Mechanically sensitive proteins called gellins sense and respond to protoplasm flowing out of severed hyphae, quickly sealing up injuries in these root-like structures of fungi.

Flexible proteins appear to protect molecules from becoming denatured in extreme conditions such as heat and from clumping up, as happens in some neurodegenerative diseases.

The creativity of citizen scientists could help researchers design proteins that may be able to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

A synthetic genetic tool called yTRAP allows high-throughput detection of protein aggregates in cells.
 

Strategies for targeting intrinsically disordered proteins

Lila Gierasch uses biochemical tools to understand how linear chains of amino acids turn into complex three-dimensional structures.

Metagenomic sequence data boosts the power of protein modeling software to yield hundreds of new protein structure predictions.

Clostridium botulinum produces a transcription factor that can aggregate and self-propagate a prion-like form, leading to genome-wide changes in gene expression in E. coli, according to a study.

The Harvard professor is pursuing fundamental questions about autophagy, protein homeostasis, and other cellular processes, and he’s always on the lookout for his next new topic.