Structural and biochemical basis for induced self-propagation of NLRC4

TLDR

Inflammasomes are large protein complexes activated by microbial ligand binding to NOD‑like receptors, leading to cell death and inflammatory mediator production. The study uses cryo‑EM to elucidate the structural and biochemical basis of NAIP2 and NLRC4 in inflammasome signaling. The authors show that NAIP4 binding to its ligand initiates a self‑propagating cascade that activates 10–12 NLRC4 molecules into a wheel‑like structure. Hu et al.; Zhang et al.

Abstract

Inflammasomes take the wheel Cells require microbial ligand binding to sense pathogens (see the Perspective by Liu and Xiao). Binding to the family of NOD-like receptors triggers the assembly of large protein signaling complexes called inflammasomes, leading infected cells to die and produce inflammatory mediators. Hu et al. and Zhang et al. use cryo–electron microscopy to uncover the structural and biochemical basis of two such receptors: NAIP2, which directly binds microbial ligands, and NLRC4, a protein functioning directly downstream. A self-propagating activation mechanism of downstream inflammasome signaling starts with one molecule of NAIP4 directly binding its microbial ligand. NAIP4 then catalyzes the activation of 10 to 12 NLRC4 molecules to form a wheel-like structure. Science , this issue p. 399 , 404 ; see also p. 376