Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome integrity is essential for proper mitochondrial respiratory chain function to generate cellular energy. Nuclear genes encode several proteins that function at the mtDNA replication fork, including mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSBP1), which is a tetrameric protein that binds and protects single-stranded mtDNA (ssDNA). Recently, two studies have reported pathogenic variants in SSBP1 associated with hearing loss, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration. Here you can admire a high resolution crystal structure of the human SSBP1 protein in tetrameric form. The tetramers are stabilized by a core magnesium atom complexed by four histidines which belong to each monomer (PDB code: 6RUP)
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #tetramer ... #DNAbinding ... #mitochondria ... #nucleus ... #magnesium ... #histidine ... #Xray ... Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #tetramer ... #DNAbinding ... #mitochondria ... #nucleus ... #magnesium ... #histidine ... #Xray ... Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint
