Cryo-EM Imaging of STING Protein Reveals New Binding Pocket
Published:08 Apr.2022 Source:UT Southwestern Medical Center
Imaging at near-atomic resolution of a key immune protein commonly known as STING has revealed a previously unrecognized binding site that appears to be pivotal for launching immune attacks, UT Southwestern scientists report in a new study. The findings, published in Nature, could lead to new ways of manipulating STING to prompt stronger immune responses or stem its action in autoimmune diseases.
"For the first time, this work provides a precise picture of the activated state of STING, critical for understanding its role in both normal immunity as well as autoimmune diseases," said study author Xuewu Zhang, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Biophysics at UT Southwestern. Dr. Zhang co-led the study with Xiaochen Bai, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biophysics and Cell Biology at UT Southwestern, and their postdoctoral fellows Defen Lu and Guijun Shang. Dr. Zhang and Dr. Bai are members of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.