Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Cysteine Desulfurase Complex SufSU.

In this work, we provide the first in vitro characterization of two essential proteins from (. ) involved in iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis: the cysteine desulfurase SufS and the sulfurtransferase SufU. Together, these proteins form the transient SufSU complex and execute the first stage of Fe-S cluster biogenesis in the SUF-like pathway in Gram-positive bacteria.

Effects of Mutations on the Aggregation Propensity of the Human Prion-Like Protein hnRNPA2B1.

Hundreds of human proteins contain prion-like domains, which are a subset of low-complexity domains with high amino acid compositional similarity to yeast prion domains. A recently characterized mutation in the prion-like domain of the human heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein hnRNPA2B1 increases the aggregation propensity of the protein and causes multisystem proteinopathy. The mutant protein forms cytoplasmic inclusions when expressed in , the mutation accelerates aggregation , and the mutant prion-like domain can substitute for a portion of a yeast prion domain in supporting prion activity.

A Hybrid DNA-Templated Gold Nanocluster For Enhanced Enzymatic Reduction of Oxygen.

We report the synthesis and characterization of a new DNA-templated gold nanocluster (AuNC) of ∼1 nm in diameter and possessing ∼7 Au atoms. When integrated with bilirubin oxidase (BOD) and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the AuNC acts as an enhancer of electron transfer (ET) and lowers the overpotential of electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) by ∼15 mV as compared to the enzyme alone. In addition, the presence of AuNC causes significant enhancements in the electrocatalytic current densities at the electrode.