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Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020 02 27;27(2):142-149. Epub 2020 Jan 27.

Gene Center and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.

Some proteins require completion of folding before translocation across a membrane into another cellular compartment. Yet the permeability barrier of the membrane should not be compromised and mechanisms have remained mostly elusive. Here, we present the structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Bcs1, an AAA-ATPase of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Read More

Nucleic Acids Res 2019 12;47(21):11209-11224

Department of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.

ATP-DnaA is temporally increased to initiate replication during the cell cycle. Two chromosomal loci, DARS (DnaA-reactivating sequences) 1 and 2, promote ATP-DnaA production by nucleotide exchange of ADP-DnaA for timely initiation. ADP-DnaA complexes are constructed on DARS1 and DARS2, bearing a cluster of three DnaA-binding sequences (DnaA boxes I-III), promoting ADP dissociation. Read More

J Am Chem Soc 2019 11 23;141(44):17588-17600. Epub 2019 Oct 23.

Molecular Materials Design Laboratory, Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 East Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States.

Anfinsen's dogma that sequence dictates structure is fundamental to understanding the activity and assembly of proteins. This idea has been applied to all manner of oligomers but not to the behavior of cyclic oligomers, aka macrocycles. We do this here by providing the first proofs that sequence controls the hierarchical assembly of nonbiological macrocycles, in this case, at graphite surfaces. Read More

J Biochem 2018 Nov;164(5):349-358

Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan.

Mitochondria continuously undergo coordinated fusion and fission during vegetative growth to keep their homogeneity and to remove damaged components. A cytosolic AAA ATPase, Cdc48, is implicated in the mitochondrial fusion event and turnover of a fusion-responsible GTPase in the mitochondrial outer membrane, Fzo1, suggesting a possible linkage of mitochondrial fusion and Fzo1 turnover. Here, we identified two Cdc48 cofactor proteins, Ubp3 and Ubx2, involving mitochondria regulation. Read More

J Biol Chem 2018 07 11;293(27):10590-10605. Epub 2018 May 11.

From the Department of Molecular Cellular Biology University of California, Davis, California 95616

The reorganization of microtubules in mitosis, meiosis, and development requires the microtubule-severing activity of katanin. Katanin is a heterodimer composed of an TPase ssociated with diverse cellular ctivities (AAA) subunit and a regulatory subunit. Microtubule severing requires ATP hydrolysis by katanin's conserved AAA ATPase domains. Read More