Christopher Akey | Profiles RNS

Christopher W. Akey, PhD

Professor

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics

PhD, Cornell University
BS, University of Richmond

Websites

	Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics Faculty
	Akey Laboratory
	ResearchGate

ORCID : 0000-0002-3059-3121

We are studying the structure and function of macromolecular machines and chaperones. In our work, we use biochemistry and molecular biology coupled with structural electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling. This hybrid approach allows us to create snapshots of these large assemblies and thus, to infer function from form.

Member
Boston University
Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute

Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

BU Research
NIH RePORTER Research

The Structural Basis of Protein Biogenesis
04/01/2020 - 03/31/2025 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5R01GM045377-27

HMS Salary support for Dr. Guettler
10/01/2017 - 09/30/2019 (PI)
President & Fellows of Harvard College on behalf of Harvard Medical School

The Structural Basis of Protein Biogenesis
09/01/2015 - 06/30/2019 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5R01GM045377-23

Apoptosomes Structure and Procaspase Activation
04/01/2012 - 12/31/2015 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5R01GM063834-12

The Structural Basis of Protein Biogenesis
01/01/1991 - 07/31/2014 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5R01GM045377-19

Structural and Cell Biology in Cardiovascular Systems
07/01/1977 - 08/31/2008 (PI)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5 T32 HL07291 25

Structure and Function of Histone Chaperones
03/05/2004 - 02/29/2008 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5 R01 GM60537 08

New Tools for Exploring the Dynamic Interactome
08/01/2006 - 07/31/2007 (PI)
The Rockefeller University NIH NCRR

Nucleoplasmin & N1: Co-Chaperones in Nucleosome Assembly
01/01/2000 - 12/31/2003 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5 R01 GM60537 04

An IVEM for High Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy
04/01/2000 - 03/31/2001 (PI)
NIH/National Center for Health Research Resources
1 S10 RR14700 01

Title

Yr	Title	Project-Sub Proj	Pubs
2023	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-27
2022	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-26
2022	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	3R01GM045377-26S1
2021	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-25	7
2020	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	2R01GM045377-24A1	7
2018	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-23	7
2017	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-22	7
2016	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	3R01GM045377-21S1	7
2016	The Structural basis of Protein Biogenesis	5R01GM045377-21	7
2015	Apoptosomes Structure and Procaspase Activation	5R01GM063834-12	11

Showing 10 of 74 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

Akey CW, Echeverria I, Ouch C, Nudelman I, Shi Y, Wang J, Chait BT, Sali A, Fernandez-Martinez J, Rout MP. Implications of a multiscale structure of the yeast nuclear pore complex. Mol Cell. 2023 Sep 21; 83(18):3283-3302.e5.View Related Profiles.

Ouch, Christna
Akey, Christopher

PMID: 37738963; PMCID: PMC10630966; DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.08.025;

Akey CW, Singh D, Ouch C, Echeverria I, Nudelman I, Varberg JM, Yu Z, Fang F, Shi Y, Wang J, Salzberg D, Song K, Xu C, Gumbart JC, Suslov S, Unruh J, Jaspersen SL, Chait BT, Sali A, Fernandez-Martinez J, Ludtke SJ, Villa E, Rout MP. Comprehensive structure and functional adaptations of the yeast nuclear pore complex. Cell. 2022 01 20; 185(2):361-378.e25.View Related Profiles.

Ouch, Christna
Akey, Christopher

PMID: 34982960; PMCID: PMC8928745; DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.015;

Dorstyn L, Akey CW, Kumar S. New insights into apoptosome structure and function. Cell Death Differ. 2018 07; 25(7):1194-1208. PMID: 29765111; PMCID: PMC6030056; DOI: 10.1038/s41418-017-0025-z;

Kim SJ, Fernandez-Martinez J, Nudelman I, Shi Y, Zhang W, Raveh B, Herricks T, Slaughter BD, Hogan JA, Upla P, Chemmama IE, Pellarin R, Echeverria I, Shivaraju M, Chaudhury AS, Wang J, Williams R, Unruh JR, Greenberg CH, Jacobs EY, Yu Z, de la Cruz MJ, Mironska R, Stokes DL, Aitchison JD, Jarrold MF, Gerton JL, Ludtke SJ, Akey CW, Chait BT, Sali A, Rout MP. Integrative structure and functional anatomy of a nuclear pore complex. Nature. 2018 03 22; 555(7697):475-482. PMID: 29539637; PMCID: PMC6022767; DOI: 10.1038/nature26003;

Mendez DL, Akey IV, Akey CW, Kranz RG. Oxidized or Reduced Cytochrome c and Axial Ligand Variants All Form the Apoptosome in Vitro. Biochemistry. 2017 Jun 06; 56(22):2766-2769. PMID: 28510448; PMCID: PMC5551479; DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00309;

Cheng TC, Akey IV, Yuan S, Yu Z, Ludtke SJ, Akey CW. A Near-Atomic Structure of the Dark Apoptosome Provides Insight into Assembly and Activation. Structure. 2017 Jan 03; 25(1):40-52.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun
Cheng, Tat Cheung

PMID: 27916517; PMCID: PMC5214966; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.11.002;

Cheng TC, Hong C, Akey IV, Yuan S, Akey CW. A near atomic structure of the active human apoptosome. Elife. 2016 Oct 04; 5.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun
Cheng, Tat Cheung

PMID: 27697150; PMCID: PMC5050015; DOI: 10.7554/eLife.17755;

Park E, Ménétret JF, Gumbart JC, Ludtke SJ, Li W, Whynot A, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Structure of the SecY channel during initiation of protein translocation. Nature. 2014 Feb 6; 506(7486):102-6. PMID: 24153188; PMCID: PMC3948209; DOI: 10.1038/nature12720;

D'Brot A, Chen P, Vaishnav M, Yuan S, Akey CW, Abrams JM. Tango7 directs cellular remodeling by the Drosophila apoptosome. Genes Dev. 2013 Aug 1; 27(15):1650-5.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 23913920; PMCID: PMC3744723; DOI: 10.1101/gad.219287.113;

Farelli JD, Gumbart JC, Akey IV, Hempstead A, Amyot W, Head JF, McKnight CJ, Isberg RR, Akey CW. IcmQ in the Type 4b secretion system contains an NAD+ binding domain. Structure. 2013 Aug 6; 21(8):1361-73.View Related Profiles.

McKnight, C.
Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 23850453; PMCID: PMC3816012; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.05.017;

Showing 10 of 54 results. Show More

Yuan S, Akey CW. Apoptosome structure, assembly, and procaspase activation. Structure. 2013 Apr 2; 21(4):501-15.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 23561633; PMCID: PMC3644875; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.02.024;

Yuan S, Topf M, Reubold TF, Eschenburg S, Akey CW. Changes in Apaf-1 conformation that drive apoptosome assembly. Biochemistry. 2013 Apr 2; 52(13):2319-27.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 23521171; PMCID: PMC3645920; DOI: 10.1021/bi301721g;

Platonova O, Akey IV, Head JF, Akey CW. Crystal structure and function of human nucleoplasmin (npm2): a histone chaperone in oocytes and embryos. Biochemistry. 2011 Sep 20; 50(37):8078-89.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 21863821; PMCID: PMC3172369; DOI: 10.1021/bi2006652;

Yuan S, Yu X, Asara JM, Heuser JE, Ludtke SJ, Akey CW. The holo-apoptosome: activation of procaspase-9 and interactions with caspase-3. Structure. 2011 Aug 10; 19(8):1084-96.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 21827945; PMCID: PMC3155825; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2011.07.001;

Yuan S, Yu X, Topf M, Dorstyn L, Kumar S, Ludtke SJ, Akey CW. Structure of the Drosophila apoptosome at 6.9 å resolution. Structure. 2011 Jan 12; 19(1):128-40.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 21220123; PMCID: PMC3053581; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2010.10.009;

Akey CW. The NPC-transporter, a ghost in the machine. Structure. 2010 Oct 13; 18(10):1230-2. PMID: 20947011; PMCID: PMC2966715; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2010.09.005;

Yuan S, Yu X, Topf M, Ludtke SJ, Wang X, Akey CW. Structure of an apoptosome-procaspase-9 CARD complex. Structure. 2010 May 12; 18(5):571-83.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yuan, Shujun

PMID: 20462491; PMCID: PMC2874686; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2010.04.001;

Raychaudhury S, Farelli JD, Montminy TP, Matthews M, Ménétret JF, Duménil G, Roy CR, Head JF, Isberg RR, Akey CW. Structure and function of interacting IcmR-IcmQ domains from a type IVb secretion system in Legionella pneumophila. Structure. 2009 Apr 15; 17(4):590-601.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 19368892; PMCID: PMC2693034; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2009.02.011;

Ménétret JF, Hegde RS, Aguiar M, Gygi SP, Park E, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Single copies of Sec61 and TRAP associate with a nontranslating mammalian ribosome. Structure. 2008 Jul; 16(7):1126-37. PMID: 18611385; PMCID: PMC2527209; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2008.05.003;

Chandramouli P, Topf M, Ménétret JF, Eswar N, Cannone JJ, Gutell RR, Sali A, Akey CW. Structure of the mammalian 80S ribosome at 8.7 A resolution. Structure. 2008 Apr; 16(4):535-48. PMID: 18400176; PMCID: PMC2775484; DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2008.01.007;

Ménétret JF, Schaletzky J, Clemons WM, Osborne AR, Skånland SS, Denison C, Gygi SP, Kirkpatrick DS, Park E, Ludtke SJ, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Ribosome binding of a single copy of the SecY complex: implications for protein translocation. Mol Cell. 2007 Dec 28; 28(6):1083-92. PMID: 18158904

Yu X, Wang L, Acehan D, Wang X, Akey CW. Three-dimensional structure of a double apoptosome formed by the Drosophila Apaf-1 related killer. J Mol Biol. 2006 Jan 20; 355(3):577-89. PMID: 16310803

Yu X, Acehan D, Ménétret JF, Booth CR, Ludtke SJ, Riedl SJ, Shi Y, Wang X, Akey CW. A structure of the human apoptosome at 12.8 A resolution provides insights into this cell death platform. Structure. 2005 Nov; 13(11):1725-35. PMID: 16271896

Ménétret JF, Hegde RS, Heinrich SU, Chandramouli P, Ludtke SJ, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Architecture of the ribosome-channel complex derived from native membranes. J Mol Biol. 2005 Apr 29; 348(2):445-57. PMID: 15811380

Namboodiri VM, Akey IV, Schmidt-Zachmann MS, Head JF, Akey CW. The structure and function of Xenopus NO38-core, a histone chaperone in the nucleolus. Structure. 2004 Dec; 12(12):2149-60.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 15576029

Namboodiri VM, Schmidt-Zachmann MS, Head JF, Akey CW. Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the N-terminal domain of NO38, a nucleolar protein from Xenopus laevis. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2004 Dec; 60(Pt 12 Pt 2):2325-7.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 15583381

Clemons WM, Ménétret JF, Akey CW, Rapoport TA. Structural insight into the protein translocation channel. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2004 Aug; 14(4):390-6. PMID: 15313231

Namboodiri VM, Dutta S, Akey IV, Head JF, Akey CW. The crystal structure of Drosophila NLP-core provides insight into pentamer formation and histone binding. Structure. 2003 Feb; 11(2):175-86.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 12575937

Akey CW, Luger K. Histone chaperones and nucleosome assembly. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2003 Feb; 13(1):6-14. PMID: 12581654

Morgan DG, Ménétret JF, Neuhof A, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Structure of the mammalian ribosome-channel complex at 17A resolution. J Mol Biol. 2002 Dec 6; 324(4):871-86. PMID: 12460584

Acehan D, Jiang X, Morgan DG, Heuser JE, Wang X, Akey CW. Three-dimensional structure of the apoptosome: implications for assembly, procaspase-9 binding, and activation. Mol Cell. 2002 Feb; 9(2):423-32. PMID: 11864614

Dutta S, Akey IV, Dingwall C, Hartman KL, Laue T, Nolte RT, Head JF, Akey CW. The crystal structure of nucleoplasmin-core: implications for histone binding and nucleosome assembly. Mol Cell. 2001 Oct; 8(4):841-53.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Head, James

PMID: 11684019

Menetret JF, Neuhof A, Morgan DG, Plath K, Radermacher M, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. The structure of ribosome-channel complexes engaged in protein translocation. Mol Cell. 2000 Nov; 6(5):1219-32. PMID: 11106759

Morgan DG, Ménétret JF, Radermacher M, Neuhof A, Akey IV, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. A comparison of the yeast and rabbit 80 S ribosome reveals the topology of the nascent chain exit tunnel, inter-subunit bridges and mammalian rRNA expansion segments. J Mol Biol. 2000 Aug 11; 301(2):301-21. PMID: 10926511

Meyer TH, Ménétret JF, Breitling R, Miller KR, Akey CW, Rapoport TA. The bacterial SecY/E translocation complex forms channel-like structures similar to those of the eukaryotic Sec61p complex. J Mol Biol. 1999 Jan 29; 285(4):1789-800. PMID: 9917412

Yang Q, Rout MP, Akey CW. Three-dimensional architecture of the isolated yeast nuclear pore complex: functional and evolutionary implications. Mol Cell. 1998 Jan; 1(2):223-34.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Yang, Qiong

PMID: 9659919

Kiseleva E, Goldberg MW, Allen TD, Akey CW. Active nuclear pore complexes in Chironomus: visualization of transporter configurations related to mRNP export. J Cell Sci. 1998 Jan; 111 ( Pt 2):223-36. PMID: 9405308

Bullitt E, Rout MP, Kilmartin JV, Akey CW. The yeast spindle pole body is assembled around a central crystal of Spc42p. Cell. 1997 Jun 27; 89(7):1077-86.View Related Profiles.

Akey, Christopher
Bullitt, Esther

PMID: 9215630

Hanein D, Matlack KE, Jungnickel B, Plath K, Kalies KU, Miller KR, Rapoport TA, Akey CW. Oligomeric rings of the Sec61p complex induced by ligands required for protein translocation. Cell. 1996 Nov 15; 87(4):721-32. PMID: 8929540

Akey CW. Structural plasticity of the nuclear pore complex. J Mol Biol. 1995 Apr 28; 248(2):273-93. PMID: 7739040

Akey CW, Radermacher M. Architecture of the Xenopus nuclear pore complex revealed by three-dimensional cryo-electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1993 Jul; 122(1):1-19. PMID: 8314837; PMCID: PMC2119598

Akey CW. Probing the structure and function of the nuclear pore complex. Semin Cell Biol. 1991 Jun; 2(3):167-77. PMID: 1720335

Akey CW. Visualization of transport-related configurations of the nuclear pore transporter. Biophys J. 1990 Aug; 58(2):341-55. PMID: 2207242; PMCID: PMC1280976

Akey CW. Interactions and structure of the nuclear pore complex revealed by cryo-electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1989 Sep; 109(3):955-70. PMID: 2768344; PMCID: PMC2115778

Akey CW, Goldfarb DS. Protein import through the nuclear pore complex is a multistep process. J Cell Biol. 1989 Sep; 109(3):971-82. PMID: 2475512; PMCID: PMC2115752

Akey CW, Crepeau RH, Edelstein SJ. The innermost chorionic layer of Drosophila. II. Three-dimensional structure determination of the 90 degrees crystal form by electron microscopy. J Mol Biol. 1987 Feb 20; 193(4):685-92. PMID: 3112411

Akey CW, Edelstein SJ. The innermost chorionic layer of Drosophila. I. The role of chorin octamers in the formation of a family of interdigitating crystalline plates. J Mol Biol. 1987 Feb 20; 193(4):673-83. PMID: 3112410

Akey CW, Dunn SD, Spitsberg V, Edelstein SJ. Electron microscopy of single molecules and crystals of F1-ATPases. Methods Enzymol. 1986; 126:434-46. PMID: 2908457

Akey CW, Szalay M, Edelstein SJ. Trigonal catalase crystals: a new molecular packing assignment obtained from sections preserved with tannic acid. Ultramicroscopy. 1984; 13(1-2):103-11. PMID: 6474594

Akey CW, Spitsberg V, Edelstein SJ. Electron microscopy of beef heart F1-ATPase crystals. J Biol Chem. 1983 Mar 10; 258(5):3222-9. PMID: 6219110

Akey CW, Edelstein SJ. Equivalence of the projected structure of thin catalase crystals preserved for electron microscopy by negative stain, glucose or embedding in the presence of tannic acid. J Mol Biol. 1983 Feb 5; 163(4):575-612. PMID: 6842587

Akey CW, Crepeau RH, Dunn SD, McCarty RE, Edelstein SJ. Electron microscopy and single molecule averaging of subunit-deficient F1-ATPases from Escherichia coli and spinach chloroplasts. EMBO J. 1983; 2(8):1409-15. PMID: 10872338; PMCID: PMC555290

Akey CW, Moffat K, Wharton DC, Edelstein SJ. Characterization of crystals of a cytochrome oxidase (nitrite reductase) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa by x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. J Mol Biol. 1980 Jan 5; 136(1):19-43. PMID: 6245219

Lykins LF, Akey CW, Christian EG, Duval GE, Topham RW. Dissociation and reconstitution of human ferroxidase II. Biochemistry. 1977 Feb 22; 16(4):693-8. PMID: 13823

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 53 publications over 31 distinct years, with a maximum of 5 publications in 2013

Bar chart showing 53 publications over 31 distinct years, with a maximum of 5 publications in 2013

Year	Publications
1980	1
1983	3
1984	1
1986	1
1987	2
1989	2
1990	1
1991	1
1993	1
1995	1
1996	1
1997	1
1998	2
1999	1
2000	2
2001	1
2002	2
2003	2
2004	3
2005	3
2007	1
2008	2
2009	1
2010	2
2011	3
2013	5
2016	2
2017	1
2018	2
2022	1
2023	1