Fertilization is an essential biological process in sexual reproduction and comprises a series of molecular interactions between the sperm and egg1,2. The fusion of haploid spermatozoon and oocyte is the culminating event in mammalian fertilization, enabling the creation of a new genetically distinct diploid organism3,4. The merger of two gametes is achieved through a two-step mechanism where the sperm Izumo1 on the equatorial segment of the acrosome-reacted sperm recognizes its receptor Juno, on the egg surface4–6. This is followed by the fusion of two plasma membranes. Izumo1 and Juno proteins are indispensable for fertilization as constitutive knockout of either Izumo1 or Juno result in mice that are healthy but infertile5,6. Despite their central importance in reproductive medicine, the molecular architectures and the details of their functional roles in fertilization are not known. Here, we present the crystal structures of the human Izumo1 and Juno in unbound and bound conformations. The human Izumo1 structure exhibits a distinct boomerang shape and provides the first structural insights into the Izumo family of proteins7. Human Izumo1 forms a high-affinity complex with Juno and undergoes a major conformational change within its N-terminal domain upon binding to the egg-surface receptor. Our results provide new insights into the molecular basis of sperm-egg recognition, cross-species fertilization, and barrier to polyspermy, thus promising benefits for the rational development of novel non-hormonal contraceptives and fertility treatments for humans and other species of mammals.

Summary Vesicle transport requires four steps; vesicle formation, movement, tethering and fusion. In yeast, two Rab GTPases, Ypt31/32 are required for post-Golgi vesicle formation. A third Rab GTPase, Sec4, and the exocyst act in tethering and fusion of these vesicles. Vesicle production is coupled to transport via direct interaction between Ypt31/32 and the yeast myosin V, Myo2. Here we show that Myo2 interacts directly with Sec4, and the exocyst subunit Sec15. Disruption of these interactions results in compromised growth and the accumulation of secretory vesicles. We identified the Sec15-binding region on Myo2, and also identified residues on Sec15 required for interaction with Myo2. That Myo2 interacts with Sec15 uncovers additional roles for the exocyst as an adaptor for molecular motors, and implies similar roles for structurally related tethering complexes. Moreover, these studies predict that for many pathways, molecular motors attach to vesicles prior to their formation, and remain attached until fusion.

SnoaL belongs to a family of small polyketide cyclases, which catalyse ring closure steps in the biosynthesis of polyketide antibiotics produced in Streptomyces. Several of these antibiotics are among the most used anti-cancer drugs currently in use. The crystal structure of SnoaL, involved in nogalamycin biosynthesis, with a bound product, has been determined to 1.35 Å resolution. The fold of the subunit can be described as a distorted a þ b barrel, and the ligand is bound in the hydrophobic interior of the barrel. The 3D structure and site-directed mutagenesis experiments reveal that the mechanism of the intramolecular aldol condensation catalysed by SnoaL is different from that of the classical aldolases, which employ covalent Schiff base formation or a metal ion cofactor. The invariant residue Asp121 acts as an acid/base catalyst during the reaction. Stabilisation of the enol(ate) intermediate is mainly achieved by the delocalisation of the electron pair over the extended p system of the substrate. These polyketide cyclases thus form of family of enzymes with a unique catalytic strategy for aldol condensation.

The human APOBEC3 family of DNA cytosine deaminases serves as a front-line intrinsic immune response to inhibit the replication of diverse retroviruses. APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G are the most potent factors against HIV-1. As a countermeasure, HIV-1 viral infectivity factor (Vif) targets APOBEC3s for proteasomal degradation. Here, we report the crystal structure of the Vif-binding domain in APOBEC3F and a novel assay to assess Vif-APOBEC3 binding. Our results point to an amphipathic surface that is conserved in APOBEC3s as critical for Vif susceptibility in APOBEC3F. Electrostatic interactions likely mediate Vif binding. Moreover, structure-guided mutagenesis reveals a straight ssDNA-binding groove distinct from the Vif-binding site, and a novel ‘aromatic switch’ is proposed to explain DNA substrate specificities across the APOBEC3 family. This study opens new lines of inquiry that will further our understanding of APOBEC3-mediated retroviral restriction and provides an accurate template for structure-guided development of inhibitors targeting the APOBEC3-Vif axis.

Biolayer interferometry (BLI) is a simple, optical dip-and-read system useful for measuring interactions between proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, small molecules, and/or lipids in real time. In BLI, a biomolecular bait is immobilized on a matrix at the tip of a fiber-optic sensor. The binding between the immobilized ligand and another molecule in an analyte solution produces a change in optical thickness at the tip and results in a wavelength shift proportional to binding. BLI provides direct binding affinities and rates of association and dissociation. This unit describes an efficient approach using streptavidin-based BLI to analyze DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. A quantitative set of equilibrium binding affinities (K(d)) and rates of association and dissociation (k(a)/k(d)) can be measured in minutes using nanomole quantities of sample.