Virulence-associated protein A from Rhodococcus equi is an intercompartmental pH-neutralising virulence factor.

Professional phagocytic cells such as macrophages are a central part of innate immune defence. They ingest microorganisms into membrane-bound compartments (phagosomes), which acidify and eventually fuse with lysosomes, exposing their contents to a microbicidal environment. Gram-positive Rhodococcus equi can cause pneumonia in young foals and in immunocompromised humans.

E-mail management of the modified Atkins Diet for adults with epilepsy is feasible and effective.

Purpose: The modified Atkins Diet (MAD) is an effective dietary treatment for children with epilepsy. However, adults may have limited access to this therapy because of lack of availability of dietitian or nutrition support or familiarity with the diet by their treating neurologist. This study was designed to investigate the tolerability and efficacy of the MAD administered solely via e-mail to adults with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

Identification of the gene encoding the activator of (R)-2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase from Acidaminococcus fermentans by gene expression in Escherichia coli.

(R)-2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase (HGDA/B) from Acidaminococcus fermentans requires an activator protein for activity. This activator (HGDC) has not yet been purified from its natural source due to its low concentration combined with an extreme sensitivity towards oxygen. Gene expression in Escherichia coli identified an open reading frame (780 bp) as the gene encoding HGDC.

2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase from Fusobacterium nucleatum (subsp. nucleatum): an iron-sulfur flavoprotein.

Anaerobically prepared cell-free extracts from Fusobacterium nucleatum contain 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase with a specific activity of 20 nkat mg-1. The enzyme was purified 24-fold to a specific activity of 480 nkat mg-1 by anion exchange chromatography, gel filtration and chromatography on Blue-Sepharose. The activity of the purified enzyme was strictly dependent on the reductant Ti(III)citrate and stimulated 25-fold by 0.