Two studies published in Nature report the structure of apolipoprotein B100 on LDL using high-resolution, artificial intelligence-assisted cryo-electron microscopy and uncover its precise molecular interfaces with the LDL receptor. Dimers of LDL particles connected by a pair of receptors are also visualized for the first time. These studies provide key structural insights into the molecular defects linked to familial hypercholesterolaemia and open exciting avenues for translational research and drug development.
- Gilles C. Lambert
- Simon G. Pfisterer