Granulysin, a T Cell Product, Kills Bacteria by Altering Membrane Permeability

Granulysin, a T cell product, kills bacteria by altering membrane permeability.

Granulysin, a protein located in the acidic granules of human NK cells and cytotoxic T cells, has antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microbial pathogens. A predicted model generated from the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of a related protein, NK lysin, suggested that granulysin contains a four alpha helical bundle motif, with the alpha helices enriched for positively char...

How honey kills bacteria.

With the rise in prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, honey is increasingly valued for its antibacterial activity. To characterize all bactericidal factors in a medical-grade honey, we used a novel approach of successive neutralization of individual honey bactericidal factors. All bacteria tested, including Bacillus subtilis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectru...

Permeability of a Cell Membrane Junction

The ion permeability of the membrane junctions between Chironomus salivary gland cells is strongly depressed by treatments that are generally known to inhibit energy metabolism. These treatments include prolonged cooling at 6 degrees -8 degrees C, and exposure to dinitrophenol, cyanide, oligomycin, and N-ethylmaleimide. Intracellular injection of ATP appears to prevent depression of junctional ...

Junctional Membrane Uncoupling Permeability transformations at a cell membrane junction

The permeability of the membrane surfaces where cells are in contact (junctional membranes) in Chironomus salivary glands depends on Ca ++ and Mg++. When the concentration of these ions at the junctional membranes is raised sufficiently, these normally highly permeable membranes seal off; their permeability falls one to three orders, as they approach the nonjunctional membranes in conductance. ...

Apoptosis Initiated by Granulysin A Distinct Pathway of Cell-Mediated