Publications by authors named "Ronald J Jenkins"
Article Synopsis
- Francisella tularensis is a bacterium that can infect various species, including humans, and relies on the protein RipA for growth inside host cells.
- Researchers identified mutations in lpxA and glmU that restored the growth of a ∆ripA strain, with each mutation affecting lipid A synthesis, suggesting a link to RipA's function.
- The findings indicate that RipA modulates the stability and abundance of the LpxA protein, which is crucial for initiating lipid A synthesis and helps the bacterium adapt to host environments.
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase (LpxA) and UDP-3-O-(acyl)-glucosamine acyltransferase (LpxD) constitute the essential, early acyltransferases of lipid A biosynthesis. Recently, an antimicrobial peptide inhibitor, RJPXD33, was identified with dual affinity for LpxA and LpxD. To gain a fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of inhibitor binding, we determined the crystal structure of LpxA from Escherichia coli in complex with RJPXD33 at 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxyacyl)GlcN N-acyltransferase (LpxD) has been shown to be essential to survival of lipid A producing Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, LpxD-binding peptides 12 amino acids in length were identified from a phage-bound random peptide library screen. Three peptides displayed antibacterial activity when expressed intracellularly, one of which (RJPXD33) represented 15% of the total hits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The enzymes LpxA and LpxD are critical for lipid A biosynthesis in gram-negative bacteria and are promising targets for new antimicrobial treatments.
- They function by transferring fatty acid components to a UDP-glucosamine core, which is crucial for lipopolysaccharide formation.
- The researchers developed a novel, nonradioactive assay using a fluorescent reagent, ThioGlo, to monitor the activity of these enzymes continuously.
Article Synopsis
- This study introduces a new technique called gradient elution isotachophoresis (GEITP) that improves the sensitivity of measurements by using a standard ultraviolet absorbance detector, making it accessible and versatile.
- Various factors affecting enrichment, such as electrolyte concentration and electric field strength, were tested, leading to optimized conditions for separating the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine.
- The method achieved very low detection limits for the amino acids, with enhanced sensitivity and quick analysis times, demonstrating its potential for biochemical monitoring in complex samples like artificial cerebrospinal fluid.