The ability to translocate virulence proteins into host cells through a type III secretion apparatus (TTSS) is a hallmark of several Gram-negative pathogens including Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, Pseudomonas, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. In common with other types of bacterial secretion apparatus, the assembly of the TTSS complex requires the preceding formation of its integral out...

Bioinformatics is yielding extensive, and in some cases complete, genetic and biochemical information about individual cell types and cellular processes, providing the composition of living cells and the molecular structure of its components. These components together perform integrated cellular functions that now need to be analyzed. In particular, the functional definition of biochemical path...

Bacterial "maintenance of genome stability protein A" (MgsA) and related eukaryotic enzymes play important roles in cellular responses to stalled DNA replication processes. Sequence information identifies MgsA enzymes as members of the clamp loader clade of AAA+ proteins, but structural information defining the family has been limited. Here, the x-ray crystal structure of Escherichia coli MgsA ...

The structure of the iron-binding glycoprotein lactoferrin, present in milk and other exocrine secretions, has been elucidated in great detail, both the three-dimensional protein structure and the attached N-glycans. Structure-function relationships are being established. From these studies a function for lactoferrin in host defence and modulation of iron metabolism emerges. This paper describe...

the reflectance spectrum of green leaves is considerably affected by their biochemical and biophysical properties. it is possible to extract biochemical information from a continuous vegetation spectrum produced using hyperspectral sensors. the numerous absorption features present in the vegetation spectrum carry a considerable amount of information related to the content and the structure of t...

From the ‡Department of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, the §Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, and the Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Tokyo Institute of Psychi...

The secretory peptides luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, enkephalin, angiotensin, and oxytocin are biochemical antioxidants in aqueous medium. These hormones scavenge free peroxyl radicals, prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, and inhibit lipid peroxidation in brain membranes. Their capacity to directly suppress free radical-mediated reactions is demonstrated by electron-spin ...