A number of natural proteins are known to have affinity and specificity for immunoglobulins. Some of them are widely used as reagents for detection or capture applications, such as Protein G and Protein A. However, these natural proteins have a defined spectrum of recognition that may not fit specific needs. With the development of combinatorial protein engineering and selection techniques, it ...

The scaffold proteins of signaling pathways are thought to act as passive tethering devices bringing together catalytic components of signaling cascades. Good et al. (2009) now reveal that in the budding yeast the scaffold protein Ste5 acts as an allosteric activator of the mitogen-activated protein kinase Fus3, rendering it competent to be a kinase substrate for signal transmission.

Synapse-associated proteins that are located at the postsynaptic density (PSD) have recently been shown to have a structural role at non-synaptic locations. Here, they act as adaptor proteins between neurotransmitter receptors and the microtubule- or microfilament-based motor-protein complexes that are responsible for transport to the PSD. The use of a common set of proteins that contain multip...

Scaffold proteins of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play crucial roles in determining signal specificity, amplitude, and duration in yeast and mammals. Recently, RACK1 was identified as the first plant MAPK scaffold protein that connects heterotrimeric G protein with a MAPK cascade to form a unique signaling pathway in plant immunity.

PDZ domains are common building blocks of scaffold proteins that enhance specificity and speed in signal transduction cascades. Although PDZ modules are often viewed as passive participants, Mishra et al. (2007) now show that a PDZ domain in INAD, a scaffold protein in photoreceptor cells of the fruit fly, undergoes a light-dependent conformational change, which has important consequences for s...

A fusion of mouse and human genetics has now proven that intermediate filaments form a flexible scaffold essential for structuring cytoplasm in a variety of cell contexts. In some cases, the formation of this scaffold is achieved through a newly identified family of intermediate-filament-associated proteins that form cross-bridges between intermediate filaments and other cytoskeletal elements, ...

Carnosine is an endogenous dipeptide with antioxidant and scavenger properties, shown to prevent aging photoaging process by in vivo vitro models on different human tissues. Here advanced quantitative proteomic approach (high-resolution mass spectrometry network analyses) was applied a 3D scaffold-free dermal spheroids model investigate the biological responses induced carnosine dermis. Primary...

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome. Their signaling is regulated by scaffold proteins containing PDZ domains, but although these interactions are important for GPCR function, they are still poorly understood. We here present a quantitative characterization of the kinetics and affinity of interactions between GPCRs and one o...