase: progress and prospects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Hoang Duong Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Structural Biology ◽  
Genome Stability ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structural Work ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Human Telomerase ◽  
Human Genetic Disorders

Telomerase ribonucleoprotein was discovered over three decades ago as a specialized reverse transcriptase that adds telomeric repeats to the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomerase plays key roles in maintaining genome stability; and its dysfunction and misregulation have been linked to different types of cancers and a spectrum of human genetic disorders. Over the years, a wealth of genetic and biochemical studies of human telomerase have illuminated its numerous fascinating features. Yet, structural studies of human telomerase have lagged behind due to various challenges. Recent technical developments in cryo-electron microscopy have allowed for the first detailed visualization of the human telomerase holoenzyme, revealing unprecedented insights into its active site and assembly. This review summarizes the cumulative work leading to the recent structural advances, as well as highlights how the future structural work will further advance our understanding of this enzyme.

scholarly journals A Cryo-EM Grid Preparation Device for Time-Resolved Structural Studies

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Kontziampasis ◽  
David P. Klebl ◽  
Matthew G. Iadanza ◽  
Charlotte A. Scarff ◽  
Florian Kopf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Protein Conformations ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Rapid Mixing ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Microscopy Grid ◽  
Functional Mechanisms

AbstractStructural biology generally provides static snapshots of protein conformations that can inform on the functional mechanisms of biological systems. Time-resolved structural biology provides a means to visualise, at near-atomic resolution, the dynamic conformational changes that macromolecules undergo as they function. Recent advances in the resolution obtainable by electron microscopy (EM) and the broad range of samples that can be studied makes it ideally suited to time-resolved studies. Here we describe a cryo-electron microscopy grid preparation device that permits rapid mixing, voltage assisted spraying, and vitrification of samples. We show that the device produces grids of sufficient ice quality to enable data collection from single grids that results in a sub 4 Å reconstruction. Rapid mixing can be achieved by blot and spray or mix and spray approaches with a delay of ~10 ms, providing greater temporal resolution than previously reported approaches.

Cryo-EM Is a Powerful Tool, But Helical Applications Can Have Pitfalls

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Egelman ◽  
Fengbin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Macromolecular Complexes ◽  
Atomic Structures ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Main Technique

In structural biology, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as the main technique for determining the atomic structures of macromolecular complexes. This has largely been due to the introduction of direct...

scholarly journals ASPsiRNA: A Resource of ASP-siRNAs Having Therapeutic Potential for Human Genetic Disorders and Algorithm for Prediction of Their Inhibitory Efficacy

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 2931-2943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isha Monga ◽  
Abid Qureshi ◽  
Nishant Thakur ◽  
Amit Kumar Gupta ◽  
Manoj Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Human Genetic Disorders

scholarly journals Single-particle cryo-EM—How did it get here and where will it go

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 361 (6405) ◽  
pp. 876-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yifan Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Single Particle ◽  
Electron Crystallography ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
The Future ◽  
Electron Cryotomography

Cryo–electron microscopy, or simply cryo-EM, refers mainly to three very different yet closely related techniques: electron crystallography, single-particle cryo-EM, and electron cryotomography. In the past few years, single-particle cryo-EM in particular has triggered a revolution in structural biology and has become a newly dominant discipline. This Review examines the fascinating story of its start and evolution over the past 40-plus years, delves into how and why the recent technological advances have been so groundbreaking, and briefly considers where the technique may be headed in the future.

scholarly journals Rapid high-resolution structure analysis of small, biotechnologically relevant enzymes by cryo-electron microscopy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Dimos ◽  
Carl P.O. Helmer ◽  
Andrea M. Chanique ◽  
Markus C. Wahl ◽  
Robert Kourist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Structure Analysis ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Resolution Structure ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
Exquisite Specificity ◽  
Resolution Structure

Enzyme catalysis has emerged as a key technology for developing efficient, sustainable processes in the chemical, biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Plants provide large and diverse pools of biosynthetic enzymes that facilitate complex reactions, such as the formation of intricate terpene carbon skeletons, with exquisite specificity. High-resolution structural analysis of these enzymes is crucial to understand their mechanisms and modulate their properties by targeted engineering. Although cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized structural biology, its applicability to high-resolution structure analysis of comparatively small enzymes is so far largely unexplored. Here, we show that cryo-EM can reveal the structures of ~120 kDa plant borneol dehydrogenases at or below 2 Å resolution, paving the way for the fast development of new biocatalysts that provide access to bioactive terpenes and terpenoids.

scholarly journals Homogeneously N-glycosylated proteins derived from the GlycoDelete HEK293 cell line enable diffraction-quality crystallogenesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (12) ◽  
pp. 1244-1255
Author(s):  
Sandra Kozak ◽  
Yehudi Bloch ◽  
Steven De Munck ◽  
Aleksandra Mikula ◽  
Isabel Bento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Line ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Protein Fragments ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Acid Protein ◽  
Stimulating Factor

Structural studies of glycoproteins and their complexes provide critical insights into their roles in normal physiology and disease. Most glycoproteins contain N-linked glycosylation, a key post-translation modification that critically affects protein folding and stability and the binding kinetics underlying protein interactions. However, N-linked glycosylation is often an impediment to yielding homogeneous protein preparations for structure determination by X-ray crystallography or other methods. In particular, obtaining diffraction-quality crystals of such proteins and their complexes often requires modification of both the type of glycosylation patterns and their extent. Here, we demonstrate the benefits of producing target glycoproteins in the GlycoDelete human embryonic kidney 293 cell line that has been engineered to produce N-glycans as short glycan stumps comprising N-acetylglucosamine, galactose and sialic acid. Protein fragments of human Down syndrome cell-adhesion molecule and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor were obtained from the GlycoDelete cell line for crystallization. The ensuing reduction in the extent and complexity of N-glycosylation in both protein molecules compared with alternative glycoengineering approaches enabled their productive deployment in structural studies by X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, a third successful implementation of the GlycoDelete technology focusing on murine IL-12B is shown to lead to N-glycosylation featuring an immature glycan in diffraction-quality crystals. It is proposed that the GlycoDelete cell line could serve as a valuable go-to option for the production of homogeneous glycoproteins and their complexes for structural studies by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.

Human Genetic Disorders

2010 ◽  
pp. 535-598
Author(s):  
Teresa M. Kruisselbrink ◽  
Noralane M. Lindor ◽  
Elyse B. Mitchell ◽  
Brittany C. Thomas ◽  
Cassandra K. Runke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Human Genetic Disorders
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