Carter Lab

#journalclub! We had a look at axonal lysosomes in a preprint from Walker et al. (2026). The authors show that as v-ATPase-positive lysosomes mature, the mRAVE-dependent recruitment of V1 onto V0 is associated with a change in motile behaviour, from bidirectional to retrograde-only. Very cool!

Very interesting work! Otherwise we wouldn't bring it up :)) — and it is especially cool for us to see what dynein proteins are up to outside of their roles in dynein-dynactin motor complexes

TANGO: Analysis and curation of particles in cryo-electron tomography - Nature Communications Cryo-electron tomography visualizes molecules inside cells, but it lacks flexible tools to study their spatial organization. The authors present TANGO, a framework that utilizes neighborhoods of parti...

Today in #journalclub we learned that it takes two to TANGO: particle lists and spatial analysis! 💃🕺 Check out this new open-source Python package that lets you get more information from your cryo-ET data.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

In our last week's #journalclub, we looked at how the dynein light chain LC8 stablises the disordered domain of KANK1, transforming it into a rigid, hinged rod that can span the cortex–microtubule gap and recruit kinesin-4 to cortical microtubule plus ends.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Everybody presents a paper that's either relevant to transport or simply very interesting. We mostly review new papers. Each person gives a 2-slide 5 min presentation.

The new isoNet2 looks amazing! We are excited to try it out! #journalclub www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Have a look at our new structure of co translational folding in yeast. This is collaborative work initialized by the Rospert lab from the @uni-freiburg.de. Structural work has been done by the amazing @lgrundmann.bsky.social Stay tuned for the next ribosome paper from him, following very soon.

Today in #JournalClub we discussed a new preprint that uses in situ cryo-ET and molecular dynamics simulations to study biomolecular condensate formation. Very beautiful data and interesting insights. Check it out!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Beautiful images from @christlet.bsky.social labelling tubulin in neurons #journalclub
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Activated kinesin-1 assembles into a dimer-of-dimers Kinesin-1 mediates intracellular cargo transport along microtubules. The conventional kinesin-1 complex is composed of two KIF5 motor subunits (also known as kinesin heavy chain; KHCs) and two cargo-b...

Interesting new result from Kyoko Chiba showing KIF5C forming a dimer-of-dimers #journalclub www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Our latest work, in collaboration with the terrific @kashishsingh.bsky.social in the Carter lab @mrclmb.bsky.social is out. So proud of this study and everyone involved...

Cryo-EM structures of Egl-BicD-RNA complexes reveal how diverse mRNAs are selected for subcellular localization Localization of mRNAs is a widespread mechanism for controlling where proteins operate in cells and underpins many fundamental processes, from embryonic patterning to synaptic plasticity. This spatial...

Here is the correct link: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Excited to share our latest work with @simonbullock11.bsky.social! We looked at how diverse mRNAs get selected for subcellular localization and it turns out that a single protein can recognize different RNA elements using shared features that weren’t apparent before.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Check out this exciting new study from the @rgassmann.bsky.social lab that we are thrilled to be part of — revealing that CDR2 is a dynein adaptor that regulates ER sheet organization!!

TinA enables kinesin-14/KlpA to exhibit processive minus-end-directed motility Kinesin-14 motors contribute to spindle assembly by localizing to spindle poles and anchoring the minus ends of spindle microtubules. Unlike other kinesin-14 motors, KlpA uniquely exhibits plus-end-di...

In Today's #journalclub, we had a look at how TinA can make the kinesin-14 KlpA to switch to minus-end processivity on microtubules in vitro:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Today in #journalclub, we looked at this fantastic new method from the @doudna-lab.bsky.social in Nature Biotechnology! They show how CRISPR–Csm enables single-molecule live-cell imaging of endogenous RNAs. Super cool!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A new study reveals how alternative splicing fine-tunes dynein cargo specificity! ZYG-12/Hook uses different isoforms to recruit dynein to either early endosomes or the nuclear envelope, showcasing a clever mechanism for organelle-specific transport. #journalclub
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/abs/10.1...

Cryo-EM captures early intermediate steps in dynein activation by LIS1 Cytoplasmic dynein-1 (dynein) is an essential molecular motor in eukaryotic cells. Dynein primarily exists in an autoinhibited “Phi” state and requires conformational changes to assemble with its cofa...

Today in #journalclub, we looked at the new study from Nguyen et al. showing how Cryo-EM captures early steps in dynein activation by LIS1. They identified a novel ‘Pre-Chi’ intermediate, shedding light on how LIS1 relieves dynein autoinhibition!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Kinetochore dynein is sufficient to biorient chromosomes and remodel the outer kinetochore - Nature Communications Mitotic chromosomes recruit multiple microtubule-directed activities to ensure their faithful segregation. Using an approach where only one major activity is present, the authors reveal sufficiency of...

First #JournalClub on the blue side: an exciting story about dynein at the kinetochore and its role in biorientation!

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

As my lab's first post on Bluesky. If you are a UK Structural Biologist please come to our one day meeting on Friday 6th December
Lots of talk slots to be selected from abstracts.
Deadline for abstracts is TOMORROW: Friday 15th Nov.
bit.ly/4fDEqfZ

❗️Exciting science alert!! Come join us at the BCA Winter Meeting at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, 6th December. Short talks available - a great opportunity for early career researchers to present.. bit.ly/4fDEqfZ

Thanks!

Could you add me too? Would like to start our regular Journal Club posts here on Friday.

Our new preprint from Briggs lab is out! We solved the in-virus #cryoEM structure of the HIV matrix protein by SPA. The structure led us to a discovery resolving a long mystery in HIV biology – a peptide SP2 triggers the maturation of the HIV matrix domain. A 🧵 1/x
Paper: tinyurl.com/c7szhtfa

Nice to see @pilhoferlab.bsky.social here !!