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08:31
Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice
Published on: July 20, 2022
Crystallography, evolution, and the structure of viruses
1Department of Biological Sciences, Hockmeyer Hall of Structural Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. mr@purdue.edu
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|February 10, 2012
Summary
This research details the journey of structural biology, from early computational crystallography to determining the first protein and virus structures. It highlights conserved molecular structures, revealing insights into evolution at the molecular level.
Area of Science:
- Structural Biology
- Biophysics
- Molecular Evolution
Background:
- Pioneering work in computational crystallography for small organic molecules.
- Early contributions to determining the first protein structures alongside Max Perutz.
- Established independent research focusing on dehydrogenase structures and conserved nucleotide-binding folds.
Discussion:
- Investigated the three-dimensional structures of viruses, including plant RNA viruses and human rhinovirus.
- Integrated electron microscopy with crystallography to study viral assembly, infection, and antibody neutralization.
- Emphasized the guiding principle of molecular-level evolution in structural studies.
Key Insights:
- Demonstrated conservation of nucleotide-binding structures in dehydrogenases.
- Determined the first structures of key human viruses, advancing virology.
- Identified conserved structural motifs like the jelly roll fold in viral capsid proteins.
Outlook:
- Continued exploration of viral structures and their interactions.
- Further application of structural biology to understand molecular evolution.
- Potential for new therapeutic strategies based on conserved viral structures.
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