Mass-Spec, Cryo-EM and AI join forces for a close look at the transporter complex in cilia

Takashi Ishikawa

doi:10.15252/embj.2022113010

Mass-Spec, Cryo-EM and AI join forces for a close look at the transporter complex in cilia

EMBO J. 2023 Jan 16;42(2):e113010. doi: 10.15252/embj.2022113010. Epub 2022 Dec 15.

Author

Takashi Ishikawa^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
² Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.

Abstract

The intraflagellar transport (IFT) complex transports components between the cytoplasm and the ciliary tip. Two studies now report on the atomic structure of IFT-B, the core of IFT, using cutting-edge technology, such as cross-linking mass spectrometry (MS), cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and Alphafold2-enabled AI-based folding prediction. The 3D structure of IFT-B reveals how the 15 component proteins are arranged to stabilize this gigantic complex and suggests a dynamic interplay between the proteins.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Comment

MeSH terms

Artificial Intelligence*
Biological Transport
Cilia* / metabolism
Cryoelectron Microscopy / methods
Flagella / metabolism
Mass Spectrometry