research advances

Synopses of important developments in the field of structural biology and structural genomics, including advances from the Protein Structure Initiative. The featured articles and technical highlights are specially written for the Structural Biology Knowledgebase, while the research highlights are taken from NPG publications.

March 2011

featured articles
- Subtly different
  The crystal structure of the D3 dopamine receptor reveals how to selectively target D2-like receptors.
- Tip formin
  Single-molecule fluorescence polarization shows how mDia1 rotates along actin filaments.
research highlights
- G protein-coupled receptors: Crystallizing how agonists bind
  The mechanism by which GPCRs transmit signals in response to agonists is clearer thanks to three new crystal structures.
- Immunology: Presenting lipopeptides
  The CD1c structure shows how lipid and peptide moieties work together in lipopeptide presentation.
technical highlights
- NMR challenges current protein hydration dogma
  
  For decades, scientists have struggled to understand protein interactions with water. NMR spectroscopy using reverse micelles suggests that the dynamics of water on the surface of proteins are quite variable and tend to cluster, overturning the current orthodoxy.
- Snapshot crystallography
  
  Two independent studies have now used femtosecond pulses from a hard-X-ray free electron laser to push forward the boundaries of structure determination.