The HMWP2 subunit of yersiniabactin (Ybt) synthetase, a 230 kDa nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) making the N-terminus of the Ybt siderophore of Yersinia pestis, has one cysteine-specific adenylation (A) domain, three carrier protein domains (ArCP, PCP1, PCP2), and two heterocyclization domains (Cy1, Cy2). The A domain loads the two PCP domains with cysteines that get heterocyclized by th...

Knowing the configuration of the nuclear pore is essential for appreciating the underlying mechanisms of nucleo-cytoplasmic communication. Now, Fernandez-Martinez et al. present a high-resolution structure of the cytoplasmic nuclear pore-mRNA export holo-complex, challenging our textbook depiction of this massive membrane-embedded complex.

The anaerobic binding of Fe 2+ to apo and holo Mammalian ferritin has been studied in the pH range from 6.0 to 10.0. Mossbauer spectroscopy of samples in which the added Fe 2+ is enriched in Fe-57 shows that the Fe 2+ ions bind to the ferritin core and exchange electrons with Fe 3+ ions in the core.

Derivatization of a 5'-(vinylsulfonylaminodeoxy)adenosine scaffold with a clickable functionality provided an activity-based probe that was used to label native carrier protein (CP) motifs in nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). When coupled with a fluorescent tag, this probe selectively targeted phosphopantetheinylated CPs (holo-form) from recombinant NRPS enzyme systems and in whole prot...

We propose a new version of holographic principle. This proposal extends the holo-graphic principle based on the lightsheet to the one constraining the entropy passing through bulk hypersurface of timelike geodesics by the boundary area divided by 4G. We give a proof of the proposal in the classical regime based on a simple local entropy condition.

The analysis of metal-binding proteins requires careful sample manipulation to ensure that the metal-protein complex remains in its native state and the metal retention is preserved during sample preparation or analysis. Chemical analysis for the metal content in proteins typically involves some type of liquid chromatography/electrophoresis separation step coupled with an atomic (i.e., inductiv...

The bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) is a potent cytotoxin, specific for Gram-negative bacteria, that also inhibits endotoxin activity by neutralizing isolated bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). We have previously shown that an isolated 25 kD N-terminal fragment of human BPI carries all the antibacterial activities of the parent 55-60 kD...

The Ndc80 complex is a conserved outer kinetochore protein complex consisting of Ndc80 (Hec1), Nuf2, Spc24 and Spc25. This complex comprises a major, if not the sole, platform with which the plus ends of the spindle microtubules directly interact. In fission yeast, several studies indicate that multiple microtubule-associated proteins including the Dis1/chTOG microtubule polymerase and the Mal3...

A key step in fungal biosynthesis of lysine, enzymatic reduction of alpha-aminoadipate at C6 to the semialdehyde, requires two gene products in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lys2 and Lys5. Here, we show that the 31-kDa Lys5 is a specific posttranslational modification catalyst, using coenzyme A (CoASH) as a cosubstrate to phosphopantetheinylate Ser880 of the 155-kDa Lys2 and activate it for catalys...