sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon
@sigurbjornm.bsky.social
35 followers 67 following 4 posts
Structural Biology DPhil student - Oxford, Newstead lab. Interested in membrane protein structural biology.
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sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon @sigurbjornm.bsky.social · Aug 21
Our paper on SLC45A4 is out now in @nature.com! The orphan SLC45A4 transporter is a polyamine transporter involved in chronic pain signalling!
SLC45A4 is a pain gene encoding a neuronal polyamine transporter - Nature
The SLC45A4 gene encodes a neuronal polyamine transporter and is linked to pain response in humans and mice.
www.nature.com
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Reposted by Sigurbjörn Markússon
oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social
Oxford Biochemistry @oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social · Aug 22
Read the full story here: 📣Breakthrough discovery reveals new gene linked to chronic pain ➡️ bit.ly/202508_newst...
Cryo-Em structure of the SLC45A4 polyamine transporter depicted by a substantial yellow and green area, a purple mid-section, punctuated with turquoise and with the top third of the whole surrounded by a transparent 'membrane'-like structure
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Reposted by Sigurbjörn Markússon
middletonsj.bsky.social
Steve Middleton @middletonsj.bsky.social · Aug 21
We've found a new gene linked to chronic pain in humans! The gene SLC45A4 encodes (the long-awaited) neuronal polyamine transporter, which is important for pain signalling in nerves. We hope this discovery might lead to new chronic pain treatments in the future!

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
SLC45A4 is a pain gene encoding a neuronal polyamine transporter - Nature
The SLC45A4 gene encodes a neuronal polyamine transporter and is linked to pain response in humans and mice.
www.nature.com
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sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon @sigurbjornm.bsky.social · Aug 21
It was a great team effort in the Newstead lab, in great collaboration with @middletonsj.bsky.social and others in the Dave Bennet group, @justindeme.bsky.social and @smlea.bsky.social, and many others!
@oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social @kavlioxford.bsky.social
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sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon @sigurbjornm.bsky.social · Aug 21
Fantastic work led by @middletonsj.bsky.social in the Bennet lab showed SLC45A4 KO mice to have altered pain perception and that SLC45A4 regulates nociceptor activity. Thereby identifying the transporter as a potential target for non-opioid treatment of chronic pain!
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sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon @sigurbjornm.bsky.social · Aug 21
Following identification of the gene in GWAS, we discovered that SLC45A4 is the sought after plasma membrane polyamine transporter, demonstrating transport in neurons. Our structures showed a novel plug domain on its large cytosolic domain, making it the first known autoinhibited MFS transporter!
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sigurbjornm.bsky.social
Sigurbjörn Markússon @sigurbjornm.bsky.social · Aug 21
Our paper on SLC45A4 is out now in @nature.com! The orphan SLC45A4 transporter is a polyamine transporter involved in chronic pain signalling!
SLC45A4 is a pain gene encoding a neuronal polyamine transporter - Nature
The SLC45A4 gene encodes a neuronal polyamine transporter and is linked to pain response in humans and mice.
www.nature.com
1 7 17
Reposted by Sigurbjörn Markússon
petrikursula.bsky.social
Petri Kursula @petrikursula.bsky.social · Dec 10
...and there we have it - the first paper for 2025 😀

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Nanobodies against the myelin enzyme CNPase as tools for structural and functional studies
The enzyme 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) is abundant in non-compact myelin. While its in vitro catalytic activity is well understood, the in vivo function of CNPase remains un...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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