Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40817135›Full record

ArticleNature chemical biology2026

Covalently constrained 'Di-Gembodies' enable parallel structure solutions by cryo-EM.

Gangshun Yi, Dimitrios Mamalis, Mingda Ye, Loic Carrique, Michael Fairhead, Huanyu Li, Katharina L Duerr, Peijun Zhang, David B Sauer, Frank von Delft and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature chemical biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Four IgG Antibodies and Protein G Are Shapeshifters.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Article
  2. Thousandfold Expansion Microscopy.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Hidden gems bring proteins into view.Nature chemical biology · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Gangshun Yi *Division of Structural Biology, Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Dimitrios Mamalis *Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Mingda Ye *Centre for Medicines Discovery, NDM Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. martin.ye@cmd.ox.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-6324-4238
Loic CarriqueDivision of Structural Biology, Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5332-8593
Michael FairheadCentre for Medicines Discovery, NDM Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Huanyu LiCentre for Medicines Discovery, NDM Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5482-9936
Katharina L DuerrCentre for Medicines Discovery, NDM Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Peijun ZhangDivision of Structural Biology, Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1803-691X
David B SauerCentre for Medicines Discovery, NDM Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. david.sauer@cmd.ox.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-9291-4640
Frank von DelftDiamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK. frank.vondelft@cmd.ox.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-0378-0017
Benjamin G DavisDepartment of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. ben.davis@rfi.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-5056-407X
Robert J C GilbertDivision of Structural Biology, Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. robert.gilbert@magd.ox.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-9336-5604

Funding

Project 3. IntegrationU54AI170791 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Zandrea Ambrose · 2022 to 2026
$30.6M
Correlative cryoET of the HIV-1 integration targeting in native T-lymphocytesR21AI184080 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · PI ZHANG, PEIJUN · 2024 to 2025
$285k
EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council) 101021133NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI184080NIAID NIH HHS U54 AI170791RCUK | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/V011359/1Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust (Wellcome) 090532/Z/09/Z, 060208/Z/00/Z, 093305/Z/10/Z, 203141/Z/16/Z, 206422/Z/17/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Whilst cryo-electron microscopy(cryo-EM) has become a routine methodology in structural biology, obtaining high-resolution cryo-EM structures of small proteins (<100 kDa) and increasing overall throughput remain challenging. One approach to augment protein size and improve particle alignment involves the use of binding proteins or protein-based scaffolds. However, a given imaging scaffold or linking module may prove inadequate for structure solution and availability of such scaffolds remains limited. Here, we describe a strategy that exploits covalent dimerization of nanobodies to trap an engineered, predisposed nanobody-to-nanobody interface, giving Di-Gembodies as modular constructs created in homomeric and heteromeric forms. By exploiting side-chain-to-side-chain assembly, they can simultaneously display two copies of the same or two distinct proteins through a subunit interface that provides sufficient constraint required for cryo-EM structure determination. We validate this method with multiple soluble and membrane structural targets, down to 14 kDa, demonstrating a flexible and scalable platform for expanded protein structure determination.

Indexed as

Cryoelectron MicroscopySingle-Domain AntibodiesModels, MolecularProtein ConformationProtein MultimerizationSingle-Domain Antibodies

Identifiers

PMID40817135
PMCPMC12435805

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.