@article {1422,
	title = {Identification and characterization of a NaCl-responsive genetic locus involved in survival during desiccation in Sinorhizobium meliloti.},
	journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol},
	volume = {79},
	year = {2013},
	month = {2013 Sep},
	pages = {5693-700},
	abstract = {<p>The Rhizobiaceae are a bacterial family of enormous agricultural importance due to the ability of its members to fix atmospheric nitrogen in an intimate relationship with plants. Their survival as naturally occurring soil bacteria in agricultural soils as well as popular seed inocula is affected directly by drought and salinity. Survival after desiccation in the presence of NaCl is enabled by underlying genetic mechanisms in the model organism Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021. Since salt stress parallels a loss in water activity, the identification of NaCl-responsive loci may identify loci involved in survival during desiccation. This approach enabled identification of the loci asnO and ngg by their reduced ability to grow on increased NaCl concentrations, likely due to their inability to produce the osmoprotectant N-acetylglutaminylglutamine (NAGGN). In addition, the mutant harboring ngg::Tn5luxAB was affected in its ability to survive desiccation and responded to osmotic stress. The desiccation sensitivity may have been due to secondary functions of Ngg (N-acetylglutaminylglutamine synthetase)-like cell wall metabolism as suggested by the presence of a d-alanine-d-alanine ligase (dAla-dAla) domain and by sensitivity of the mutant to \&beta;-lactam antibiotics. asnO::Tn5luxAB is expressed during the stationary phase under normal growth conditions. Amino acid sequence similarity to enzymes producing \&beta;-lactam inhibitors and increased resistance to \&beta;-lactam antibiotics may indicate that asnO is involved in the production of a \&beta;-lactam inhibitor.</p>
},
	keywords = {Desiccation, DNA Transposable Elements, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Gene Knockout Techniques, Genes, Bacterial, Genetic Loci, Microbial Viability, Mutagenesis, Insertional, Osmotic Pressure, Sinorhizobium meliloti, Sodium Chloride, Stress, Physiological},
	issn = {1098-5336},
	doi = {10.1128/AEM.01037-13},
	author = {Vriezen, Jan A C and de Bruijn, Frans J and N{\"u}sslein, Klaus}
}
@article {741,
	title = {Investigating the effect of increasing charge density on the hemolytic activity of synthetic antimicrobial polymers.},
	journal = {Biomacromolecules},
	volume = {9},
	year = {2008},
	month = {2008 Oct},
	pages = {2805-10},
	abstract = {The current study is aimed at investigating the effect of fine-tuning the cationic character of synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides (SMAMPs) on the hemolytic and antibacterial activities. A series of novel norbornene monomers that carry one, two, or three Boc-protected amine functionalities was prepared. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of the monomers, followed by deprotection of the amine groups resulted in cationic antimicrobial polynorbornenes that carry one, two, and three charges per monomer repeat unit. Increasing the number of amine groups on the most hydrophobic polymer reduced its hemolytic activity significantly. To understand the membrane activity of these polymers, we conducted dye leakage experiments on lipid vesicles that mimic bacteria and red blood cell membranes, and these results showed a strong correlation with the hemolysis data.},
	keywords = {Amines, Anti-Infective Agents, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, Drug Design, Erythrocytes, Escherichia coli, Hemolysis, Humans, Lipids, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Models, Chemical, Peptides, Polymers, Staphylococcus aureus},
	issn = {1526-4602},
	doi = {10.1021/bm800569x},
	author = {Al-Badri, Zoha M and Som, Abhigyan and Lyon, Sarah and Nelson, Christopher F and N{\"u}sslein, Klaus and Tew, Gregory N}
}
