A serpin in the cellulosome of the anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2.

A gene encoding a novel component of the cellulolytic complex (cellulosome) of the anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2 was identified. The encoded 538 amino acid protein, named celpin, consists of a signal peptide, a positively charged domain of unknown function followed by two fungal dockerins, typical for components of the extracellular fungal cellulosome.

Identification of pseudomurein cell wall binding domains.

Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus is a methanogenic Gram-positive microorganism with a cell wall consisting of pseudomurein. Currently, no information is available on extracellular pseudomurein biology and so far only two prophage pseudomurein autolysins, PeiW and PeiP, have been reported. In this paper we show that PeiW and PeiP contain two different N-terminal pseudomurein cell wall binding domains.

Protein complexes in the archaeon Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus analyzed by blue native/SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry.

Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus is a thermophilic archaeon that produces methane as the end product of its primary metabolism. The biochemistry of methane formation has been extensively studied and is catalyzed by individual enzymes and proteins that are organized in protein complexes. Although much is known of the protein complexes involved in methanogenesis, only limited information is available on the associations of proteins involved in other cell processes of M.

Physiologic and proteomic evidence for a role of nitric oxide in biofilm formation by Nitrosomonas europaea and other ammonia oxidizers.

NO, a free radical gas, is the signal for Nitrosomonas europaea cells to switch between different growth modes. At an NO concentration of more than 30 ppm, biofilm formation by N. europaea was induced.

Detection of major histocompatibility complex/human cartilage gp-39 complexes in rheumatoid arthritis synovitis as a specific and independent histologic marker.

Objective: Peptide 263-275 is the immunodominant epitope of human cartilage (HC) gp-39, a candidate autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We recently generated and characterized a monoclonal antibody (mAb) called 12A, which is directed against HLA-DR4/HC gp-39(263-275) complexes and inhibits specific T cell responses in vitro. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether presentation of the immunodominant epitope of HC gp-39 by shared epitope-positive synovial dendritic cells is a specific event in the development of chronic synovial inflammation in RA.