Our section is investigating the structural basis of intercellular signaling via chemotaxis and the role of chemokines and defensins in the process of viral infection. We are also interested in correlating the structures of defensins and chemokines with their antimicrobial and chemotactic properties. We are also studying the enzymatic mechanism and specificity of L-asparaginases (including human), plant-type asparaginases and toxins. Although we primarily use X-ray crystallography in our studies, our research techniques extend into biochemistry and molecular biology. Our recent efforts have been concentrated in three distinct areas: 1) chemokines and chemokine receptors, 2)alpha- and beta-defensins, 3) plant-type asparaginases, and 4)potassium chanel-blocking toxins.
| Wu, Zhibin; Li, Xiangqun; Ericksen, Bryan et al. (2007) Impact of pro segments on the folding and function of human neutrophil alpha-defensins. J Mol Biol 368:537-49 |
| Zou, Guozhang; de Leeuw, Erik; Li, Chong et al. (2007) Toward understanding the cationicity of defensins. Arg and Lys versus their noncoded analogs. J Biol Chem 282:19653-65 |
| Pazgier, M; Hoover, D M; Yang, D et al. (2006) Human beta-defensins. Cell Mol Life Sci 63:1294-313 |
| Buck, Christopher B; Day, Patricia M; Thompson, Cynthia D et al. (2006) Human alpha-defensins block papillomavirus infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:1516-21 |
| Pazgier, Marzena; Lubkowski, Jacek (2006) Expression and purification of recombinant human alpha-defensins in Escherichia coli. Protein Expr Purif 49:1-8 |
| Xie, Cao; Prahl, Adam; Ericksen, Bryan et al. (2005) Reconstruction of the conserved beta-bulge in mammalian defensins using D-amino acids. J Biol Chem 280:32921-9 |
| Economopoulou, Matina; Bdeir, Khalil; Cines, Douglas B et al. (2005) Inhibition of pathologic retinal neovascularization by alpha-defensins. Blood 106:3831-8 |
| Wu, Zhibin; Cocchi, Fiorenza; Gentles, David et al. (2005) Human neutrophil alpha-defensin 4 inhibits HIV-1 infection in vitro. FEBS Lett 579:162-6 |
| Yang, De; Biragyn, Arya; Hoover, David M et al. (2004) Multiple roles of antimicrobial defensins, cathelicidins, and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin in host defense. Annu Rev Immunol 22:181-215 |
| Wu, Zhibin; Alexandratos, Jerry; Ericksen, Bryan et al. (2004) Total chemical synthesis of N-myristoylated HIV-1 matrix protein p17: structural and mechanistic implications of p17 myristoylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101:11587-92 |
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