Created an artificial circuit of the enzyme that plays a role in inflammatory processes

Scientists have created the first detailed blueprints of a bacterial enzyme called Lit. Authors of the work

it is believed to play a hidden role in the progression of infection by reducing the immune response.

Blueprints like these allow drug developersdiscover potential weaknesses in drug chemistry, and create new drugs that can help combat widespread antibiotic resistance. 

Lipoproteins perform a variety of functions in the bacterial cell. Some of them are essential for survival, and some play an important role by interacting with the innate immune response of the host.

A growing list of enzymes responsible forthe formation of lipoproteins, augmented by the recently discovered Lit (intramolecular lipoprotein transacylase): this enzyme creates a specific lipoprotein that slows down the immune response, increasing the likelihood that Lit allows bacteria to invisibly gain a foothold in the host's body.

To understand how Lit functions onmolecular level, the team created a high-resolution crystal structure of the enzyme from Bacillus cereus, a common bacteria found in soil and food.

Scientists now have a detailed understanding of how the enzyme works. 

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