J. Steyaert

Structures of native SV2A reveal the binding mode for tetanus neurotoxin and anti-epileptic racetams

This study determines the structures of native SV2A, revealing its binding modes for tetanus neurotoxin and anti-epileptic drugs, and provides insights into toxin-receptor interactions and drug specificity.

Rapid small-scale nanobody-assisted purification of ryanodine receptors for cryo-EM

This paper describes a method to rapidly purify ryanodine receptors from small protein samples for cryo-EM, demonstrating its effectiveness by solving receptor structures.

Conserved Lysine in transmembrane helix 5 is key for the inner gating of the LAT transporter BasC

This study identifies a conserved lysine in TM5 of BasC as critical for cytoplasmic gate dynamics, showing its role in gating transitions and modulation by substrates and mutations.

Identification and characterization of nanobodies acting as molecular chaperones for glucocerebrosidase through a novel allosteric mechanism

This study identifies nanobodies that act as molecular chaperones for glucocerebrosidase, improving its activity and stability, with potential therapeutic applications for Gaucher and Parkinson's diseases.

Structural basis of substrate transport and drug recognition by the human thiamine transporter SLC19A3

This study determines the cryo-EM structures of the human thiamine transporter SLC19A3 in complex with ligands, revealing its transport mechanism and drug interactions.

Extracellular modulation of TREK-2 activity with nanobodies provides insight into the mechanisms of K2P channel regulation

The paper identifies nanobodies that selectively modulate TREK-2 channel activity and reveals their binding mechanisms through structural analysis.

Structural basis of membrane targeting and coatomer assembly by human GBP1

This study determines the cryo-EM structure of human GBP1 dimer and coatomer assemblies, revealing how nucleotide binding and hydrolysis drive membrane targeting and coatomer formation.

Plasticity of the binding pocket in peptide transporters underpins promiscuous substrate recognition

The paper investigates the substrate recognition mechanism of the bacterial POT DtpB using structural and biochemical analyses, revealing that compact hydrophobic peptides are optimal binders.

Nanobody CDR3 mimetics enhance SOS1-catalyzed nucleotide exchange on RAS

This study shows that CDR3 mimetics can enhance SOS1-catalyzed nucleotide exchange on RAS, demonstrating functional modulation of protein-protein interactions through structural mimicry of a nanobody.

Competitive, connective and allosteric Nanobodies that modulate the SOS1-RAS protein-protein interactions and tune the nucleotide exchange rate as a starting point for drug design

The paper introduces methods to discover Nanobodies that modulate SOS1-RAS interactions and nucleotide exchange rates, with potential applications in drug design.

Cryo-EM structure of an atypical proton-coupled peptide transporter: Di- and tripeptide permease C

This study determines the cryo-EM structure of DtpC, an atypical proton-coupled peptide transporter, revealing structural insights into its ligand selectivity.

Nanobodies as allosteric modulators of Parkinson's disease-associated LRRK2

This study identifies and characterizes Nanobodies that modulate LRRK2 activity through non-ATP-competitive mechanisms, offering new tools for Parkinson's disease research and therapy.

Structure and Mechanism of Hedgehog Acyl Transferase

The paper presents the cryo-EM structure of HHAT, revealing its mechanism for transferring palmitate to SHH and identifying a heme group essential for its function.

Structure of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110γ-p101 complex reveals molecular mechanism of GPCR activation

The paper reports the cryo-EM structure of the p110γ-p101 complex, revealing how GPCR activation is mediated through interactions with Gβγ and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

HDX-MS optimized approach to characterize nanobodies as tools for biochemical and structural studies of class IB phosphoinositide 3-kinases

This paper uses HDX-MS to characterize nanobodies targeting PI3K{gamma} complexes, identifying epitopes and functional effects on lipid kinase activity and GPCR activation.

Snapshots of actin and tubulin folding inside the TRiC chaperonin

The paper captures structural snapshots of actin and tubulin folding within the TRiC chaperonin using cryo-EM, revealing how substrates interact with the chamber during folding.

Dissecting lipid contents in the distinct regions of native retinal rod disk membranes

The paper analyzes lipid composition differences between center and rim regions of retinal rod disk membranes using co-immunopurification and lipidomic analysis.

Crystal and cryo-EM structures of the cytosolic G protein alpha chaperone and guanine nucleotide exchange factor Ric-8A bound to Gαi1

This study reports the crystal and cryo-EM structures of Ric-8A bound to Gαi1, revealing its mechanism of GTP exchange and chaperone activity through structural interactions.

Megabodies expand the nanobody toolkit for protein structure determination by single-particle cryo-EM

The paper introduces megabodies, engineered nanobodies that improve cryo-EM resolution by addressing particle size and orientation issues, and demonstrates their application in solving a membrane protein structure.

Characterisation and structure determination of a llama-derived nanobody targeting the J-base binding protein 1

The paper characterizes a llama-derived nanobody targeting JBP1, showing high affinity and solving its crystal structure to 1.64 Å resolution, with insights into CDR flexibility.