Abstract

Anthrax toxin is being used as a model system for the insertion of water-soluble protein toxins into membranes. Anthrax protective antigen (PA) requires proteolytic activation and acidic pH for insertion into the endosomal membrane of target cells. Using both conventional EM and the STEM, the active form of PA in solution was shown to be heptameric rings. A second component of the toxin, lethal factor (LF), appears to interact with the activated PA rings. Current studies are exploring whether the binding of LF is only on the outside of the ring structures or is also within the pore. Recent work has been looking at rearrangements in the fine structural details of PA as a function of pH.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Biotechnology Resource Grants (P41)
Project #
5P41RR001777-13
Application #
5223587
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
1996
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Publications

Hind, Geoffrey; Wall, Joseph S; Várkonyi, Zsuzsanna et al. (2014) Membrane crystals of plant light-harvesting complex II disassemble reversibly in light. Plant Cell Physiol 55:1296-303
Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian; Johnson, Amy et al. (2010) Exploring factors that underlie racial/ethnic disparities in HIV risk among young men who have sex with men. J Urban Health 87:318-323
Joshi, V N; Mitra, D; England, M D et al. (2010) Large Covalently Linked Fluorescent and Gold Nanoparticle Immunoprobes. Microsc Microanal 16:966-967
Ackerson, Christopher J; Powell, Richard D; Hainfeld, James F (2010) Site-specific biomolecule labeling with gold clusters. Methods Enzymol 481:195-230
Hu, Minghui; Qian, Luping; Brinas, Raymond P et al. (2008) Gold nanoparticle-protein arrays improve resolution for cryo-electron microscopy. J Struct Biol 161:83-91
Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian; Donenberg, Geri (2008) Parents know and parents matter;is it time to develop family-based HIV prevention programs for young men who have sex with men? J Adolesc Health 43:201-4
Brinas, Raymond P; Hu, Minghui; Qian, Luping et al. (2008) Gold nanoparticle size controlled by polymeric Au(I) thiolate precursor size. J Am Chem Soc 130:975-82
Hu, Minghui; Zhang, Yian-Biao; Qian, Luping et al. (2008) Three-dimensional structure of human chromatin accessibility complex hCHRAC by electron microscopy. J Struct Biol 164:263-9
Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian S; McKirnan, David J et al. (2007) Methamphetamine and young men who have sex with men: understanding patterns and correlates of use and the association with HIV-related sexual risk. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 161:591-6
Mustanski, Brian; Garofalo, Robert; Herrick, Amy et al. (2007) Psychosocial health problems increase risk for HIV among urban young men who have sex with men: preliminary evidence of a syndemic in need of attention. Ann Behav Med 34:37-45

Showing the most recent 10 out of 101 publications