Publications by authors named "Joerg Kahnt"
Article Synopsis
- - Bacteria use small molecules like Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) to communicate and coordinate activities based on their population density, affecting processes like biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance.
- - Research has largely focused on AI-2 production and sensing, but little is known about how it is exported; the protein TqsA from E. coli has been identified as an AI-2 exporter.
- - This study presents detailed structures of AI-2 exporters TqsA and YdiK, showing they form pentameric complexes, with evidence that TqsA interacts with AI-2 through critical helical regions, suggesting an elevator-like transport mechanism.
J Biol Chem
February 2014
Article Synopsis
- Electron bifurcation is an energy-coupling mechanism found in various organisms, recently identified in anaerobic bacteria like clostridia, acetogens, and methanogens, enhancing their energy efficiency during metabolic processes.
- The study focuses on two key enzymes, EtfAf and BcdAf, from Acidaminococcus fermentans, which facilitate the conversion of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA by coupling exergonic (energy-releasing) and endergonic (energy-requiring) reactions using NADH as a cofactor.
- The detailed structural analysis of EtfAf reveals its dual FAD components (α-FAD and β-FAD) and how
