Combining Rational Design and Continuous Evolution on Minimalist Proteins That Target the E-box DNA Site.

Protein-based therapeutics are part of the next-generation arsenal of drugs being developed against proto-oncoprotein Myc. We designed protein to mimic the basic region/helix-loop-helix/leucine zipper (bHLHZ) domain of Max and Myc, which bind to the E-box motif (enhancer box, CACGTG). To make , we started with our rationally designed ME47, a hybrid of the Max basic region and E47 HLH, that effectively inhibited tumor growth in a mouse model of breast cancer.

Water-stress-induced inhibition of α-tubulin gene expression during growth, and its implications for reproductive success in rice.

A drought-suppressed cDNA (RiP-3), encoding a putative α-tubulin protein was isolated from rice panicle at pollen-mother-cell meiosis stage. Analysis of its deduced amino acid sequence showed all the typical structural motifs for plant α-tubulins. The expression of α-tubulin transcripts was observed in all the reproductive organs of rice panicle, and in 5- or 15-day old seedlings, but not in mature leaves.

Elucidation of substrate specificity in Aspergillus nidulans UDP-galactose-4-epimerase.

The frequency of invasive fungal infections has rapidly increased in recent years. Current clinical treatments are experiencing decreased potency due to severe host toxicity and the emergence of fungal drug resistance. As such, new targets and their corresponding synthetic pathways need to be explored for drug development purposes.

Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of UDP-glucose-4-epimerase from Aspergillus nidulans.

UDP-glucose-4-epimerase (GALE) from Aspergillus nidulans was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified via His-tag affinity chromatography and cocrystallized with UDP-galactose using the microbatch method. The crystals diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation on the Canadian Light Source 08ID-1 beamline.

Aspergillus nidulans UDP-glucose-4-epimerase UgeA has multiple roles in wall architecture, hyphal morphogenesis, and asexual development.

Aspergillus nidulans UDP-glucose-4-epimerase UgeA interconverts UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose and participates in galactose metabolism. The sugar moiety of UDP-galactose is predominantly found as galactopyranose (Galp, the six-membered ring form), which is the substrate for UDP-galactopyranose mutase (encoded by ugmA) to generate UDP-galactofuranose (Galf, the five-membered ring form) that is found in fungal walls. In A.