Publications by authors named "Whitney Amyot"

A Type 4b secretion system (T4bSS) is required for Legionella growth in alveolar macrophages. IcmQ associates with IcmR, binds to membranes, and has a critical role in the T4bSS. We have now solved a crystal structure of IcmR-IcmQ to further our understanding of this complex.

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Legionella pneumophila uses the Icm/Dot type 4B secretion system (T4BSS) to deliver translocated protein substrates to the host cell, promoting replication vacuole formation. The conformational state of the translocated substrates within the bacterial cell is unknown, so we sought to determine if folded substrates could be translocated via this system. Fusions of L.

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Legionella pneumophila promotes intracellular growth by moving bacterial proteins across membranes via the Icm/Dot system. A strategy was devised to identify large numbers of Icm/Dot translocated proteins, and the resulting pool was used to identify common motifs that operate as recognition signals. The 3' end of the sidC gene, which encodes a known translocated substrate, was replaced with DNA encoding 200 codons from the 3' end of 442 potential substrate-encoding genes.

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RGS14 is a multifunctional protein that contains an RGS domain, which binds active Gi/o alpha-GTP, a GoLoco/GPR domain, which binds inactive Gi alpha-GDP, and a tandem Rap1/2 binding domain (RBD). Studies were initiated to determine the roles of these domains and their interactions with Gi alpha on RGS14 subcellular localization. We report that RGS14 dynamic subcellular localization in HeLa cells depends on distinct domains and selective interactions with preferred Gi alpha isoforms.

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