STRUCTURE DETERMINATION OF ANTHROLYSIN O, CYTOLYSIN SECRETED BY ANTHRAX BACTERIA

这个子项目是众多研究子项目之一

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Anthrax bacteria (Bacillus anthracis) secrete anthrolysin O (ALO), which is a 54 kDa cholesterol dependent cytolysin (CDC) and exhibits hemolytic activity. ALO can form the oligomeric pores in cellular membranes, which can disrupt cell homeostasis and cell signaling. Recently our laboratory has shown that ALO can decrease the integrity of polarized gut epithelial cells, which may play a crucial role for gastrointestinal anthrax infection. We have already crystallized ALO and those crystals diffracted to 3.75 ¿. We were able to solve this structure at a very low resolution using molecular replacement. We propose to optimize the crystallization conditions to yield crystals that diffract to a high resolution. Success in this experiment will provide a blueprint for designing inhibitors of ALO that could aid in the treatment of anthrax infection.