Inevitable for the basic principles of skyrmion racetrack-like applications is not only their confined motion along one-dimensional channels but also controlled creation and annihilation. Helical magnets have been suggested to naturally confine skyrmions tracks formed by helices, which allow high-speed motion. We propose a protocol create topological magnetic structures in helical background. f...

The dipeptidyl aminopeptidase BII (DAP BII) belongs to a serine peptidase family, S46. The amino acid sequence of the catalytic unit of DAP BII exhibits significant similarity to those of clan PA endopeptidases, such as chymotrypsin. However, the molecular mechanism of the exopeptidase activity of family S46 peptidase is unknown. Here, we report crystal structures of DAP BII. DAP BII contains a...

Helix is one of the most fascinating curves in science and nature. Scientists have long held a fascinating, sometimes bordering on mystical obsession, for helical structures in nature. Helices arise in nano-springs, carbon nano-tubes, α-helices, DNA double and collagen triple helix, lipid bilayers, bacterial flagella in salmonella and escherichia coli, aerial hyphae in actinomycetes, bacterial ...

The handedness or chirality of molecules, organisms, and elementary particles has been widely appreciated, vindicating Pasteur’s perceptive generalization, “L‘univers est dissymktrique.” Ambidexterity is rare not only in biological organisms but also in molecules. One of the most striking chiral features in biopolymers is the twist or handedness of the helices that are frequently formed. Cylind...

The biological functions of coiled coils generally depend on efficient folding and perfect pairing of their α-helices. Dynamic changes in the helical registry that lead to staggered helices have only been proposed for a few special systems and not found in generic coiled coils. Here, we report our observations of multiple staggered helical structures of two canonical coiled coils. The partially...

Ž . Ž . Unfolding and elastic properties of single poly ethylene-glycol PEG polymers were studied by molecular dynamics Ž . MD simulations. The simulations were performed in close resemblance to recent single molecule force spectroscopy experiments, and thus allowed an interpretation of these experiments at the atomic level. In agreement with these experiments, the water solvent was found to dr...

The bacterial actin homolog MreB exists as a single-copy helical cytoskeletal structure that extends between the two poles of rod-shaped bacteria. In this study, we show that equipartition of the MreB cytoskeleton into daughter cells is accomplished by division and segregation of the helical MreB array into two equivalent structures located in opposite halves of the predivisional cell. This pro...

We present a new versatile program, SCHNAaP, for the analysis of double-helical nucleic acid structures. The program uses mathematically rigorous and fully reversible procedures for calculating the structural parameters: the Cambridge University Engineering Department Helix computation Scheme (CEHS) is used to determine the local helical parameters and an analogous procedure is used to determin...

Artificial peptides can be designed to possess a variety of functionalities. If these peptides can be ordered in an ensemble, the functionality can impart macroscopic material properties to the ensemble. Neutron reflectivity is shown to be an effective probe of the intramolecular structures of such peptides vectorially oriented at an interface, key to ensuring that the designed molecular struct...