Publications by authors named "R A Aldape"

Topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase are related bacterial type II topoisomerases that utilize the free energy from ATP hydrolysis to catalyze topological changes in the bacterial genome. The essential function of DNA gyrase is the introduction of negative DNA supercoils into the genome, whereas the essential function of topoisomerase IV is to decatenate daughter chromosomes following replication. Here, we report the crystal structures of a 43-kDa N-terminal fragment of Escherichia coli topoisomerase IV ParE subunit complexed with adenylyl-imidodiphosphate at 2.

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The immunophilin FKBP12 is one of the most abundant and conserved proteins in biology. It is the primary receptor for the immunosuppressant actions of the drug FK506 in whose presence FKBP12 binds to and inhibits calcineurin, disrupting interleukin formation in lymphocytes. The physiologic functions of FKBP12 are less clear, although the protein has been demonstrated to physiologically interact with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), the ryanodine receptor, and the type 1 transforming growth factor beta receptor.

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The 12 kDa FK506-binding protein FKBP12 is a cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase that binds the macrolides FK506 and rapamycin. We have examined the role of the binding pocket residues of FKBP12 in protein-ligand interactions by making conservative substitutions of 12 of these residues by site-directed mutagenesis. For each mutant FKBP12, we measured the affinity for FK506 and rapamycin and the catalytic efficiency in the cis-frans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase reaction.

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The 12- and 13-kDa FK506 binding proteins (FKBP12 and FKBP13) are cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerases that bind the macrolides FK506 (Tacrolimus) and rapamycin (Sirolimus). The FKBP12.FK506 complex is immunosuppressive, acting as an inhibitor of the protein phosphatase calcineurin.

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The proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is an early biochemical event, which occurs during apoptosis. A recent study suggested that PARP cleavage can be mediated by a novel cytosolic protease (prICE) that resembles interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE), but cannot be mediated by ICE itself (Lazebnik, Y.A.

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