The stepwise mechanism of TRPV6 channel blockade by polyamine spermine
Researchers from IBCh RAS, as part of an international collaboration, have elucidated how the endogenous polyamine spermine blocks the calcium-selective TRPV6 ion channel, which is hyperactive in prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancers. Using a combination of cryo-EM, molecular modeling, electrophysiology, and site-directed mutagenesis, it was shown that spermine enters the open TRPV6 pore in a stepwise manner and physically occludes it like a “plug”. These findings advance our understanding of calcium homeostasis regulation under both physiological conditions and in cancer. The study was supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education (computational modeling) and published in Nature Communications. Learn more
News 
- The stepwise mechanism of TRPV6 channel blockade by polyamine spermine
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VI.3 Researchers from IBCh RAS, as part of an international collaboration, have elucidated the mechanism by which the natural polyamine spermine blocks the human calcium channel TRPV6. The study was supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education (computational modeling) and published in Nature Communications.
- Glowing fungi expose final enzyme that could make bioluminescent tools more efficient
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V.22 Researchers from the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry at the Shemyakin- Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry together with international collaborators published two papers in The FEBS Journal confirming the role of the CPH enzyme in the fungal bioluminescence pathway: it breaks down oxyluciferin into caffeic and pyruvic acids, helping sustain light emission by recycling caffeic acid back into the bioluminescent system, while pyruvic acid may be redirected into central metabolism to help generate cellular energy. The findings open up opportunities for developing more efficient autonomous bioluminescent systems for medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.
- How can plant defence responses to pathogen and pest attacks be observed?
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III.18 Scientists from the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry at the Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences developed autoluminescent reporters for non-invasive imaging of plant defence responses. Using consumer-grade cameras, they visualized the spatiotemporal activity of the phytohormones salicylic acid and jasmonic acid in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana during normal development as well as in response to pest and pathogen attacks. The study was published in Nature Communications.
Events
- Open seminar of the Department of Immunology
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VI.8 Dear colleagues! On June 8 (Monday) at 3 p.m., an open seminar of the Department of Immunology will be held in seminary room 404 (4th floor, 52nd building), dedicated to the pre-defense of the dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Biological Sciences Anastasia I. Palamarchuk on the topic: "Overexpression of the telomerase catalytic subunit gene as a factor influencing the transcriptional and functional activity of NK cells, as well as their sensitivity to targeted elimination", specialty 1.5.3. Molecular Biology. Everyone is invited to attend. June 8th