Top 7 in biochemistry

linkurl:1. New moves for myosin;http://f1000.com/6250962?key=wdd8tywq8bcwg4p In order to transport intracellular cargo within a cell, the motor protein myosin V walks along actin filaments by sweeping one of its arms over the other in a series of microscopic steps, researchers confirmed using high-speed atomic force microscopy. This highly detailed, real-time imaging also revealed new features of the myosin walk, such as "stomping," where one of the arms briefly detaches from the actin, and then reattaches in the same spot.N. Kodera et al., linkurl:Nature,;http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v468/n7320/abs/nature09450.html?lang=en 468:72-6, 2010. Evaluated by Thomas Meier, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics; Yamini Dalal, National Cancer Institute; Fred D Mast and Richard A Rachubinski, Univ. of Alberta; Erik Sahai, Cancer Research UK. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/6250962?key=wdd8tywq8bcwg4p

linkurl:2. Eukaryotic ribosome unveiled;http://f1000.com/6750956?key=7x8qmggqblmdt5j The long-elusive crystal structure of the translational machinery in yeast reveals unique interactions within and between the ribosome's two subunits and promises to lead to a better understanding of protein synthesis in eukaryotes.A. Ben-Shem et al., linkurl:Science,;http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6008/1203.abstract 330:1203-9, 2010. Evaluated by Robert Batey, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder; Dmitri Ermolenko and George Makhatadze, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/6750956?key=7x8qmggqblmdt5j linkurl:3. Elusive intermediate #1 captured;http://f1000.com/6366957?key=rljs9ddcbkgbjcx The existence of the fabled intermediate form of cytochrome P450 -- long suspected of catalyzing the oxidation reactions required for metabolizing the majority of drugs in the liver, among other things -- has finally been confirmed using isolates from a thermophilic bacterium. J. Rittle and M.T. Green, linkurl:Science,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20947758?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 330:933-7, 2010. Evaluations by Ivo Feussner, Georg August Univ. G?ttingen, Germany; Russ Hille, UC Riverside; Kap-Sun Yeung and Nicholas Meanwell, Bristol Myers Squibb. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/6366957?key=rljs9ddcbkgbjcx linkurl:4. Elusive intermediate #2 captured;http://f1000.com/5349956?key=r9p0yh94ttl9jpc Researchers visualize the molecular structure of a short-lived folding intermediate of the FF domain of a human protein with a combination of NMR spectroscopy and powerful computational methods, providing a novel technique for studying the atomic details of protein folding pathways. D.M. Korzhnev, et al., linkurl:Science,;http://www.sciencemag.org/content/329/5997/1312.abstract 329:1312-6, 2010. Evaluations by Robert Powers, Univ. Nebraska; Mikael Akke, Lund University, Sweden. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/5349956?key=r9p0yh94ttl9jpc linkurl:5. Ribosome assembly up close;http://f1000.com/6901956?key=32t9h7nnvsqr6jp The self-assembly of the 30S subunit of bacterial ribosomes is observed in vitro with a novel use of electron microscopy combined with mass spectrometry -- revealing clues about how the process occurs in vivo and offering a powerful method for studying the assembly of other biological complexes. A.M. Mulder, et al., linkurl:Science,;http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6004/673.abstract 330:673-7, 2010. Evaluations by Pascale Legault, Univ. Montreal; Mikael Akke, Lund University, Sweden. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/6901956?key=32t9h7nnvsqr6jp linkurl:6. Growth factor mystery solved;http://f1000.com/5040957?key=p4wy92vjck24jfw Why the binding of one ligand to epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) reduces the receptor's ability to take on a second has baffled researchers for decades. Now studies of the Drosophila EGFR reveal that binding of the first ligand changes the conformation of the dimeric receptor, obstructing the unoccupied site and making it harder for a second ligand to latch on.D. Alvarado, et al., linkurl:Cell,;http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2810%2900784-1 142:568-79, 2010. Evaluations by Yue Sun and Richard Anderson, Univ. Wisconsin-Madison; Andrew Beenken and Moosa Mohammadi, NYU Langone Medical Center; Arthur Christopoulos, Monash Univ., Australia. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/5040957?key=p4wy92vjck24jfw

Malarial sporozoite
Wikimedia commons: image by Ute Frevert
false color by Margaret Shear

linkurl:7. New class of antimalarial agents;http://f1000.com/5063956?key=nsrtydjf70965qk Screening 12,000 natural compounds, researchers identified a novel family of drugs, dubbed spiroindolones, capable of killing the blood stages of two Plasmodium parasites with a single, small dose in mice, providing a promising candidate for treating malaria, which claims more than a million lives annually.R.A. Oliveira et al., linkurl:Science,;http://www.sciencemag.org/content/329/5996/1175.abstract 329:1175-80, 2010. Evaluations by David Triggle, SUNY at Buffalo; Dominique Soldati, Univ. of Geneva; Karin Romisch, Saarland Univ., Germany. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/5063956?key=nsrtydjf70965qk The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 Biochemistry, as calculated on January 3rd, 2010. Faculty Members evaluate and rate the most important papers in their field. To see the latest rankings, search the database, and read daily evaluations, visit linkurl:http://f1000.com.;http://f1000.com
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