Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Researchers discover previously undetected role of protein in peptide biosynthesis

2022-12-06

Drs. Kristen Flatt and Yiwu Zheng sit at a computer monitor. They are looking at the monitor, with Dr. Satish Nair standing behind them looking at the screen as well.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered an unexpected reaction within a protein family. Their findings, which were recently published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, could have dramatic implications for the development of future therapeutics.

Uncovering the Critical Function of Drg1 in Protein Synthesis

2021-11-11

Biochemistry researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are conducting trailblazing work on a group of conserved proteins that are directly related to abnormal cell proliferation and developmental and neurological disorders. In a new article published in Cell Reports, biochemistry...

New "Cryo-EM" technology illuminates life

2021-11-02

Researcher pours ice to prepare specimens for cryo-EM.

Thanks to the installation of a cryogenic electron microscope at the University of Illinois, researchers are exploring what was once hidden or difficult to study at the molecular level.

Researchers characterize natively bound lipids of a pentameric ligand-gated ion-channel in intact fragments of membrane

2021-06-07

Many researchers have postulated that the lipid composition of the membrane containing ion channels is critical for function. However, there are limited data about the structure and function of natively bound lipids. Some molecular simulation experiments have provided some insight; but, data from...

Researchers structurally characterize a dual-function transporter

2021-03-22

Computer simulation of the glutamate transporter in cellular environment revealed the pathway for the conduction of chloride ions (red).

The regulation of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter abundant in the central nervous system, is critical for maintaining normal brain function. Glutamate regulation is achieved via extracellular transport of the amino acid. There are two primary classes of proteins involved in the transport...

Dr. Jin's lab solves atomic structure of stalled ribosome by cryoEM

2017-02-23

This is the first atomic structure of a ribosomal complex solved by cryoEM on the U of I campus.