Arabidopsis 14-3-3 Proteins: Fascinating and Less Fascinating Aspects

Arabidopsis 14-3-3 Proteins: Fascinating and Less Fascinating Aspects

14-3-3 Dimers are well known to interact with diverse target proteins throughout eukaryotes. Most notably, association of 14-3-3s commonly requires phosphorylation of a serine or threonine residue within a specific sequence motif of the client protein. Studies with a focus on individual target proteins have unequivocally demonstrated 14-3-3s to be the crucial factors modifying the client's acti...

Fascinating quasicrystals.

It took Dan Shechtman more than two years to get his discovery of an Al-Mn phase with icosahedral diffraction symmetry and sharp Bragg reflections published. A paradigm shift had to take place before this novel ordering state of matter - seemingly contradicting crystallographic laws - could be accepted. Today, more than 25 years later, the existence of quasicrystals is beyond doubt. However, no...

Botulinum neurotoxins: more and more diverse and fascinating toxic proteins.

Botulism is a rare but severe disease mainly resulting from food poisoning or intestinal colonization. Food poisoning, including botulism, certainly occurred in ancient times. However, this disease was not recognized as a distinct pathological entity until the latter half of the 18th century. A first detailed description of the clinical symptoms was provided by Kerner in Germany (1815–1817), wh...

Endocrinology Is Fascinating

Endocrinology defined earlier as the study of cell communication via messenger molecules or hormones transversing extracellular space, now extends to inter and intra cellular spaces. Development of the understanding of functioning of endocrine glands parallels the evolution of clinical sciences in the history of medicine. For example Rhazes, died 925 A.D, discussed in detail the sex organs and ...

Nutrition and Food Sciences: Fascinating and Challenging