Publications by authors named "J Velilla"
Bacteria protect themselves from the toxicity of antimicrobial metabolites they produce through several strategies. In one resistance mechanism, bacteria assemble a non-toxic precursor on an N-acyl-d-asparagine prodrug motif in the cytoplasm, then export it to the periplasm where a dedicated d-amino peptidase hydrolyzes the prodrug motif. These prodrug-activating peptidases contain an N-terminal periplasmic S12 hydrolase domain and C-terminal transmembrane domains (TMDs) of varying lengths: type I peptidases contain three transmembrane helices, and type II peptidases have an additional C-terminal ABC half-transporter.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has confined millions in their homes, an unprecedented opportunity to spend more time together with family members. This paper explores subjective well-being in the uses of time for US and UK workers, differentiating between solo activities and activities done with family members, at home and outside the home. Using American and British time use surveys, we compute the instant utility associated with paid work, unpaid work, leisure, and childcare activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Colibactin, a compound linked to colorectal cancer, is produced by gut bacteria and is activated from a non-toxic precursor when exported to the periplasm of the bacteria.
- The activation process involves the enzyme ClbP, which has specific regions that play a role in both enzyme stability and substrate binding.
- Structural studies suggest that ClbP dimerizes to effectively bind and activate the precursor colibactin, allowing for coordinated action on its harmful components.
The human gut bacterial genotoxin colibactin is a possible key driver of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Understanding colibactin's biological effects remains difficult owing to the instability of the proposed active species and the complexity of the gut microbiota. Here, we report small molecule boronic acid inhibitors of colibactin biosynthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: COVID-19 outcomes in population with systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) remain poorly understood. The aim was to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with COVID-19 infection in people with rheumatic disease.
Methods: Two phases cross-sectional survey of individuals with rheumatic disease in April 2020 and October 2020.