Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains possess functional cellulases.

The genomes of various Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains encode proteins that do not appear to play a role in the growth or survival of the bacterium in its mammalian host, including some implicated in plant cell wall breakdown. Here we show that M. tuberculosis H37Rv does indeed possess a functional cellulase.

Reactivation of the totally inactive pancreatic lipase RP1 by structure-predicted point mutations.

Both classical pancreatic lipase (DPL) and pancreatic lipase-related protein 1 (DPLRP1) have been found to be secreted by dog exocrine pancreas. These two proteins were purified to homogeneity from canine pancreatic juice and no significant catalytic activity was observed with dog PLRP1 on any of the substrates tested: di- and tri-glycerides, phospholipids, etc. DPLRP1 was crystallized and its structure solved by molecular replacement and refined at a resolution of 2.

An inactive pancreatic lipase-related protein is activated into a triglyceride-lipase by mutagenesis based on the 3-D structure.

Both classical dog pancreatic lipase (DPL) and dog pancreatic lipase-related protein 1 (DPLRP1) have been found to be secreted by the exocrine pancreas. These two proteins were purified to homogeneity from canine pancreatic juice and no significant catalytic activity was observed with DPLRP1 on any of the substrates tested: di- and tri-glycerides; phospholipids (PC); etc. DPLRP1 was crystallized and its structure solved by molecular replacement and refined at a resolution of 2.