Structural Neurobiology

2025

Kurkela M., Dvoráková L., Koivisto H., Uusitalo M., Kursula P., Kettunen M., Gröhn O., Tanila H. & Koivunen P. (2025) Targeting HIF-P4H-2 in APP/PS1 Alzheimer's mouse model improves glucose metabolism, reduces dystrophic neurites and maintains exploratory activity. J. Biol. Chem. in press.

Aynaashe A. & Kursula P. (2025) Genetic and proteomic overlap between ALS and CMT: putative common molecular mechanisms between two neurodegenerative diseases. OSF Preprints https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/vk95g_v1

Kanhema T., Parobczak K., Patil S., Holm-Kaczmarek D., Hallin E.I., Ludwiczak J., Szczepankiewicz A.A., Pauzin F.P., Mahboob A., Szum A., Ishizuka Y., Dunin-Horkawicz S., Kursula P., Wilczynski G., Magalska A. & Bramham C.R. (2025) ARC/Arg3.1 binds the nuclear polyadenylate-binding protein RRM and regulates neuronal activity-dependent formation of nuclear speckles. Cell Rep. 44:115525.

Krokengen O.C., Raasakka A., Klenow M.B., Pal A., Hetland Ø., Mularski A., Ruskamo S., Pedersen J.S., Simonsen A.C. & Kursula P. (2025) On the synergy between myelin proteins P0, MBP, and P2 in peripheral nerve major dense line formation. FEBS J. in press https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.70111. 

Kozlova N., Cruz K.A., Doh H.M., Ruzette A.A., Willis N.A., Hong S.M., Gonzalez R.S., Vyas M., Selfors L.M., Dreyer S., Upstill-Goddard R., Faia K.L., Wenglowsky S., Close J., Beutel A.K., Jutric Z., Oliphant M.U.J., Thapa B., Taylor M.S., Mustonen V., Mangalath P., Halbrook C.J., Grossman J.E., Hwang R.F., Clohessy J.G., Ruskamo S., Kursula P., Petrova B., Kanarek N., Cole P.A., Chang D.K., Nørrelykke S.F., Scully R. & Muranen T. (2025) A novel DNA repair protein, N-Myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1), links stromal tumour microenvironment to chemoresistance. bioRxiv 634323.

Markússon S., Raasakka A., Schröder M., Sograte-Idrissi S., Rahimi A.M., Asadpour O., Körner H., Lodygin D., Eichel-Vogel M.A., Chowdhury R., Sutinen A., Muruganandam G., Iyer M., Cooper M.H., Weigel M.K., Ambiel N., Werner H.B., Zuchero J.B., Opazo, F. & Kursula P. (2025) Nanobodies against the myelin enzyme CNPase as tools for structural and functional studies. J. Neurochem. 169:e16274.

2024

Christakou E., Lopez A.J., Muruganandam G., Micklem D., Lorens J.B. & Kursula P. (2024) Structural analysis of tilvestamab in complex with AXL. bioRxiv 626834.

Christakou E., Kursula P. & Micklem D. (2024) Paratope mapping of tilvestamab, an anti-AXL function blocking antibody, using high-throughput bacterial expression of secreted scFv-ompY fusion proteins. bioRxiv 628227.

Tenstad O., Christakou E., Nilsson LH.., Gausdal G., Micklem D., Kursula P., Lorens J.B. & Reed R.K. (2024) In vivo turnover and biodistribution of soluble AXL: Implications for biomarker development. Sci. Rep. 14:16141.

Krokengen O.C., Touma C., Mularski A., Sutinen A., Dunkel R., Ytterdal M., Raasakka A., Mertens H.D.T., Simonsen A.C. & Kursula P. (2024) The cytoplasmic tail of myelin protein zero induces morphological changes in lipid membranes. BBA Biomembranes 1866:184368.

Kind L., Molnes J., Tjora E., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Colclough K., Saint-Martin C., Adelfalk C., Dusatkova P., Pruhova S., Valtonen-André C., Bellanné-Chantelot C., Arnesen T., Kursula P. & Njølstad P.R. (2024) Molecular mechanism of HNF-1A mediated HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven HNF4A-MODY diabetes. JCI Insight 9:e175278.

Godoy Muñoz J.M., Neset L., Markússon S., Weber S., Krokengen O.C., Sutinen A., Christakou E., Lopez A.J., Bramham C.R., Kursula P. (2024) Structural characterization of two nanobodies targeting the ligand-binding pocket of human Arc. PLoS ONE 19:e0300453.

2023

Kind L., Driver M., Raasakka A., Onck P.R., Njølstad P.R., Arnesen T. & Kursula P. (2023) Structural properties of the HNF-1A transactivation domain. Front. Mol. Biosci. 10:1249939.

Sutinen A., Jones N.C., Hoffmann S.V., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2023) Conformational analysis of membrane-proximal segments of GDAP1 in a lipidic environment using synchrotron radiation suggests a mode of assembly at the mitochondrial outer membrane. Biophys. Chem. 303:107113.

Alexander L.T., Durairaj J., Kryshtafovych A., Abriata L.A., Bayo Y., Bhabha G., Breyton C., Caulton S.G., Chen J., Degroux S., Ekiert D.C., Erlandsen B.S., Freddolino P.L., Gilzer D., Greening C., Grimes J.M., Grinter R., Gurusaran M., Hartmann M.D., Hitchman C.J., Keown J.R., Kropp A., Kursula P., Lovering A.L., Lemaitre B., Lia A., Liu S., Logotheti M., Lu S., Markusson S., Miller M.D., Minasov G., Niemann H.H., Opazo F., Phillips G.N.Jr., Davies O.R., Rommelaere S., Rosas-Lemus M., Roversi P., Satchell K., Smith N., Wilson M.A., Wu K.L., Xia X., Xiao H., Zhang W., Zhou Z.H., Fidelis K., Topf M., Moult J. & Schwede T. (2023) Protein target highlights in CASP15: Analysis of models by structure providers. Proteins 91:1571-1599.

Houry D., Raasakka A., Ferrario E., Niere M., Bifulco E., Kursula P. & Ziegler M. (2023) Identification of structural determinants of nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) activity and substrate selectivity. J. Struct. Biol. 215: 108004.

Krokengen O.C., Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2023) The intrinsically disordered protein glue of the myelin major dense line: Linking AlphaFold2 predictions to experimental data. Biochem. Biophys. Rep. 34:101474.

Sutinen A., Paffenholz D., Nguyen G.T.T., Ruskamo S., Torda A.E. & Kursula P. (2023) Conserved intramolecular networks in GDAP1 are closely connected to CMT-linked mutations and protein stability. PLoS ONE 18:e0284532.

2022

Markússon S., Hjörleifsson J.G., Kursula P. & Ásgeirsson B. (2022) Structural characterization of functionally important chloride binding sites in the marine Vibrio alkaline phosphatase. Biochemistry 61: 2248-2260.

Ruskamo S., Raasakka A., Pedersen J.S., Martel A., Škubník K., Darwish T., Porcar L. & Kursula P. (2022) Human myelin proteolipid protein structure and lipid bilayer stacking. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 79: 419.

Vinci M., Kursula P., Greco D., Elia M., Vetri L., Schepis C., Chiavetta V., Donadio S., Roccella M., Carotenuto M., Romano V. & Cali F. (2022) Exome sequencing in a child with neurodevelopmental disorder and epilepsy: variant analysis of the AHNAK2 gene. Mol. Genet. Genomic Med. 10: e2012.

Markússon S., Hallin E.I., Bustad H.J., Raasakka A., Xu J., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Martinez A., Bramham C.R. & Kursula P. (2022) High-affinity anti-Arc nanobodies provide tools for structural and functional studies. PLoS ONE 17: e0269281. 

Sutinen A., Nguyen G.T.T., Raasakka A., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Ylikallio E., Tyynismaa H., Bartesaghi L., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2022) Structural insights into Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease-linked mutations in human GDAP1. FEBS Open Bio 12: 1306-1324. 

Krokengen O.C. & Kursula P. (2022) Building the bridge: Early evidence of increased ordered structures when using bicelles as a mimic model for myelin sheath. NBS Nytt 1/2022:6-9.

Ishizuka Y., Mergiya T.F., Baldinotti R., Xu J., Hallin E.I., Markússon S., Kursula P. & Bramham C.R. (2022) Development and validation of Arc nanobodies: new tools for probing Arc dynamics and function. Neurochem. Res. 47: 2656-2666.

Kind L., Raasakka A., Molnes J., Aukrust I., Bjørkhaug L., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen T. (2022) Structural and biophysical characterization of trasnscription factor HNF-1A as a tool to study MODY3 diabetes variants. J. Biol. Chem. 298: 101803.

Raasakka, A. & Kursula P. (2022) Flexible Players within the Sheaths: The Intrinsically Disordered Proteins of Myelin in Health and Disease (Correction). Cells 11:662. 

Martinsen V. & Kursula P. (2022) Multiple sclerosis and myelin basic protein - insights into protein disorder and disease. Amino Acids 54:99-109. 

Bendes Á.Á., Kursula P. & Kursula I. (2022) Structure and function of an atypical homodimeric actin capping protein from the malaria parasite. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 79:125.

2021

Bohan D., van Ert H., Ruggio N., Rogers K.J., Badreddine M., Aguilar Briseño J.A., Elliff J.M., Rojas Chavez R.A., Gao B., Stokowy T., Christakou E., Kursula P., Micklem D., Gausdal G., Haim H., Minna J., Lorens J.B. & Maury W. (2021) Phosphatidylserine receptors enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection. PLoS Path. 17:e1009743.

Kursula P. (2021) Small-angle X-ray scattering for the proteomics community: Current overview and future potential. Expert Rev. Proteomics 18:415-422.

Uusitalo M., Klenow M.B., Laulumaa S., Blakeley M.P., Simonsen A.C., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2021) Human myelin protein P2: From crystallography to time‐lapse membrane imaging and neuropathy‐associated variants. FEBS J. 288:6716-6735. 

Hallin E.I., Markússon S,. Böttger L., Torda A.E., Bramham C.R. & Kursula P. (2021) Crystal and solution structures reveal oligomerization of individual capsid homology domains of Drosophila Arc. PLoS ONE 16:e0251459.

Hallin E.I., Bramham C.R. & Kursula P. (2021) Structural properties and peptide ligand binding of the capsid homology domains of human Arc. Biochem. Biophys. Rep. 26:100975.

Nguyen G.T.T., Sutinen A., Raasakka A., Muruganandam G., Loris R. & Kursula P. (2021) Structure of the complete dimeric human GDAP1 core domain provides insights into ligand binding and clustering of disease mutations. Front. Mol. Biosci. 7:631232. 

Mustonen V., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Kursula P. & Ruskamo S. (2021) Crystal and solution structure of NDRG1, a membrane‐binding protein linked to myelination and tumour suppression. FEBS J. 288:3507-3529.

Mahootchi E., Raasakka A., Luan W., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Haavik J. & Kursula P. (2021) Structure and substrate specificity determinants of the taurine biosynthetic enzyme cysteine sulphinic acid decarboxylase. J. Struct. Biol. 213:107674. 

2020

Eriksen M.S., Nikolaienko O., Hallin E.I., Grødem S., Bustad H.J., Flydal M.I., Merski I., Hosokawa T., Lascu D., Akerkar S., Cuéllar J., Chambers J.J., O´Connell R., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Touma C., Kanhema T., Hayashi Y., Stratton M.M., Valpuesta J.M., Kursula P., Martinez A. & Bramham C.R. (2020) Arc self-association and formation of virus-like capsids are mediated by an N-terminal helical coil motif. FEBS J., in press. doi: 10.1111/febs.15618

Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2020) How does protein zero assemble compact myelin? Cells 9:1832.

Mahootchi E., Homaei S.C., Kleppe R., Winge I., Hegvik T.A., Megias-Perez R., Totland C., Mogavero F., Baumann A., Glennon J., Miletic H., Kursula P. & Haavik J. (2020) GADL1 is a multifunctional decarboxylase with tissue-specific roles in β-alanine and carnosine production. Sci. Adv. 6:eabb3713.

Lillebostad P.A.G., Raasakka A., Hjellbrekke S.J., Patil S., Røstbø T., Hollås H., Sakya S.A., Szigetvari P.D., Vedeler A. & Kursula P. (2020) Structure of the ALS mutation target annexin A11 reveals a stabilising N-terminal segment. Biomolecules 10:660.

Ruskamo S., Krokengen O.C., Kowal J., Nieminen T., Lehtimäki M., Raasakka A., Dandey V.P., Vattulainen I., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2020) Cryo-EM, X-ray diffraction, and atomistic simulations reveal determinants for the formation of a supramolecular myelin-like proteolipid lattice. J. Biol. Chem. 295:8692-8705.

Bendes A.A., Chatterjee M., Götte B., Kursula P. & Kursula I. (2020) Functional homo- and heterodimeric actin capping proteins from the malaria parasite. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 525:681-686.

Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2020) Flexible players within the sheaths: The intrinsically disordered proteins of myelin in health and disease. Cells 9:470.

2019

Kouloulia S., Hallin E.I., Simbriger K., Amorim I.S., Lach G., Amvrosiadis T., Kampaite A., Jafarnejad S.M., Truong V.T., Hooshmandi M., Skehel P., Kursula P., Khoutorsky A. & Gkogkas C. (2019) Raptor-mediated proteasomal degradation of deamidated 4E-BP2 regulates postnatal neuronal translation and NF-Kappa B activity. Cell Rep. 29: 3620-3635.

Laulumaa S., Koza M.M., Seydel T., Kursula P. & Natali F. (2019) A quasielastic neutron scattering investigation on the molecular self-dynamics of human myelin protein P2. J. Phys. Chem. B 123:8178-8185.

Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2019) Stability and flexibility of full-length human oligodendrocytic QKI6. BMC Res. Notes 12:609.

Krokengen, O.C. (2019) Nanoteknologi hjelper til å forstå myelin – nervenes isolasjonslag. Naturen 143:38-42.

Laulumaa S. & Kursula P. (2019) Sub-atomic resolution crystal structures reveal conserved geometric outliers at functional sites. Molecules 24:E3044.

Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Barker R., Krokengen O.C., Vatne G.H., Kristiansen C.K., Hallin E.I., Skoda M.W.A., Wacklin-Knecht H., Jones N.C., Hoffmann S.V. & Kursula P. (2019) Neuropathy-related mutations alter the membrane binding properties of the human myelin protein P0 cytoplasmic tail. PLoS ONE 14:e0216833.

Raasakka A., Jones N.C., Hoffmann S.V. & Kursula P. (2019) Ionic strength and calcium regulate membrane interactions of myelin basic protein and the cytoplasmic domain of myelin protein zero. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 511:7-12.

Raasakka A., Linxweiler H., Brophy P.J., Sherman D.L. & Kursula P. (2019) Direct binding of the flexible C-terminal segment of periaxin to β4 integrin suggests a molecular basis for CMT4F. Front. Mol. Neurosci. 12:84.

Kursula P. (2019) Shanks – multidomain molecular scaffolds of the postsynaptic density. Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 54:122-128.

Kursula P. & Myöhänen T.T. (2019) Entsyymien merkitys hermorappeumissa – molekyylitason tutkimus auttaa ymmärtämään sairausmekanismeja. Duodecim 135:745-752. (Enzymes in neurodegenerative diseases – molecular level research helps in understanding disease mechanisms)

Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Kowal J., Han H., Baumann A., Myllykoski M., Fasano A., Rossano R., Riccio P., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2019) Molecular structure and function of myelin protein P0 in membrane stacking. Sci. Rep. 9:642.

Kind L. & Kursula P. (2019) Structural properties and role of the endocannabinoid lipases ABHD6 and ABHD12 in lipid signalling and disease. Amino Acids 51:151-174.

Szigetvari P.D., Muruganandam G., Kallio J.P., Hallin E.I., Fossbakk A., Loris R., Kursula I., Møller L.B., Knappskog P.M., Kursula P. & Haavik J. (2019) The quaternary structure of human tyrosine hydroxylase: effects of dystonia-associated missense variants on oligomeric state and enzyme activity. J. Neurochem. 148:291-306.

2018

Kaur I., Ruskamo S., Koivunen J., Heljasvaara R., Lackman J.J., Izzi V., Petäjä-Repo U.E., Kursula P. & Pihlajaniemi T.A. (2018) The N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF959) in collagen XVIII is intrinsically disordered and highly O-glycosylated. Biochem. J. 475:3577-3593.

Myllykoski M., Eichel M.A., Jung R.B., Kelm S., Werner H.B & Kursula P. (2018) High-affinity heterotetramer formation between the large myelin-associated glycoprotein and the dynein light chain DYNLL1. J. Neurochem. 148:764-783.

Ponna S.K., Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. (2018) Crystallographic home-source X-ray data for the atomic-resolution experimental phasing of the Shank3 SH3 domain structure from pseudomerohedrally twinned crystals. Data Brief 20:1912-1916.

Hallin E.I., Eriksen M.S., Baryshnikov S., Nikolaienko O., Grødem S., Hosokawa T., Hayashi Y., Bramham C.R. & Kursula P. (2018) Structure of monomeric full-length ARC sheds light on molecular flexibility, protein interactions, and functional modalities. J. Neurochem. 147:323-343.

Laulumaa S., Nieminen T., Raasakka A., Krokengen O.C., Safaryan A., Hallin E.I., Brysbaert G., Lensink M.F., Ruskamo S., Vattulainen I. & Kursula P. (2018) Structure and dynamics of a human myelin protein P2 portal region mutant indicate opening of the β barrel in fatty acid binding proteins. BMC Struct. Biol. 18:8.

Ponna S.K., Ruskamo S., Myllykoski M., Keller C., Boeckers T.M. & Kursula P. (2018) Structural basis for PDZ domain interactions in the post-synaptic density scaffolding protein Shank3. J. Neurochem. 145:449-463.

Brockmann S.J., Freischmidt A., Oeckl P., Müller K., Ponna S.K., Helferich A.M., Paone C., Reinders J., Kojer K., Orth M., Jokela M., Auranen M., Udd B., Hermann A., Danzer K.M., Lichtner P., Walther P., Ludolph A.C., Andersen P.M., Otto M., Kursula P., Just S. & Weishaupt J.H. (2018) CHCHD10 mutations p.R15L and p.G66V cause motoneuron disease by haploinsufficiency. Hum. Mol. Genet. 27:706-715.

Raasakka A., Mahootchi E., Winge I., Luan W., Kursula P. & Haavik J. (2018) Structure of the mouse acidic amino acid decarboxylase GADL1. Acta Cryst. F 74:65-73. 

2017

Ponna S.K., Myllykoski M., Boeckers T.M. & Kursula P. (2017) Structure of an unconventional SH3 domain from the postsynaptic density protein Shank3 at ultrahigh resolution. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 490:806-812.

Ruskamo S., Nieminen T., Kristiansen C.K., Vatne G.H., Baumann A., Hallin E.I., Raasakka A., Joensuu P., Bergmann U., Vattulainen I. & Kursula P. (2017) Molecular mechanisms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy linked to mutations in human myelin protein P2. Sci. Rep. 7:6510.

Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Kowal J., Barker R., Baumann A., Martel A., Tuusa J., Myllykoski M., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2017) Membrane association landscape of myelin basic protein portrays formation of the myelin major dense line. Sci. Rep. 7:4974. 

Muruganandam G., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2017) Structural similarities and functional differences clarify evolutionary relationships between tRNA healing enzymes and the myelin enzyme CNPase. BMC Biochem. 18:7.

Baumann A. & Kursula P. (2017) SUMO on CRMPs - wrestling for pain? Channels 24:1-3.

Han H. & Kursula P. (2017) Crystallographic anomalous diffraction data for the experimental phasing of two myelin proteins, gliomedin and periaxin. Data Brief 11:552-556.

Tuusa J., Raasakka A., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2017) Myelin-derived and putative molecular mimic peptides share structural properties in aqueous and membrane-like environments. Mult. Scler. Demyelinating Disord. 2:4.

Piirainen H., Taura J., Kursula P., Ciruela F. & Jaakola V.-P. (2017) Calcium modulates calmodulin/α-actinin 1 interaction with and agonist-dependent internalization of the adenosine A_2A receptor. BBA Mol. Cell Res. 1864:674-686. 

Koski K., Anantharajan J., Kursula P., Dhavala P., Murthy A.V., Bergmann U., Myllyharju J. & Wierenga R.K. (2017) Assembly of the elongated collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase α₂β₂ heterotetramer around a central α₂ dimer. Biochem. J. 474:751-769.

Snaidero N., Velte C., Myllykoski M., Raasakka A., Ignatev A., Werner H.B., Erwig M.S., Möbius W., Kursula P., Nave K.A. & Simons M. (2017) Antagonistic functions of MBP and CNP establish cytosolic channels in CNS myelin. Cell Rep. 18:314-323. 

Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. (2017) Structural aspects of nucleotide ligand binding by a bacterial 2H phosphoesterase. PLoS ONE 12:e0170355. 

Myllykoski M., Baumann A., Hensley K. & Kursula P. (2017) Collapsin response mediator protein 2: high-resolution crystal structure sheds light on small-molecule binding, post-translational modifications, and conformational flexibility. Amino Acids 49:747-759. 

2016

Bezem M.T., Baumann A., Skjærven L., Meyer R., Kursula P., Martinez A., Flydal M.I. (2016) Stable preparations of tyrosine hydroxylase provide the solution structure of the full-length enzyme. Sci. Rep. 6:30390.

Ponna S.K., Myllykoski M., Boeckers T.M. & Kursula P. (2016) Sub-atomic resolution X-ray diffraction of the SH3 domain from the post-synaptic density protein Shank3. bioRxiv; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/051425.

Kouznetsova E., Kanno T., Karlberg T., Thorsell A.-G., Wisniewska M., Kursula P., Sjögren C. & Schüler H. (2016) Sister chromatic cohesion establishment factor ESCO1 operates by substrate-assisted catalysis. Structure 24:789-796.

Hensley K. & Kursula P. (2016) Collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2) is a plausible etiological factor and potential therapeutic target in Alzheimer’s disease: Comparison and contrast with microtubule-associated protein tau. J. Alzheimers Dis. 53:1-14.

Simon B., Huart A.-S., Temmerman K., Vahokoski J., Mertens H.D.T., Komadina D., Hoffmann J.-E., Yumerefendi H., Svergun D.I., Kursula P., Schultz C., McCarthy A.A., Hart D.J. & Wilmanns M. (2016) Death-associated protein kinase activity is regulated by coupled calcium/calmodulin binding to two distinct sites. Structure 24:851-861.

Myllykoski M., Seidel L., Muruganandam G., Raasakka A., Torda A.E. & Kursula P. (2016) Structural and functional evolution of 2´,3´-cyclic nucleotide 3´-phosphodiesterase. Brain Res. 1641: 64-78.

2015

Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Laulumaa S., Lehtimäki M., Härtlein M., Moulin M., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2015) Determinants of ligand binding and catalytic activity in the myelin enzyme 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase. Sci. Rep. 5:16520. 

Laulumaa S., Blakeley M.P., Raasakka A., Moulin M., Härtlein M. & Kursula P. (2015) Production, crystallization, and neutron diffraction of fully deuterated human myelin peripheral membrane protein P2. Acta Cryst. F 71:1391-1395.

Bhargav S.P., Vahokoski J., Kallio J.P., Torda A., Kursula P. & Kursula I. (2015) Two independently folding units of Plasmodium profilin suggest evolution via gene fusion. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 72:4193-4203. 

Laulumaa S., Nieminen T., Lehtimäki M., Aggarwal S., Simons M., Koza M.M., Vattulainen I., Kursula P. & Natali F. (2015) Dynamics of the peripheral membrane protein P2 from human myelin measured by neutron scattering - a comparison between wild-type protein and a hinge mutant. PLoS ONE 10:e0128954.

Chukhlieb M., Raasakka A., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2015) The N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of neuregulin 1 type III is intrinsically disordered. Amino Acids 47:1567-1577.

Freischmidt A., Wieland T., Richter B., Ruf W., Schaeffer V., Müller K., Marroquin N., Nordin F., Hübers A., Weydt P., Pinto S., Press R., Millecamps S., Molko N., Bernard E., Desnuelle C., Soriani M.-H., Dorst J., Graf E., Nordström U., Feiler M.S., Putz S., Böckers T.M., Meyer T., Winkler A.S., Winkelman J., de Carvalho M., Thal D.R., Otto M., Brännström T., Volk A.E., Kursula P., Danzer K.M., Lichtner P., Dikic I., Meitinger T., Ludolph A.C., Strom T.M., Andersen P.M. & Weishaupt J.H. (2015) Haploinsufficiency of TBK1 causes familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and fronto-temporal dementia. Nature Neurosci. 18: 631-636.

Piirainen H., Hellman M., Tossavainen H., Permi P., Kursula P. & Jaakola V.-P. (2015) Human adenosine A2A receptor binds calmodulin with high affinity in a calcium-dependent manner. Biophys. J. 108: 903-917.

Laulumaa S., Kursula P. & Natali F. (2015) Neutron scattering studies on protein dynamics using the human myelin membrane protein P2. Eur. Phys. J. Web of Conferences 83: 02010.

Han H. & Kursula P. (2015) The olfactomedin domain from gliomedin is a beta-propeller with unique structural properties. J. Biol. Chem. 290: 3612-3621.

Onwukwe G.U., Kursula P., Koski M.K., Schmitz W. & Wierenga R.K. (2015) Human Δ3, Δ2-enoyl-CoA isomerase, type-2: a structural enzymology study on the catalytic role of its ACBP-domain and helix-10. FEBS J. 282: 746-768.

2014

Knoll W., Peters J., Kursula P., Gerelli Y. & Natali F. (2014) Influence of myelin proteins on the structure and dynamics of a model membrane with emphasis on the low temperature regime. J. Chem. Phys. 141: 205101. 

Han H. & Kursula P. (2014) Expression, purification, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the extracellular olfactomedin domain from gliomedin. Acta Cryst. F 70: 1536-1539. 

Kursula P. (2014) The many structural faces of calmodulin - a multitasking molecular jackknife. Amino Acids 46: 2295-2304.


Zenker J., Stettner M., Ruskamo S., Domènech-Estévez E., Baloui H., Médard J.-J., Verheijen M.H.G., Brouwers J.F., Kursula P., Kieseier B.C. & Chrast R. (2014) A role of peripheral myelin protein 2 in lipid homeostasis of myelinating Schwann cells. Glia 62: 1502-1512. 


Han H. & Kursula P. (2014) Periaxin and AHNAK nucleoprotein 2 form intertwined homodimers through domain swapping. J. Biol. Chem. 289: 14121-14131.


Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2014) The myelin membrane-associated enzyme 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase: on a highway to structure and function. Neurosci. Bull. 30: 956-966.


Kursula P. (2014) Crystallographic snapshots of initial steps in the collapse of the calmodulin central helix. Acta Cryst. D 70: 24-30.


Ruskamo S., Yadav R.P., Sharma S., Lehtimäki M., Laulumaa S., Aggarwal S., Simons M., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Juffer A.H., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2014) Atomic-resolution view into structure-function relationships of the human myelin peripheral membrane protein P2. Acta Cryst. D 70: 165-176.


Szambowska A., Tessmer I., Kursula P., Usskilat C., Prus P., Pospiech H. & Grosse F. (2014) DNA binding properties of human Cdc45 suggest a function as a molecular wedge for DNA unwinding. Nucleic Acids Res. 42: 2308-2319.


Knoll W., Peters J., Kursula P., Gerelli Y., Ollivier J., Demé B., Telling M., Kemner E. & Natali F. (2014) Structural and dynamical properties of reconstituted myelin sheaths by myelin proteins MBP and P2 studied by neutron scattering. Soft Matter 10: 519-529.

2013

Muruganandam G., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2013) Lipid membrane association of myelin proteins and peptide segments studied by oriented and synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. B 117: 14983-14993.


Anantharajan J., Koski M.K., Kursula P., Hieta R., Bergmann U., Myllyharju J. & Wierenga R.K. (2013) The unique structural motifs for substrate binding and dimerisation of the alpha subunit of collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase. Structure 12: 2107-2118.


Myllykoski M., Raasakka A., Lehtimäki M., Han H., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2013) Crystallographic analysis of the reaction cycle of 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase, a unique member of the 2H phosphoesterase family. J. Mol. Biol. 425: 4307-4322.


Han H. & Kursula P. (2013) Preliminary crystallographic analysis of the N-terminal PDZ-like domain of periaxin, and abundant peripheral nerve protein linked to human neuropathies. Acta Cryst. F 69: 804-808.


Knoll W., Peters J., Gerelli Y., Kursula P. & Natali F. (2013) The influence of the myelin basic protein C8 mutant on the dynamics of myelin membranes. J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 82: SA018.


Forst A.H., Karlberg T., Herzog N., Thorsell A.-G., Gross A., Feijs K.L., Verheugd P., Kursula P., Nijmeijer B., Kremmer E., Kleine H., Ladurner A., Schüler H. & Lüscher B. (2013) Recognition of mono-ADP-ribosylated ARTD10 substrates by ARTD8 macrodomains. Structure 21: 462-475.


Han H., Myllykoski M., Ruskamo S., Wang C. & Kursula P. (2013) Myelin-specific proteins: a structurally diverse group of membrane-binding molecules. BioFactors 39: 233-241.

2012

Ruskamo S., Chukhlieb M., Vahokoski J., Bhargav S.P., Liang F., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2012) Juxtanodin is an intrinsically disordered F-actin binding protein. Sci. Rep. 2: 899.


Lehtimäki M., Laulumaa S., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2012) Production and crystallization of a panel of structure-based mutants of the human myelin peripheral membrane protein P2. Acta Cryst. F 68: 1359-1362.


Myllykoski M., Itoh K., Kangas S.M., Heape A.M., Kang S.-U., Lubec G., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2012) The N-terminal domain of the myelin enzyme 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase: Direct molecular interaction with the calcium sensor calmodulin. J. Neurochem. 123: 515-524. 


Ignatev A., Bhargav S.P., Vahokoski J., Kursula P. & Kursula I. (2012) The lasso segment is required for functional dimerization of the Plasmodium formin 1 FH2 domain. PLoS ONE, 7: e33586.


Myllykoski M., Raasakka A., Han H. & Kursula P. (2012) Myelin 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase: Active-site ligand binding and molecular conformation. PLoS ONE, 7: e32336.  


Chen W.-Q., Heymann G., Kursula P., Rosner M., Hengstschläger M., Huppertz H. & Lubec G. (2012) The effects of gigapascal level pressure on protein structure and function. J. Phys. Chem. B, 116: 1100-1110. 


Kuczera J. & Kursula P. (2012) Interactions of calmodulin with death-associated protein kinase peptides: experimental and modeling studies. J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn. 30: 45-61.


Myllykoski M., Baumgärtel P. & Kursula P. (2012) Conformations of peptides derived from myelin-specific proteins in membrane-mimetic conditions probed by synchrotron radiation CD spectroscopy. Amino Acids, 42: 1467-1474.


2011

Patton G.C., Stenmark P., Gollapalli D.R., Sevastik R., Kursula P., Flodin S., Schüler H., Swales C.T., Eklund H., Himo F., Nordlund P. & Hedstrom L. (2011) Cofactor mobility determines reaction outcome in the IMPDH amd GMPR (β-α)8 barrel enzymes. Nature Chem. Biol. 7: 950-958.


Wang C., Neugebauer U., Bürck J., Myllykoski M., Baumgärtel P., Popp J. & Kursula P. (2011) Charge isomers of myelin basic protein: Structure and interactions with membranes, nucleotide analogues, and calmodulin. PLoS ONE 6: e19915.


Patel A.K., Yadav R.P., Majava V., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2011) Structure of the dimeric autoinhibited conformation of DAPK2, a pro-apoptotic protein kinase. J. Mol. Biol. 409: 369-383.


Patel A.K., Singh V.K., Bergmann U., Jagannadham M.V. & Kursula P. (2011) Purification, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of MIL, a glycosylated jacalin-related lectin from mulberry (Morus indica) latex. Acta Cryst. F 67: 608-612.


Fukao T., Sass J.O., Kursula P., Thimm E., Wendel U., Ficicioglu C., Monastiri K., Guffon N., Baric I., Zabot M.T. & Kondo N. (2011) Clinical and molecular characterization of five patients with succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT) deficiency. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1812: 619-624.


2010

Wang C., Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. (2010) Biophysical studies on the structure and function of proteins from the vertebrate myelin sheath. Proc. SPIE 7376: 73760V.


Fukao T., Ishii T., Amano N., Kursula P., Takayanagi M., Murase K., Sakaguchi N., Kondo N. & Hasegawa T. (2010) A neonatal onset succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT)-deficient patient with T435N and c.658-666dupAACGTGATT p.N220_I222dup mutations in the OXCT1 gene. J. Inherit. Metab. Dis., in press.


Suresh S., Wang C., Nanekar R., Kursula P. & Edwardson J.M. (2010) Myelin basic protein and myelin protein 2 act synergistically to cause stacking of lipid bilayers. Biochemistry 49: 3456-3463.


Majava V., Polverini E., Mazzini A., Nanekar R., Knoll W., Peters J., Natali F., Baumgärtel P., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2010) Structural and functional characterization of human peripheral nervous system myelin protein P2. PLoS ONE 5: e10300.


Chen W.-Q., Salmazo A., Myllykoski M., Sjöblom B., Bidlingmaier M., Pollak A., Baumgärtel P., Djinovic-Carugo K., Kursula P. & Lubec G. (2010) Purification of recombinant growth hormone by clear native gels for conformational analyses - Preservation of conformation and receptor binding.Amino Acids 39: 859-869.


Knoll W., Natali F., Peters J., Nanekar R., Wang C. & Kursula P. (2010) Dynamic properties of a reconstituted myelin sheath. Spectroscopy 24: 585-592.


de Diego I., Kuper J., Bakalova N., Kursula P. & Wilmanns M. (2010) Molecular basis of the death associated protein kinase-calcium/calmodulin regulator complex. Science Signaling 3:ra6.


Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. (2010) Expression, purification, and initial characterization of different domains of recombinant mouse 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase, an enigmatic enzyme from the myelin sheath. BMC Res. Notes 3:12.


Majava V., Wang C., Myllykoski M., Kangas S.M., Kang S.U., Hayashi N., Baumgärtel P., Heape A.M., Lubec G. & Kursula P. (2010) Structural analysis of the complex between calmodulin and full-length myelin basic protein, an intrinsically disordered molecule. Amino Acids 39:59-71.


Kursula P. (2010) Structural biology insights into the autoantigens of the myelin sheath. In Autoimmune Diseases: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment, Nova Publishers.


2009

Meriläinen G., Poikela V., Kursula P. & Wierenga R. (2009) The thiolase reaction mechanism: the importance of Asn316 and His348 for stabilizing the enolate intermediate of the Claisen condensation. Biochemistry 48: 11011-11025.


Myllykoski M., Kuczera K. & Kursula P. (2009) Complex formation between calmodulin and a peptide from the intracellular loop of the gap junction protein connexin43: molecular conformation and energetics of binding. Biophys. Chem. 144: 130-135.


Behnen M., Murk K., Kursula P., Cappallo-Obermann H., Rothkegel M., Kierszenbaum A. & Kirchhoff C. (2009) Testis-expressed profilins 3 and 4 show distinct functional characteristics and localize in acroplaxome-manchette complex in spermatids. BMC Cell Biol. 10: 34.


Majava V. & Kursula P. (2009) Domain swapping and different oligomeric states for the complex between calmodulin and the calmodulin-binding domain of calcineurin A. PLoS ONE 4: e5402.


Bertini I., Kursula P., Luchinat C., Parigi G., Vahokoski J., Wilmanns M. & Yuan J. (2009) Accurate solution structures of proteins from X-ray data and a minimal set of NMR data: calmodulin-peptide complexes as examples. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131: 5134-5144.


Haikarainen T., Chen W.-Q., Lubec G. & Kursula P. (2009) Structure, modifications, and ligand-binding properties of rat profilin 2a. Acta Cryst. D 65: 303-311.


Zhang Z., Majava V., Greffier A., Hayes R.L., Kursula P. & Wang K.K.W. (2009) Collapsin response mediator protein-2 is a calmodulin binding protein.Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 66: 526-536.


2008

Meriläinen G., Schmitz W., Wierenga R. & Kursula P. (2008) The sulfur atoms of the substrate CoA and the catalytic cysteine are required for a productive mode of substrate binding in bacterial biosynthetic thiolase, a thioester-dependent enzyme. FEBS J. 275: 6136-6148.


Kursula I., Kursula P., Ganter M., Panjikar S., Matuschewski K. & Schüler H. (2008) Structural basis for parasite-specific functions of the divergent profilin of Plasmodium falciparum. Structure 16: 1638-1648.


Majava V., Löytynoja N., Chen W.-Q., Lubec G. & Kursula P. (2008) Crystal and solution structure, stability, and post-translational modifications of collapsin response mediator protein 2. FEBS J. 275: 4583-4596.


Majava V., Petoukhov M.V., Hayashi N., Pirilä P., Svergun D.I. & Kursula P. (2008) Interaction between the C-terminal region of human myelin basic protein and calmodulin: Analysis of complex formation and solution structure. BMC Struct. Biol. 8: 10.


Kursula P. (2008) Structural properties of proteins specific to the myelin sheath. Amino Acids 34: 175-185.


Kursula P., Kursula I., Massimi M., Song Y.-H., Downer J., Stanley W.A., Witke W. & Wilmanns M. (2008) High-resolution structural analysis of mammalian profilin 2a complex formation with two physiological ligands: the formin homology 1 domain of mDia1 and the proline-rich domain of VASP. J. Mol. Biol. 375: 270-290.


2007

Kursula P. & Majava V. (2007) A structural insight into lead neurotoxicity and calmodulin activation by heavy metals. Acta Cryst. F 63: 653-656.


Fukao T., Kursula P., Owen E.P. & Kondo N. (2007) Identification and characterization of a temperature-sensitive R268H mutation in the human succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid CoA transferase (SCOT) gene. Mol. Genet. Metab. 92: 216-221.


Stanley W.A., Pursiainen N.V., Garman E.F., Juffer A.H., Wilmanns M. & Kursula P. (2007) A previously unobserved conformation for the human Pex5p receptor suggests roles for intrinsic flexibility and rigid domain motions in ligand binding. BMC Struct. Biol. 7: 24.


Stenmark P., Ogg D., Flodin S., Flores A., Kotenyova T., Nyman T., Nordlund P. & Kursula P. (2007) The structure of human collapsin response mediator protein 2, a regulator of axonal growth. J. Neurochem. 101: 906-917.


Stenmark P., Kursula P., Flodin S., Gräslund S., Landry R., Nordlund P. & Schüler H. (2007) Crystal structure of human inosine triphosphatase: Substrate binding and implication of the ITPA deficiency mutation P32T. J. Biol. Chem. 282: 3182-3187.


2006

Stanley W.A., Filipp F.V., Kursula P., Schüller N., Erdmann R,. Schliebs W., Sattler M. & Wilmanns M. (2006) Recognition of a functional peroxisome type 1 target by the dynamic import receptor Pex5p. Mol. Cell 24: 653-663.


Kursula P., Flodin S., Ehn M., Hammarström M., Schüler H., Nordlund P. & Stenmark P. (2006) Crystal structure of the synthetase domain of human CTP synthetase, a target for anticancer therapy. Acta Cryst. F 62: 613-617.


Kursula P., Schüler H., Flodin S., Nilsson-Ehle P., Ogg D.J., Savitsky P., Nordlund P. & Stenmark P. (2006) Crystal structures of the hydrolase domain of human 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase and its complex with a substrate analogue. Acta Cryst. D 62: 1294-1299.

2005

Kursula P., Sikkilä H., Fukao T., Kondo N. & Wierenga R.K. (2005) High resolution crystal structures of human cytosolic thiolase (CT). A comparison of the active sites of human CT, bacterial thiolase, and bacterial KAS I. J. Mol. Biol. 347: 189-201.

Kursula I., Heape, A.M. & Kursula P. (2005) Crystal structure of non-fused glutathione S-transferase from Schistosoma japonicum in complex with glutathione. Protein Pept. Lett. 12: 709-712.

Tzakos A.G., Kursula P., Theodorou V., Troganis A., Tselios T., Svarnas C., Matsoukas J., Apostopoulos V. & Gerothanassis I.P. (2005) Structure and function of the myelin proteins: Current status and perspectives in relation to multiple sclerosis. Curr. Med. Chem. 12: 1569-1587.

2004

Kursula P. (2004) XDSi - a graphical interface for the data processing program XDS. J. Appl. Cryst. 37: 347-348.

2003

Bhaumik P., Kursula P., Ratas V., Conzelmann E., Hiltunen J.K., Schmitz W. & Wierenga R.K. (2003) Crystallisation and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of 2-methylacyl-CoA racemase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Acta Cryst. D 59: 353-355.

Pekkala M., Hieta R., Kursula P., Kivirikko K.I., Wierenga R.K & Myllyharju J. (2003) Crystallization of the proline-rich-peptide binding domain of human type I collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase. Acta Cryst. D 59: 940-942.

2002

Kursula P., Ojala J., Lambeir A.-M. & Wierenga R.K. (2002) The catalytic cycle of biosynthetic thiolase: A conformational journey of an acetyl group through four binding modes and two oxyanion holes. Biochemistry 41: 15543-15556.

2001

Kursula P., Lehto V.-P. & Heape A.M. (2001) The small myelin-associated glycoprotein binds to tubulin and microtubules. Mol. Brain Res. 87: 22-30.

Kursula P. (2001) The current status of structural studies on proteins of the myelin sheath. Int. J. Mol. Med. 8: 475-479.

2000

Kursula P., Lehto V.-P. & Heape A.M. (2000) Estimation of total ribonucleic acid quantity from dilute samples by nondenaturing electrophoresis and silver staining. Electrophoresis 21: 545-547.

Kursula P., Lehto V.-P. & Heape A.M. (2000) S100b inhibits the phosphorylation of the L-MAG cytoplasmic domain by PKA. Mol. Brain Res. 76: 407-410.

1999

Heape A. M., Lehto V.-P. & Kursula P. (1999) The expression of recombinant large myelin-associated glycoprotein cytoplasmic domain and the purification of native myelin-associated glycoprotein from rat brain and peripheral nerve. Prot. Express. Purif. 15:349-361.

Kursula P., Tikkanen G., Lehto V.-P., Nishikimi M. & Heape A.M. (1999) Calcium-dependent interaction between the large myelin-associated glycoprotein and S100b. J. Neurochem. 73: 1724-1732.

Kursula P., Meriläinen G., Lehto V.-P. & Heape A.M. (1999) The small myelin-associated glycoprotein is a zinc-binding protein. J. Neurochem. 73: 2110-2118.

1998

Kursula P., Lehto V.-P., Garbay B., Cassagne C. and Heape A.M. (1998) Expression of the amino acid dimorphism in the small myelin-associated glycoprotein cytoplasmic domain in rat peripheral nerves during postnatal development. Mol. Brain Res.54:252-261.