Low copy number proteins within macromolecular complexes, such as viruses, can be critical to biological function while comprising a minimal mass fraction of the complex. The Bacillus subtilis double-stranded DNA bacteriophage phi 29 gene 13 product (gp13), previously undetected in the virion, was identified and localized to the distal tip of the tail knob. Western blots and immuno-electron microscopy detected a few copies of gp13 in phi 29, DNA-free particles, purified tails, and defective particles produced in suppressor-sensitive (sus) mutant sus13(330) infections. Particles assembled in the absence of intact gp13 (sus13(342) and sus13(330)) had the gross morphology of phi 29 but were not infectious. gp13 has predicted structural homology and sequence similarity to the M23 metalloprotease LytM. Poised at the tip of the phi 29 tail knob, gp13 may serve as a plug to help restrain the highly pressurized packaged genome. Also, in this position, gp13 may be the first virion protein to contact the cell wall in infection, acting as a pilot protein to depolymerize the cell wall. gp13 may facilitate juxtaposition of the tail knob onto the cytoplasmic membrane and the triggering of genome injection.
Two phages belonging to phage cluster AK were isolated from soil samples collected in Newburgh, NY in 2021. Both are lytic with a genome organization typical of siphoviruses except for two genes encoding minor tail proteins with pyocin-knob domains found early in the genome, before the terminase gene.
Introduction: The therapeutic potential of bispecific antibodies is becoming widely recognised, with over a hundred formats already described. For many applications, enhanced tissue penetration is sought, so bispecifics with low molecular weight may offer a route to enhanced potency. Here we report the design of bi- and tri-specific antibody-based constructs with molecular weights as low as 14.
Coral dealbatus, a recent health care vegetable in China, functions as both a food and medicine, leading to a surge in its cultivation and market demand.
In August 2022, significant cultivation issues were noted in Dali county, including stunted growth and yellowing leaves, alongside root galls and the presence of nematodes.
Detailed morphological observations of the nematodes included specific measurements and characteristics of the females, males, and second-stage juveniles, which are crucial for understanding the plant's health issues.
The study investigates how the injection machinery and receptor binding proteins (RBPs) of bacteriophages, specifically Alteromonas mediterranea schitovirus A5, adapt through mutations and recombination to remain effective against evolving bacterial hosts.
It highlights that A5 shares its unique host recognition module with other seemingly unrelated phages, such as Alteromonas myovirus V22, despite differing dependencies on chaperones for producing active tail fibers.
The research suggests that structural changes in these proteins may play a role in their functions and indicates that the exchange of genetic material among different phages is possibly more frequent than previously thought, revealing a complex web of viral evolution.
Black nightshade () typically grows as a weed species, but it is also widely used as an herb to treat stomach ulcers and dermal infections in many countries (Jabamalairaj et al. 2019). In April 2023, extensive root galls similar to those associated with by root-knot nematodes (RKNs), spp.
