Antibacterial protein's molecular workings revealed
Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 21:00
in Biology & Nature
Investigators report new insights to the workings of calprotectin, an immune system protein that "starves" bacterial pathogens of the metal nutrients they require. The findings, which include a detailed structural view of how calprotectin binds the metal manganese, could guide efforts to develop novel antibacterials that limit a microbe's access to metals.