Sensing of remote oxyanion binding at the DNA binding domain of the molybdate-dependent transcriptional regulator, ModE.

The molybdate-dependent transcriptional regulator ModE of Escherichia coli displays a large (50%) quenching of its intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence on binding molybdate. The changes in fluorescence have been exploited to analyse the binding of molybdate to ModE. Utilising site-directed mutagenesis, a series of phenylalanine substitutions for the three tryptophans of ModE (Trp49, Trp131 and Trp186) have been constructed, to yield three mono-Trp-containing derivatives.

High-resolution crystal structure of Trypanosoma brucei UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase: a potential target for structure-based development of novel trypanocides.

The crystal structure of UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase from the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei in complex with the cofactor NAD(+) and a fragment of the substrates, UDP, has been determined at 2.0 A resolution (1 A = 0.1 nm).