Mutational interference with oligomerization properties of OCP-related apo- and holoproteins studied by analytical ultracentrifugation.

In this study, the oligomerization pattern of apo- and holoforms of the Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) was examined under different conditions such as photoactivation state, concentration, and carotenoid embedment using analytical ultracentrifugation. Furthermore, studies were conducted on OCP constructs carrying point mutations of amino acid residues affecting OCP oligomerization. Our findings reveal that the concentration-dependent dimerization of dark-adapted OCP holoprotein from Synechocystis sp.

Structural analysis of PLD3 reveals insights into the mechanism of lysosomal 5' exonuclease-mediated nucleic acid degradation.

The phospholipase D (PLD) family is comprised of enzymes bearing phospholipase activity towards lipids or endo- and exonuclease activity towards nucleic acids. PLD3 is synthesized as a type II transmembrane protein and proteolytically cleaved in lysosomes, yielding a soluble active form. The deficiency of PLD3 leads to the slowed degradation of nucleic acids in lysosomes and chronic activation of nucleic acid-specific intracellular toll-like receptors.

TapA acts as specific chaperone in TasA filament formation by strand complementation.

Studying mechanisms of bacterial biofilm generation is of vital importance to understanding bacterial cell-cell communication, multicellular cohabitation principles, and the higher resilience of microorganisms in a biofilm against antibiotics. Biofilms of the nonpathogenic, gram-positive soil bacterium serve as a model system with biotechnological potential toward plant protection. Its major extracellular matrix protein components are TasA and TapA.

Crystal structure of Q4D6Q6, a conserved kinetoplastid-specific protein from Trypanosoma cruzi.

Complete genome sequencing of the kinetoplastid protozoans Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major (Tritryp), published in 2005, opened up new perspectives for drug development targeting Chagas disease, African sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis, neglected diseases affecting millions of most economically disadvantaged people. Still, half of the Tritryp genes code for proteins of unknown function. Moreover, almost 50% of conserved eukaryotic protein domains are missing in the Tritryp genomes.

Race and Asthma Outcomes in Older Adults: Results from the National Asthma Survey.

Background: The number of older adults with asthma continues to rise, yet the effects of race and ethnicity on asthma outcomes in this population are unknown.

Objective: To characterize the effect of race and ethnicity on asthma outcomes in a large national sample of older adults and to identify factors that are associated with disparities found.

Methods: Data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey and Asthma Call-Back Survey were analyzed.