The diamagnetic susceptibility of the tubulin dimer.

An approximate value of the diamagnetic anisotropy of the tubulin dimer, Δχ dimer, has been determined assuming axial symmetry and that only the α -helices and β -sheets contribute to the anisotropy. Two approaches have been utilized: (a) using the value for the Δχ α for an α -helical peptide bond given by Pauling (1979) and (b) using the previously determined anisotropy of fibrinogen as a calibration standard. The Δχ dimer ≈ 4 × 10(-27) JT(-2) obtained from these measurements are similar to within 20%.

Cpl-7, a lysozyme encoded by a pneumococcal bacteriophage with a novel cell wall-binding motif.

Bacteriophage endolysins include a group of new antibacterials reluctant to development of resistance. We present here the first structural study of the Cpl-7 endolysin, encoded by pneumococcal bacteriophage Cp-7. It contains an N-terminal catalytic module (CM) belonging to the GH25 family of glycosyl hydrolases and a C-terminal region encompassing three identical repeats of 42 amino acids (CW_7 repeats).

Science experiments via telepresence at a synchrotron radiation source facility.

Station 9.8 is one of the most oversubscribed and high-throughput stations at the Synchrotron Radiation Source, Daresbury, whereby awarded experimental time is limited, data collections last normally no longer than an hour, user changeover is normally every 24 h, and familiarity with the station systems can be low. Therefore time lost owing to technical failures on the station has a dramatic impact on productivity.

Insights into molecular plasticity of choline binding proteins (pneumococcal surface proteins) by SAXS.

Phosphocholine moieties decorating the pneumococcal surface are used as a docking station for a family of modular proteins, the so-called choline binding proteins or CBPs. Choline recognition is essential for CBPs function and may also be a determinant for their quaternary structure. There is little knowledge about modular arrangement or oligomeric structures in this family.

The new materials processing beamline at the SRS Daresbury, MPW6.2.

A new beamline (MPW6.2) has been designed and built for the study of materials during processing where three synchrotron techniques, SAXS, WAXS and XAS, are available simultaneously. It has been demonstrated that Rietveld refinable data can be collected from silicon SRM 640b over a 60 degrees range in a time scale of 1 s.