Structure-guided discovery of protein and glycan components in native mastigonemes. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38552612/)

These scientists wanted to understand how tiny hair-like structures called mastigonemes work in a type of algae called Chlamydomonas. These mastigonemes help the algae sense things around them and move. The scientists used a special technique called cryo-electron microscopy to look at the mastigonemes in great detail. They found that the mastigonemes are made up of a special protein called Mst1, which forms a spiral shape with pairs of proteins. They also discovered that the protein has sugars attached to it, which is common in plants and algae. The scientists also identified another protein called Mstax, which helps in assembling the Mst1 protein. By studying these structures, the scientists learned more about how proteins and sugars interact in living things.

Huang J (黄隽豪)., Tao H (陶慧)., Chen J (陈继坤)., Shen Y (沈扬)., Lei J (雷建林)., Pan J (潘俊敏)., Yan C (闫创业)., Yan N (颜宁). Structure-guided discovery of protein and glycan components in native mastigonemes. Cell. 2024 Mar 28;187(7):1733-1744.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.037.