Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea can induce apoptosis in cancerous cells, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using SPR and NMR, here we report a direct, μM interaction between EGCG and the tumor suppressor p53 (K_D = 1.6 ± 1.4 μM), with the disordered N-terminal domain (NTD) identified as the major binding site (K_D = 4 ± 2 μM). Large scale atomistic simulations (>100 μs), SAXS and AUC demonstrate that EGCG-NTD interaction is dynamic and EGCG causes the emergence of a subpopulation of compact bound conformations. The EGCG-p53 interaction disrupts p53 interaction with its regulatory E3 ligase MDM2 and inhibits ubiquitination of p53 by MDM2 in an in vitro ubiquitination assay, likely stabilizing p53 for anti-tumor activity. Our work provides insights into the mechanisms for EGCG’s anticancer activity and identifies p53 NTD as a target for cancer drug discovery through dynamic interactions with small molecules.

Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, and are characterized by intraneuronal tau inclusion in the brain and the patient’s cognitive decline with obscure pathogenesis. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, a major type of extracellular matrix, have been believed to involve in tauopathies. The heparan sulfate proteoglycans co-deposit with tau in Alzheimer’s patient brain, directly bind to tau and modulate tau secretion, internalization, and aggregation. This review summarizes the current understanding of the functions and the modulated molecular pathways of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in tauopathies, as well as the implication of dysregulated heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression in tau pathology and the potential of targeting heparan sulfate proteoglycan-tau interaction as a novel therapeutic option.

Literature has well-established the importance of 3-O-sulfation of neuronal cell surface glycan heparan sulfate (HS) to its interaction with herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein D (gD). Previous investigations of gD to its viral receptors HVEM and nectin-1 also highlighted the conformational dynamics of gD’s N- and C-termini, necessary for viral membrane fusion. However, little is known on the structural interactions of gD with HS. Here, we present our findings on this interface from both the glycan and the protein perspective. We used C-terminal and N-terminal gD variants to probe the role of their respective regions in gD/HS binding. The N-terminal truncation mutants (with Δ1-22) demonstrate equivalent or stronger binding to heparin than their intact glycoproteins, indicating that the first 22 amino acids are disposable for heparin binding. Characterization of the conformational differences between C-terminal truncated mutants by sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation distinguished between the “open” and “closed” conformations of the glycoprotein D, highlighting the region’s modulation of receptor binding. From the glycan perspective, we investigated gD interacting with heparin, heparan sulfate, and other de-sulfated and chemically defined oligosaccharides using surface plasmon resonance and glycan microarray. The results show a strong preference of gD for 6-O-sulfate, with 2-O-sulfation becoming more important in the presence of 6-O-S. Additionally, 3-O-sulfation shifted the chain length preference of gD from longer chain to mid-chain length, reaffirming the sulfation site’s importance to the gD/HS interface. Our results shed new light on the molecular details of one of seven known protein-glycan interactions with 3-O-sulfated heparan sulfate.

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) plays crucial roles in cell death in a variety of diseases, including ischemia/reperfusion injury in heart attack and stroke, neurodegenerative conditions, and cancer. To date, cyclophilin D is the only confirmed component of mPTP. Under stress, p53 can translocate into mitochondria and interact with CypD, triggering necrosis and cell growth arrest. However, the molecular details of p53/CypD interaction are still poorly understood. Previously, several studies reported that p53 interacts with CypD through its DNA-binding domain (DBD). However, using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), we found that full-length p53 (FLp53) binds to CypD with K _D of ~1 μM, while both NTD-DBD and NTD bind to CypD at ~10 μM K _D (Fig. 1C and 1D). Thus, instead of DBD, NTD is the major CypD binding site on p53. NMR titration and MD simulation revealed that NTD binds CypD with broad and dynamic interfaces dominated by electrostatic interactions. NTD 20-70 was further identified as the minimal binding region for CypD interaction, and two NTD fragments, D1 (residues 22-44) and D2 (58-70), can each bind CypD with mM affinity. Our detailed biophysical characterization of the dynamic interface between NTD and CypD provides novel insights on the p53-dependent mPTP opening and drug discovery targeting NTD/CypD interface in diseases.

Genetic mutations impact protein function through various routes: Some catalyze new oncogenic activities, while others trigger complete structural collapse. However, the E425K mutation in DNAJC7, associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), presents a far more subtle and intriguing case. In their recent study in The FEBS Journal, Elmaleh et al. (2026) FEBS Lett employed high‐resolution NMR to demonstrate that this mutation leaves the protein's overall structure intact while selectively paralyzing its ability to communicate with the Hsp70 chaperone machinery. In this commentary, we show how their work complements in vivo studies that investigate ALS disease pathology at pathway complexity and defines a new target to rescue non‐functioning Hsp70 chaperone systems.