Nearly identical mixed-function supraoperons (defined as nested transcriptional units encoding gene products that function in more than one biochemical pathway) have been found recently in Pseudomonas stutzeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Pseudomonas serC(pdxF)-aroQp.pheA-hisHb-tyrAc-aroF+ ++-cmk-rpsA supraoperon encodes 3-phosphoserine aminotransferase, a bidomain chorismate mutase/prephena...

A crucial step in the arenavirus life cycle is the biosynthesis of the viral envelope glycoprotein (GP) responsible for virus attachment and entry. Processing of the GP precursor (GPC) by the cellular proprotein convertase site 1 protease (S1P), also known as subtilisin-kexin-isozyme 1 (SKI-1), is crucial for cell-to-cell propagation of infection and production of infectious virus. Here, we sou...

We have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2), a ginseng saponin with a dammarane skeleton, induces apoptosis of human hepatoma SK-HEP-1 cells as evidenced by analyses of DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry and changes in cell morphology. Ac-YVAD-CMK or Ac-DEVD-CHO effectively prevented G-Rh2-induced DNA fragmentation, indicating the involvement of caspase-like proteases in the process of apo...

We recently reported that P2X7 receptor (P2X7R)-induced activation of caspase-1 inflammasomes is accompanied by release of MHC class II (MHC-II) protein into extracellular compartments during brief stimulation of murine macrophages with ATP. Here we demonstrate that MHC-II containing membranes released from macrophages or dendritic cells (DCs) in response to P2X7R stimulation comprise two pools...

In this study, Boron carbide was synthesized using Mesoporous Carbon CMK-1, Boron oxide, and magnesiothermic reduction process. The Effects of temperature and magnesium grain size on the formation of boron carbide were studied using nano composite precurser containg mesoporous carbon. Samples were leached in 2M Hydrochloric acid to separate Mg, MgO and magnesium-borat phases. SEM, XRD and Xray ...