The regulation and function of chimaerins, a family of "non-protein kinase C" (PKC) phorbol ester/diacylglycerol receptors with Rac-GAP activity, is largely unknown. In a search for chimaerin-interacting proteins, we isolated Tmp21-I (p23), a protein localized at the perinuclear Golgi area. Remarkably, phorbol esters translocate beta2-chimaerin to the perinuclear region and promote its associat...

We showed that IgA induces IL-10 in monocytes and dendritic cells. Because reciprocal inhibition exists between IL-10 and IL-12, we explored whether IgA could regulate this other immunoregulatory cytokine. In human monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells preincubated with IFN-γ before stimulation by LPS, suppression of p40 and IL-12p70 production was observed upon IgA treatment during IF...

Histone acetylation modification significantly affects secondary metabolism in filamentous fungi. However, how histone regulates metabolite synthesis the lovastatin (a lipid-lowering drug) producing Aspergillus terreus remains unknown because protein is involved and has been identified this species. Here, fungal-specific deacetylase gene, hstD, was characterized through functional genomics two ...

Different endophytes isolated from the seeds of Sophora flavescens were tested for their ability to produce matrine production. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the medium components for the endophytic fungus. Results indicated that endophyte Aspergillus terreus had the ability to produce matrine. The single factor tests demonstrated that potato starch was the best car...

The present study was conducted to observe the genotoxic effect of latex of Calotropis procera. Dense conidial suspensions of Aspergillus terreus Thorn were treated with different concentrations of Calotropis latex and assayed for percentage survival, auxotrophic mutants, DNA and total protein contents and further subjected to RAPD and SDS-PAGE tests. It was found that latex of Calotropis proce...

Recent methods in DNA nanotechnology are enabling the creation of intricate nanostructures through the use of programmable, bottom-up self-assembly. However, structures consisting only of DNA are limited in their ability to act on other biomolecules. Proteins, on the other hand, perform a variety of functions on biological materials, but directed control of the self-assembly process remains a c...

The production of biomass and lovastatin by spore-initiated submerged fermentations of Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542 was shown to depend on the age of the spores used for inoculation. Cultures started from older spores produced significantly higher titers of lovastatin. For example, the lovastatin titer increased by 52% when the spore age at inoculation rose from 9 to 16 days. The lovastatin t...