Mammalian Retromer Is an Adaptable Scaffold for Cargo Sorting from Endosomes

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CCDC61/VFL3 Is a Paralog of SAS6 and Promotes Ciliary Functions

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An Oscillating MinD Protein Determines the Cellular Positioning of the Motility Machinery in Archaea

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Triggering Closure of a Sialic Acid TRAP Transporter Substrate Binding Protein through Binding of Natural or Artificial Substrates

The pathogens Vibrio cholerae and Haemophilus influenzae use tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters (TRAPs) to scavenge sialic acid from host tissues. They use it as a nutrient or to evade the innate immune system by sialylating surface lipopolysaccharides. An essential component of TRAP transporters is a periplasmic substrate binding protein (SBP). Without substrate, the SBP has been proposed to rest in an open-state, which is not recognised by the transporter. Substrate binding induces a conformational change of the SBP and it is thought that this closed state is recognised by the transporter, triggering substrate translocation. Here we use real time single molecule FRET experiments and crystallography to investigate the open- to closed-state transition of VcSiaP, the SBP of the sialic acid TRAP transporter from V. cholerae. We show that the conformational switching of VcSiaP is strictly substrate induced, confirming an important aspect of the proposed transport mechanism. Two new crystal structures of VcSiaP provide insights into the closing mechanism. While the first structure contains the natural ligand, sialic acid, the second structure contains an artificial peptide in the sialic acid binding site. Together, the two structures suggest that the ligand itself stabilises the closed state and that SBP closure is triggered by physically bridging the gap between the two lobes of the SBP. Finally, we demonstrate that the affinity for the artificial peptide substrate can be substantially increased by varying its amino acid sequence and by this, serve as a starting point for the development of peptide-based inhibitors of TRAP transporters.     

Structural basis for IL-12 and IL-23 receptor sharing reveals a gateway for shaping actions on T versus NK cells

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Algorithm of Regulatory Signal Recognition in DNA Sequences

An algorithm is proposed for extracting regulatory signals from DNA sequences. The algorithm complexity is nearly quadratic. The results of testing the algorithm on artificial and natural sequences are presented.     

DNA Sequences from Formalin-Fixed Nematodes: Integrating Molecular and Morphological Approaches to Taxonomy

To effectively integrate DNA sequence analysis and classical nematode taxonomy, we must be able to obtain DNA sequences from formalin-fixed specimens. Microdissected sections of nematodes were removed from specimens fixed in formalin, using standard protocols and without destroying morphological features. The fixed sections provided sufficient template for multiple polymerase chain reaction-based DNA sequence analyses.     

Suppression of Embryogenesis and Hatching in Meloidogyne javanica by Thermal Stress

Embryogenes is and hatching of eggs of Meloidogyne javanica were suppressed by brief heat treatment (46 C for 10 min). The period of suppression or arrested development differs according to the stage of development of the nematode when heat treatment is applied. The effect on hatching is much more pronounced than on embryogenesis.