The structural basis for the photochromism in the fluorescent protein Dronpa is poorly understood, because the crystal structures of the bright state of the protein did not provide an answer to the mechanism of the photochromism, and structural determination of the dark state has been elusive. We performed NMR analyses of Dronpa in solution at ambient temperatures to find structural flexibility of the protein in the dark state. Light-induced changes in interactions between the chromophore and ␤-barrel are responsible for switching between the two states. In the bright state, the apex of the chromophore tethers to the barrel by a hydrogen bond, and an imidazole ring protruding from the barrel stabilizes the plane of the chromophore. These interactions are disrupted by strong illumination with blue light, and the chromophore, together with a part of the ␤-barrel, becomes flexible, leading to a nonradiative decay process.crystal structure ͉ NMR ͉ photochromism

Recent articles have reported an association between fatty liver disease and systemic insulin resistance in humans, but the causal relationship remains unclear. The liver may contribute to muscle insulin resistance by releasing secretory proteins called hepatokines. Here we demonstrate that leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), an energy-sensing hepatokine, is a link between obesity and skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Circulating LECT2 positively correlated with the severity of both obesity and insulin resistance in humans. LECT2 expression was negatively regulated by starvation-sensing kinase adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in H4IIEC hepatocytes. Genetic deletion of LECT2 in mice increased insulin sensitivity in the skeletal muscle. Treatment with recombinant LECT2 protein impaired insulin signaling via phosphorylation of Jun NH2-terminal kinase in C2C12 myocytes. These results demonstrate the involvement of LECT2 in glucose metabolism and suggest that LECT2 may be a therapeutic target for obesity-associated insulin resistance.

In order to reveal structure-reactivity relationships for the high catalytic activity of the epoxidation catalyst Mn(salen), transient intermediates are investigated. Steric hindrance incorporated to the salen ligand enables highly selective generation of three related intermediates, OMnIV(salen), HO-Mn IV(salen), and H2O-MnIII(salen (+*)), each of which is thoroughly characterized using various spectroscopic techniques including UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance, resonance Raman, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, 2H NMR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These intermediates are all one-electron oxidized from the starting MnIII(salen) precursor but differ only in the degree of protonation. However, structural and electronic features are strikingly different: The Mn-O bond length of HO-MnIV(salen) (1.83 A) is considerably longer than that of OMnIV(salen) (1.58 A); the electronic configuration of H2O-MnIII(salen (+*)) is MnIII-phenoxyl radical, while those of OMnIV(salen) and HO-MnIV(salen) are MnIV-phenolate. Among OMnIV(salen), HO-MnIV(salen), and H2O-MnIII(salen (+*)), only the OMnIV(salen) can transfer oxygen to phosphine and sulfide substrates, as well as abstract hydrogen from weak C-H bonds, although the oxidizing power is not enough to epoxidize olefins. The high activity of Mn(salen) is a direct consequence of the favored formation of the reactive OMnIV(salen) state.