We previously expressed VbhTA constructs for lysate AMPylation assays from the pRSFDuet-1 backbone, a plasmid with two multiple cloning sites that each enable the expression of constructs from a PT7 promoter. Our constructs encoded either the VbhT toxin alone (with an N-terminal hexahistidine (His6-)tag) to be expressed from the first multiple cloning site or had additionally the VbhA antitoxin...

In the presence of a low pH environment, the channel-forming T domain of diphtheria toxin undergoes a conformational change that allows for both its own insertion into planar lipid bilayers and the translocation of the toxin's catalytic domain across them. Given that the T domain contributes only three transmembrane segments, and the channel is permeable to ions as large as glucosamine(+) and N...

Mussel adhesive proteins, including the 20-plus variants of foot protein type 3 (fp-3), have been suggested as potential environmentally friendly adhesives for use in aqueous conditions and in medicine. Here we report the novel production of a recombinant Mytilus galloprovincialis foot protein type 3 variant A (Mgfp-3A) fused with a hexahistidine affinity ligand in Escherichia coli and its appr...

There is a particular need in protein analysis and purification for specific, functional, and generic methods of protein immobilization on solid supports. Here we describe a double-hexahistidine (His6) tag sequence, comprising two hexahistidines separated by an 11-amino acid spacer, which shows at least 1 order of magnitude stronger binding to Ni-NTA-modified surfaces than a conventional single...

Moral psychology research has highlighted several factors critical for evaluating the morality of another's choice, including the detection of norm-violating outcomes, the extent to which an agent caused an outcome, and the extent to which the agent intended good or bad consequences, as inferred from observing their decisions. However, person-centered accounts of moral judgment suggest that a m...

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type II transmembrane protein, which is anchored in the cell membrane of prostate epithelial cells. It is highly expressed on prostate epithelial cells and strongly up-regulated in prostate cancer. Although, 177Lu-PSMA has been recently introduced for radionuclide therapy of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with co...

which Ronald Dworkin published three decades ago. Though that earlier volume bore a catchier title, Justice in Robes is otherwise similar in being a collection of very loosely related essays on sundry topics in legal, political, and moral philosophy. Both books display Dworkin’s truculent hostility toward legal positivism and his more polite opposition to value-pluralism (namely, the notion tha...

Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire's disease, uses its type IV secretion system to translocate over 300 effector proteins into host cells. These effectors subvert host cell signaling pathways to ensure bacterial proliferation. Despite their importance for pathogenesis, the roles of most of the effectors are yet to be characterized. Key to understanding the function of ef...

Acidobacterium capsulatum is an acid-tolerant, encapsulated, Gram-negative member of the ubiquitous, but poorly understood Acidobacteria phylum. Little is known about the genetics and regulatory mechanisms of A. capsulatum. To begin to address this gap, we identified the gene encoding the A. capsulatum major sigma factor, rpoD, which encodes a 597-amino acid protein with a predicted sequence hi...