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Biomechanical Weakening of Paper and Plant Cell Walls by Bacterial Expansins

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Carbohydrate-Protein Interactions

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2657))

Abstract

Expansins are proteins that loosen plant cell walls but lack enzymatic activity. Here we describe two protocols tailored to measure the biomechanical activity of bacterial expansin. The first assay relies on the weakening of filter paper by expansin. The second assay is based on induction of creep (long-term, irreversible extension) of plant cell wall samples.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by United States Department of Energy Grant DE-FG02-84ER13179 from the Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Daniel J. Cosgrove, Nathan K. Hepler, Edward R. Wagner & Daniel M. Durachko

Authors
  1. Daniel J. Cosgrove
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  2. Nathan K. Hepler
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  3. Edward R. Wagner
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  4. Daniel M. Durachko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel J. Cosgrove .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Center, Lethbridge, AB, Canada

    D. Wade Abbott

  2. Department of Biochemistry, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada

    Wesley F. Zandberg

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Cosgrove, D.J., Hepler, N.K., Wagner, E.R., Durachko, D.M. (2023). Biomechanical Weakening of Paper and Plant Cell Walls by Bacterial Expansins. In: Abbott, D.W., Zandberg, W.F. (eds) Carbohydrate-Protein Interactions. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2657. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3151-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3151-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3150-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3151-5

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