issue contents

Journal logoSTRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
COMMUNICATIONS
ISSN: 2053-230X

January 2026 issue

Highlighted illustration

Cover illustration: Single surface substitutions improve the crystallizability and diffraction properties of a flexible two-domain protein comprising the internalin domain and the B repeat of the Listeria monocytogenes invasion protein InlB, suggesting that surface mutations can help crystallization even if they increase the entropy of the respective residue [Geerds & Niemann (2026), Acta Cryst. F82, 4–13].

letters to the editor


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The use of polyethylene glycol in the crystallization of biological macromolecules and its appearance in the resulting crystals is discussed.

research communications


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In its wild-type form, the flexible two-domain protein InlB392 yielded poorly reproducible crystals that diffracted to low resolution. Single surface substitutions to tyrosine (T336Y) or glutamate (V333E) yielded well diffracting crystals, suggesting that surface properties, rather than interdomain flexibility, might be the primary impediment to crystallization of the wild type.

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This article describes the structural characterization of the class IIIb chitinase from Crocus vernus bulbs. Antifungal and chitinase assays have also been performed to evaluate the potential of the enzyme.

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We present the 1.87 Å resolution structure of M. jannaschii dihydroorotase complexed with the substrate carbamoyl aspartate at room temperature. Contrary to expectations, a flexible loop which is important in catalysis and closes upon substrate binding in order to stabilize the substrate and transition state is observed in both the loop-out and loop-in conformations, with the loop-out conformation having higher occupancy.

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Identification, binding measurements and structure determination of human sirtuin phosphopeptides in complex with human adapter protein 14-3-3σ reveal variations among tight binders and suggest extended binding modes.

addenda and errata


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