Casein kinase 2 (CK2) is a ubiquitous pleiotropic enzyme that is highly conserved across eukaryotic kingdoms. CK2 is singular amongst kinases as it is highly rigid and constitutively active. Arabidopsis thaliana is widely used as a model system in molecular plant research; the biological functions of A. thaliana CK2 are well studied in vivo and many of its substrates have been identified. Here, crystal

Many human diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, show annual increases in prevalence and often involve intestinal microbes. One such probiotic bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, which was discovered a decade ago, has been reported to influence glucose homeostasis and to contribute to gut health. Amuc_1100, a functionally uncharacterized protein of A. muciniphila, was found to be a key active component

Human O‐phosphoethanolamine phospho‐lyase (hEtnppl; EC 4.2.3.2) is a pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate‐dependent enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of O‐phosphoethanolamine (PEA) into acetaldehyde, phosphate and ammonia. Physiologically, the enzyme is involved in phospholipid metabolism, as PEA is the precursor of phosphatidylethanolamine in the CDP‐ethanolamine (Kennedy) pathway. Here, the crystal structure

The metabolism of sucrose is of crucial importance for life on Earth. In plants, enzymes called invertases split sucrose into glucose and fructose, contributing to the regulation of metabolic fluxes. Invertases differ in their localization and pH optimum. Acidic invertases present in plant cell walls and vacuoles belong to glycoside hydrolase family 32 (GH32) and have an all‐β structure. In contrast

The nonribosomal biosynthesis of the dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin is achieved by the concerted action of multiple enzymes in the Bacillus subtilis bac operon. BacF (YwfG), encoded by the bacF gene, is a fold type I pyridoxal 5‐phosphate (PLP)‐dependent stereospecific transaminase. Activity assays with l‐phenylalanine and 4‐hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (4HPP), a chemical analogue of tetrahydrohydroxyphenylpyruvic

Legionella pneumophila encodes an extracellular secreted phospholipase A named PlaA that is translocated by the type II secretion system. It plays an essential role in maintaining the integrity of Legionella‐containing vacuoles in L. pneumophila pathogenesis. Here, it is shown that PlaA has a main lysophospholipase activity to hydrolyze fatty‐acyl groups in lysophospholipids. Although it has a very

TRPV1, a member of the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels family, has been found to be involved in redox sensing. The crystal structure of the human TRPV1 ankyrin‐repeat domain (TRPV1‐ARD) was determined at 4.5 Å resolution under nonreducing conditions. This is the first report of the crystal structure of a ligand‐free form of TRPV1‐ARD and in particular of the human homologue. The structure

Citrate synthase (CS) catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate and acetyl coenzyme A into citrate and coenzyme A in the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In plants, mitochondrial metabolism, including the TCA cycle, occurs in interaction with photosynthetic metabolism. The controlled regulation of several enzymes in the TCA cycle, such as CS, is important in plants. Here, the first crystal

Tau proteins play an important role in the proper assembly and function of neurons. Hyperphosphorylation of tau by kinases such as tau tubulin kinase (TTBK) has been hypothesized to cause the aggregation of tau and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) that lead to the destabilization of microtubules, thereby contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). There

FtsZ, a tubulin‐like GTPase, is essential for bacterial cell division. In the presence of GTP, FtsZ polymerizes into filamentous structures, which are key to generating force in cell division. However, the structural basis for the molecular mechanism underlying FtsZ function remains to be elucidated. In this study, crystal structures of the enzymatic domains of FtsZ from Klebsiella pneumoniae (KpFtsZ)

Calpain is a Ca2+‐activated, heterodimeric cysteine protease consisting of a large catalytic subunit and a small regulatory subunit. Dysregulation of this enzyme is involved in a range of pathological conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and thus calpain I is a drug target with potential therapeutic applications. Difficulty in the production of this enzyme has hindered

Serine racemase (SR) is a pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate (PLP)‐containing enzyme that converts l‐serine to d‐serine, an endogenous co‐agonist for the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subtype of glutamate ion channels. SR regulates d‐serine levels by the reversible racemization of l‐serine to d‐serine, as well as the catabolism of serine by α,β‐elimination to produce pyruvate. The modulation of SR activity

Adeno‐associated viruses (AAVs) are used as in vivo gene‐delivery vectors in gene‐therapy products and have been heavily investigated for numerous indications. Over 100 naturally occurring AAV serotypes and variants have been isolated from primate samples. Many reports have described unique properties of these variants (for instance, differences in potency, target cell or evasion of the immune response)

The structure of the MP‐4 protein was previously determined at a resolution of 2.8 Å. Owing to the unavailability of gene‐sequence information at the time, the side‐chain assignment was carried out on the basis of a partial sequence available through Edman degradation, sequence homology to orthologs and electron density. The structure of MP‐4 has now been determined at a higher resolution (2.22 Å)

Bacterial cytokinesis is mediated by the Z-ring, which is formed by the prokaryotic tubulin homolog FtsZ. Recent data indicate that the Z-ring is composed of small patches of FtsZ protofilaments that travel around the bacterial cell by treadmilling. Treadmilling involves a switch from a relaxed (R) state, favored for monomers, to a tense (T) conformation, which is favored upon association into filaments

Cytisine, a natural product with high affinity for clinically relevant nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), is used as a smoking-cessation agent. The compound displays an excellent clinical profile and hence there is an interest in derivatives that may be further improved or find use in the treatment of other conditions. Here, the binding of a cytisine derivative modified by the addition of