Team:Aberdeen Scotland/Parts
From 2014.igem.org
Background to Parts Design
Antigen 43 (sometimes called Ag43 or fluffing protein) is a phase-variable outer membrane protein encoded by flu gene. It is native to E.Coli K12 strain and is usually expressed at about 50, 000 copies/cell. Ag34 precursor is 1039 amino acids long and subsequently becomes cleaved into alpha and beta chains (499 and 488 amino acids long respectively). The beta subunit forms a β-barrel pore via which alpha-subunit translocates to the cell surface, and with which it remains non-covalently joined. The surface alpha chain can be released by a brief heat treatment at approx. 60oC.