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Structural and Biophysical Characterization of EppA
No full textEthylenediaminetetraacetate, better known as EDTA, is a chemically stable compound whose widespread
use has led to its persistence in the environment as potentially toxic EDTA-metal complexes. Being a
ubiquitous environmental pollutant, finding a means by which we can clean up EDTA pollution in the
environment is imperative. One way to remove EDTA is through bioremediation in which a unique
microbial process is harnessed, such as the epp-emo pathway from Chelativorans sp. BNC1. To these
ends, we characterized the relationship between the structure and function of EppA, an EDTA-binding
periplasmic protein.To obtain the molecular structure of EppA, we crystallized the protein and analyzed
the structure using X-ray diffraction. We then used molecular docking to dock EDTA and chemically related chelators to the structure, showing that they bind with EppA’s putative ligand-binding cleft. To
confirm their binding experimentally, isothermal titration calorimetry was used. EppA’s high affinity for
chemically similar chelators suggests that other proteins further down the catabolic pathway may be
useful for degrading a wider range of chelators than previously thought or can otherwise be engineered to
do so. This makes the epp-emo EDTA-degradation pathway of Chelativorans sp. BNC1 a powerful tool
for combating pollution
UAS in agriculture. Mid-sized UAS
No full textIn recent years, the agribusiness industry has been trying to keep pace with rapid developments, one of which is in the sector of small unmanned aerial systems (UASs). These systems have gained the attention of growers and researchers alike. Undeniably, the reach of this technology in agricultural decision making is only limited by the imagination. We must look beyond small UAS to realize the full potential of UAS technologies in precision agriculture. This publication describes the domain of mid-sized UAS with pertinent discussions on their suitable use, including case-study scenarios of such in agricultural production management
