is a pathogen associated with various infection types, which often exhibits multiple antibiotic resistance. Phages, or bacterial viruses, have an ability to specifically target and destroy , offering a potential means of combatting multidrug-resistant infections. Phage enzymes are another promising therapeutic agent that can break down bacterial capsular polysaccharide, which shields from the immune response and external factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe canonical protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is an important regulator of diverse cellular signaling networks. PTP1B has long been thought to exert its influence solely from its perch on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER); however, an additional subpopulation of PTP1B has recently been detected in mitochondria extracted from rat brain tissue. Here, we show that PTP1B's mitochondrial localization is general (observed across diverse mammalian cell lines) and sensitively dependent on the transmembrane domain length, C-terminal charge and hydropathy of its short (≤35 amino acid) tail anchor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious studies have demonstrated that membrane tubule-mediated transport events in biosynthetic and endocytic routes require phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. Here, we show that cytosolic phospholipase A2ε (cPLA2ε, also known as PLA2G4E) is targeted to the membrane compartments of the clathrin-independent endocytic route through a C-terminal stretch of positively charged amino acids, which allows the enzyme to interact with phosphoinositide lipids [especially PI(4,5)P2] that are enriched in clathrin-independent endosomes. Ablation of cPLA2ε suppressed the formation of tubular elements that carry internalized clathrin-independent cargoes, such as MHC-I, CD147 and CD55, back to the cell surface and, therefore, caused their intracellular retention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSphingomyelin and cholesterol can assemble into domains and segregate from other lipids in the membranes. These domains are reported to function as platforms for protein transport and signalling. Do similar domains exist in the Golgi membranes and are they required for protein secretion? We tested this hypothesis by using D-ceramide-C6 to manipulate lipid homeostasis of the Golgi membranes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the FGD1 gene are responsible for the X-linked disorder known as faciogenital dysplasia (FGDY). FGD1 encodes a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that specifically activates the GTPase Cdc42. In turn, Cdc42 is an important regulator of membrane trafficking, although little is known about FGD1 involvement in this process.
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