Bond PJ
A Thermodynamic Funnel Drives Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide Transfer in the TLR4 Pathway
The Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane contains lipopolysaccharide, which potently stimulates the mammalian innate immune response. This involves a relay of specialized complexes culminating in transfer of lipopolysaccharide from CD14 to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its co-receptor MD-2 on the cell surface, leading to activation of downstream inflammatory responses. In this study we develop computational models to trace the TLR4 cascade in near-atomic detail.
ReadEvidence that TLR4 Is Not a Receptor for Saturated Fatty Acids but Mediates Lipid-Induced Inflammation by Reprogramming Macrophage Metabolism.
Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and is linked to the development of numerous diseases. The activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by long-chain saturated fatty acids (lcSFAs) is an important process in understanding how obesity initiates inflammation.
ReadAn Optical Technique for Mapping Microviscosity Dynamics in Cellular Organelles
Microscopic viscosity (microviscosity) is a key determinant of diffusion in the cell and defines the rate of biological processes occurring at the nanoscale, including enzyme-driven metabolism and protein folding. Here we establish a rotor-based organelle viscosity imaging (ROVI) methodology that enables real-time quantitative mapping of cell microviscosity.
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