Lima Structure 2006

Structure 14, 801, May 2006 ª2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved DOI 10.1016/j.str.2006.05.
005
Editorial
Structural biology stands at a crossroads built of suc- We continue to support theoretical and computational
cess. A decade ago, three-dimensional structures of approaches that are grounded in structure, especially if
single, relatively small proteins and nucleic acid frag- they are directed at explaining mechanism or evolution,
ments were considered triumphs in themselves. Now, include new experimental results, or are based on signif-
structure determination is becoming more routine for icant methodological advances.
many of these macromolecules, and structural analysis Dynamic behavior in biological processes underlies
of larger or more complex biological systems is increas- mechanism. NMR spectroscopy, single-molecule fluores-
ingly feasible. This trend is exemplified by the recent cence, kinetic analysis, and other forms of spectroscopy
atomic descriptions of ion channels, rhodopsin, RNA are particularly well-suited to address directly the link be-
polymerase II, the ribosome, and the multimodular fatty tween structure, dynamics, and mechanism. Therefore,
acid synthases. While much work remains to be done, Structure encourages submission of studies that utilize
the underlying structural foundation of many core pro- these approaches to monitor biological dynamics.
cesses in biology has been determined, or is nearing Fundamental issues still exist with respect to how bio-
completion. logical macromolecules achieve their native, folded state.
Despite this progress, many challenges remain ahead Reports detailing experimental or computational studies
for structural biology. Structures are still rare or nonex- that address folding, misfolding, and their role in biologi-
istent for many multicomponent systems and mem- cal function and disease remain an interest of the journal.
brane proteins such as G-protein coupled receptors. Finally, the abundant success of structural biology
Moreover, large biomolecular assemblies are often tran- has been driven by extraordinary technological ad-
sient and heterogeneous, complicating their structural vances in x-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy,
characterization by traditional methods. Even when and electron microscopy. This trend will only grow,
structures are resolved, the link between structure and and Structure promotes publishing significant method-
mechanism is often tenuous, and details about the cou- ological advances in these and other emerging struc-
pling of macromolecular dynamics, thermodynamics, tural biology techniques, chiefly through our Technical
and mechanism are needed to validate and enhance Advances and Ways & Means formats.
structural models. In addition, it remains difficult to elu- From x-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and
cidate how structures have evolved, how to control and electron microscopy to protein folding and conforma-
modify their properties, and how to design new systems. tional dynamics, and from significant new biological
For a journal called Structure, it is a time to showcase insights to technical advances and computational ap-
compelling work in all of these fields. proaches, Structure aims to present structural and mo-
Structure originally focused on describing the struc- lecular biologists with a full spectrum of exciting and in-
tures of biological molecules, the rules of their folding, novative research. As both Editors and active scientists
and the principles of biomolecular design. The journal working in the field, together with the Associate Editor lo-
has evolved over the last several years to place a higher cated in the Cell Press offices, we are committed to pro-
premium on biological function, particularly on struc- viding a home for structural biology research where au-
ture/function relationships in systems that illuminate bi- thors receive constructive reviews from their peers in
ology in eukaryotic organisms. X-ray crystallography a timely way with rapid publication of accepted papers.
and NMR spectroscopy approaches provide excep- The future of Structure and structure are intimately
tional insights into biological function, and Structure linked. As methods for structural determination have be-
continues to encourage submission of manuscripts de- come more developed, and, in some cases, automated,
tailing macromolecular structures and their interactions the barrier for entry into the world of structure has been
at atomic resolution. We favor structural studies that in- lowered, thus enabling scientists who would not de-
clude biochemical and biophysical analyses, since such scribe themselves as structural biologists to incorporate
studies vastly augment the impact of structural work, as structure determination as a tool in their investigative
well as those reports on structures that deal with two or toolbox. These advances have also allowed many struc-
more macromolecular components, as these structures tural biologists to investigate more complex biological
often provide vital insights into macromolecular interac- systems with an expanded repertoire of experiments.
tions. Manuscripts restricted to structure determination The broad definition of structural biology outlined here,
of a single entity will usually only merit publication in rooted in more traditional structural studies and embrac-
Structure if the molecule is of unusually high interest ing a wide range of approaches that includes molecular
or the structure presents a substantial conceptual biology, single-molecule spectroscopy, force measure-
advance. ments, and computational approaches, underscores
The complexity of systems undergoing structural anal- our central conviction that a combination of techniques
ysis is increasing. We are excited about the prospect that aimed at elucidating the atomic and molecular underpin-
structural biology will continue to contribute to our under- nings of macromolecular function will afford the greatest
standing of larger and more intricate biological assem- opportunities for understanding biological systems.
blies, despite the fact that these studies often involve res-
olution of static structures at low to moderate resolution. Chris Lima, Editor
Correspondingly, Structure encourages submission of Joseph D. Puglisi, Editor
studies using low-resolution crystallography, cryoelec- Andrej Sali, Editor
tron microscopy, and other imaging techniques. Lara Szewczak, Associate Editor

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Structure 14, 801, May 2006 ª2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved DOI 10.1016/j.str.2006.05.

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