Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Elements against Exotoxin A Using a Novel Decoy-SELEX Method and Sensitive Detection of Exotoxin A in Human Serum.

Exotoxin A is one of the virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that can cause infections resulting in adverse health outcomes and increased burden to health care systems. Current methods of diagnosing P. aeruginosa infections are time consuming and can require significant preparation of patient samples.

In vitro selection of single-stranded DNA molecular recognition elements against S. aureus alpha toxin and sensitive detection in human serum.

Alpha toxin is one of the major virulence factors secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is responsible for a wide variety of infections in both community and hospital settings. Due to the prevalence of S. aureus related infections and the emergence of methicillin-resistant S.

Mediator requirement downstream of chromatin remodeling during transcriptional activation of CHA1 in yeast.

Mediator complex is essential for transcription by RNA polymerase II in eukaryotes. Although chromatin remodeling is an integral part of transcriptional activation at many promoters, whether Mediator is required for this function has not been determined. Here we have used the yeast CHA1 gene to study the role of Mediator in chromatin remodeling and recruitment of the transcription machinery.

Sir2 blocks extreme life-span extension.

Sir2 is a conserved deacetylase that modulates life span in yeast, worms, and flies and stress response in mammals. In yeast, Sir2 is required for maintaining replicative life span, and increasing Sir2 dosage can delay replicative aging. We address the role of Sir2 in regulating chronological life span in yeast.

Superoxide is a mediator of an altruistic aging program in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Aging is believed to be a nonadaptive process that escapes the force of natural selection. Here, we challenge this dogma by showing that yeast laboratory strains and strains isolated from grapes undergo an age- and pH-dependent death with features of mammalian programmed cell death (apoptosis). After 90-99% of the population dies, a small mutant subpopulation uses the nutrients released by dead cells to grow.