Volume 14 Issue 10: October 11, 2006

Next issue: November 15, 2006

On the cover: Structures from atomistic molecular dynamics simulation of 94 base pair DNA minicircles. Two of three torsionally relaxed simulations twice evolved into structures with a single kink (top right and bottom left) and once remained unkinked (top). Two torsionally stressed simulations both evolved to doubly kinked, highly writhed structures (top left and bottom right). The predominant kink type consists of two consecutive intact base pairs kinked towards the minor groove by 90–110 degrees and closely resembles that predicted by Crick and Klug in 1975. Shown in the center is the regular starting structure of one of the stressed simulations. For details, see the article of Lankas et al., 1527–1534.

The Featured Article is freely available to all readers:

Structure of Complement Component C2a: Implications for Convertase Formation and Substrate Binding
Fin J. Milder, Hans C.A. Raaijmakers, Mitja D.A.A. Vandeputte, Arie Schouten, Eric G. Huizinga, Roland A. Romijn, Wieger Hemrika, Anja Roos, Mohamed R. Daha, and Piet Gros
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