InterPro protein focus

Interpro protein focusProtein Focus (formally known as Protein of the Month) explores the function and family relationships of selected proteins from the InterPro database, aiming at a general audience. Each article introduces a different protein, exploring its biological function as it relates to other members of the protein family, examining common domain architectures and their biological distribution, and tying it in to a broader perspective on how the protein impacts today's medicine and the environment. The articles also serve as an introduction to the use of the InterPro database, exploring the relevant InterPro entries for each featured protein in detail, and relating them to the biological information discussed in the article. Links are provided to the PDB's Molecule of the Month, where the structural features of the proteins are explored in detail, and, when applicable, to the EXPASY Protein Spotlight to gain another view of the featured proteins.

September 2013
Bee afraid, bee very afraid - neonicotinoids and the nAChRs familyBee afraid, bee very afraid - neonicotinoids and the nAChRs family
Bees are disappearing! The crisis is spreading around the world! To protect these important pollinators, the EU has proposed restricting the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. But what are neonicotinoids? And why were they chosen as pesticides in the first place? Let’s find out more in this article.
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April 2013
Kayser-Fleischer ring in the eyes is used to diagnose Wilson’s diseaseWilson’s disease and the copper ATPase transporters
In the American TV series House, episode 'The Socratic Method', a mother seeming to suffer from schizophrenia is admitted to hospital. Let’s find out how House solves this case and how we can use InterPro to know more about the Wilson’s disease protein and its homologues.
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November 2012
The structure of the human 9-1-1 complex from PDB (3g65)Are we really related? The Rad9/Ddc1 family
Protein family classification is often achieved using computerised multiple protein sequence alignment and structural analysis. However, it's not always straightforward to define a protein family. In this article, we will take a look at an example-the Rad9/Ddc1 family.
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June 2012
Crystal structure of E. coli RecQ helicase catalytic core Relax and unwind: the RecQ DNA helicase family
When people go on holiday or travel for a conference, fitting all their clothes, books and a laptop into a small suitcase often presents a challenge. For eukaryotic cells, packing their lengthy genomic DNA into their relatively small nucleus presents a similar challenge.
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September 2011
Crystal structure of the killer toxin Protein (KP4)Killer toxin Protein (KP4): Harnessing the power of a killer toxin for good
The yeast killer toxin protein KP4 is currently used in agriculture as a means of protecting plants form fungal infections. There is an ever widening scope of the potential applications of this protein in biotechnology and medicine.
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February 2011
Crystal structure of the CXCR4 chemokine receptor Chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4): diseases, drugs and druggable target molecules
Chemokine Receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is of increasing interest as a drug target. This molecule is thought to be involved in many disease states including more than 23 types of cancer and several immunodeficiency disorders.
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January 2009
Collagen 3D view Collagen: a ubiquitous, unsung protein
Collagen is a long, fibrous structural protein that is usually associated with cosmetic enhancements, movie star's lips and anti-aging lotions. Just as one hopes for these movie stars; there is much more to collagen than what appears on the surface. Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals.
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