{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.036632891660171474, 'fraction_numerical': 0.014029618082618862, 'mean_word_length': 5.028169014084507, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Isolation and characterization of a Streptococcus pyogenes protein that binds to basal laminae of human cardiac muscle

A 9-kDa glycosaminoglycan-binding protein (GAG-BP) was isolated from Streptococcus pyogenes and purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography on heparin-agarose. The protein selectively bound to the basal laminae of human cardiac muscle and had an apparent dissociation constant of 2.5 x 10(-7) M. Chemical analyses indicated that the GAG-BP was rich in alanine, lysine, and arginine (pI 9.5) and devoid of tyrosine, methionine, histidine, and half-cystine. There were no detectable carbohydrate or phosphate substituents. The amino acid sequence of the N terminus of GAG-BP showed homology with those of histone-like DNA-binding proteins of several other bacteria. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the protein was made up of 50% beta-sheet and 50% beta-turn and random coil in aqueous solution; however, when the protein complexed with heparin, it adopted a more ordered structure containing 25% alpha-helix, 50% beta-sheet, and 25% beta-turn and random coil. The GAG-BP cross-reacted serologically with a component of similar size in extracts of other group A streptococci and was present in the culture medium during late logarithmic growth.