Differential involvement of Galpha16 in CC chemokine-induced stimulation of phospholipase Cbeta, ERK, and chemotaxis.

Chemokines are known to regulate the chemotaxis of leukocytes and play an important role in immunological processes. Chemokine receptors are widely distributed in hematopoietic cells and are often co-localized with the hematopoietic-specific G(16) and its close relative, G(14). Yet, many chemokine receptors utilize pertussis toxin-sensitive G(i) proteins for signaling.

The backbone structure of the thermophilic Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis ribose binding protein is essentially identical to its mesophilic E. coli homolog.

Background: Comparison of experimentally determined mesophilic and thermophilic homologous protein structures is an important tool for understanding the mechanisms that contribute to thermal stability. Of particular interest are pairs of homologous structures that are structurally very similar, but differ significantly in thermal stability.

Results: We report the X-ray crystal structure of a Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis ribose binding protein (tteRBP) determined to 1.

Structure-based design of robust glucose biosensors using a Thermotoga maritima periplasmic glucose-binding protein.

We report the design and engineering of a robust, reagentless fluorescent glucose biosensor based on the periplasmic glucose-binding protein obtained from Thermotoga maritima (tmGBP). The gene for this protein was cloned from genomic DNA and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, the identity of its cognate sugar was confirmed, ligand binding was studied, and the structure of its glucose complex was solved to 1.7 Angstrom resolution by X-ray crystallography.

Binding and signaling of surface-immobilized reagentless fluorescent biosensors derived from periplasmic binding proteins.

Development of biosensor devices typically requires incorporation of the molecular recognition element into a solid surface for interfacing with a signal detector. One approach is to immobilize the signal transducing protein directly on a solid surface. Here we compare the effects of two direct immobilization methods on ligand binding, kinetics, and signal transduction of reagentless fluorescent biosensors based on engineered periplasmic binding proteins.

Differential chemokine activation of CC chemokine receptor 1-regulated pathways: ligand selective activation of Galpha 14-coupled pathways.

Chemokines regulate the chemotaxis, development, and differentiation of many cell types enabling the regulation of routine immunosurveillance and immunological adaptation. CC chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) is the target of 11 chemokines. This promiscuity of receptor-ligand interactions and the potential for functional redundancy has led us to investigate the selective activation of CCR1-coupled pathways by known CCR1 agonists.