Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Virginia Wycisk, Marc-Christian Wagner, Leonhard H. Urner
Summary: Detergent design and synthesis play a crucial role in various applications, and the selection of synthesis strategies and molecular building blocks are important for increasing detergent diversity. By reviewing different synthesis strategies and the availability and limitations of molecular building blocks, we can better design and synthesize optimal detergents for future applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Weiling Luo, Meifang Yang, Yitian Zhao, Huixia Wang, Xiaodi Yang, Wei Zhang, Fei Zhao, Suwen Zhao, Houchao Tao
Summary: This study presents the design of novel detergents with a transition linker for gradual change of hydrophobicity. These detergents form micelles with low critical micelle concentrations and exhibit superior thermal stabilizing properties for membrane proteins. The results suggest potential for expanding the application of detergents through remodeling of traditional detergent scaffold.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Udeep Chawla, Suchithranga M. D. C. Perera, Steven D. E. Fried, Anna R. Eitel, Blake Mertz, Nipuna Weerasinghe, Michael C. Pitman, Andrey V. Struts, Michael F. Brown
Summary: Visual rhodopsin absorbs light and takes in approximately 80 water molecules to form a solvent-swollen active state, which is essential for activating the photoreceptor and is supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Force-based measurements show that the expansion of rhodopsin occurs through changes in cavity volumes and increased hydration in the active Meta II state. Furthermore, the binding and release of the C-terminal helix of transducin is coupled to hydration changes, potentially influencing visual signal amplification through a dynamic allosteric mechanism involving lipid and water interactions in the catalytic G-protein cycle.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shuli Liu, Camille Rouquie, Laurence Lavenant, Matthieu Frappart, Estelle Couallier
Summary: Microalgae biorefinery is an efficient method to extract intracellular compounds from microalgae, such as lipids, proteins, polysaccharides, and pigments. This study focuses on the recovery of lipids and hydrosoluble compounds from Parachlorella kessleri under starving conditions. The impact of different operational conditions on compound recovery and filtration performance was evaluated. The best scenario achieved a recovery of 23% lipids, 9% sugars, and 8% proteins.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biophysics
Christel Le Bon, Baptiste Michon, Jean-Luc Popot, Manuela Zoonens
Summary: In the past decade, membrane protein structural biology has advanced thanks to the breakthrough in single-particle cryo-EM technology and improvements in sample preparation, with various surfactants being extensively used and optimized for studies. The diversity in surfactant choices and experimental approaches underscores the ongoing need for developing innovative surfactants and refining sample preparation conditions in the field of cryo-EM research.
QUARTERLY REVIEWS OF BIOPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tianyi Yu, Marzhana Omarova, Meng Zhang, Istiak Hossain, Jianqiang Chen, Omead Darvish, Vijay T. John, Donghui Zhang
Summary: The cellular functions of membrane proteins are closely related to their structures and aggregation states. We have investigated the fragmentation of synthetic liposomes using hydrophobe-containing polypeptoids (HCPs). Our findings demonstrate that HCPs can effectively induce the fragmentation of liposomes into colloidally stable nanoscale HCP-lipid complexes, and have the potential for novel macromolecular surfactants for membrane protein extraction.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ali Rasouli, Qin Yu, Sepehr Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh, Po-Chao Wen, Julia Kowal, Kaspar P. Locher, Emad Tajkhorshid
Summary: ABCG2 is an ATP-binding cassette transporter that contributes to multidrug resistance in cancer cells. Cryo-EM structures of ABCG2 in complex with tariquidar reveal two distinct conformations under turnover conditions. Molecular dynamics simulations show the ligand size and lipid interactions play a role in binding stability and substrate recruitment.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Kyle A. Brown, Morgan K. Gugger, Zhen Yu, David Moreno, Song Jin, Ying Ge
Summary: Nonionic surfactants are widely used in cell lysis for protein extraction, stabilization, and purification in structural biology. However, they often interfere with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis. In this study, a cleavable nonionic surfactant, n-decyl-disulfide-beta-D-maltoside (DSSM), was developed to overcome this limitation. DSSM is compatible with ESI-MS and reversed-phase liquid chromatography-MS analysis and allows for characterization of membrane proteins and endogenous proteins, making it a potential replacement for the commonly used surfactant DDM in proteomic experiments and structural biology studies.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ali A. Kermani
Summary: This review discusses the process of generating membrane protein crystals, from protein extraction and solubilization to structure determination. It also introduces current methods for precrystallization screening and strategies to increase the chance of crystallizing challenging membrane proteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taeyeol Youn, Soyoung Yoon, Bernadette Byrne, Pil Seok Chae
Summary: Detergents with multiple tail and head groups have been widely used for structural studies of membrane proteins. Recent research has shown that these detergents, despite having large inter-alkyl chain distances, can effectively stabilize membrane proteins. This is achieved by incorporating a flexible spacer between two triazine rings in the detergent's linker region, allowing it to fold into a compact architecture in micellar environments. The foldability of detergents represents a new concept for detergent design and has significant potential for future development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brendon C. Choy, Rosemary J. Cater, Filippo Mancia, Edward E. Pryor
Summary: The study analyzes all uniquely solved membrane protein structures from 2010 to 2019, revealing the significant impact of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy on the field and the unique detergent/membrane mimetic requirements of different structure determination methods and protein classes.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Isabel Benitez-Mateos, Andreas Schneider, Eimear Hegarty, Bernhard Hauer, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: The researchers have found that spheroplasts of squalene-hopene cyclase, obtained by removing the outer cell membrane, exhibit higher catalytic activity compared to the enzymes and whole cells. They also introduce a concept of crosslinking the spheroplasts for recycling and reuse. These findings provide a potential solution for the production of bioactive compounds in a sustainable and cost-efficient manner.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenhao Cui, Yange Niu, Lei Chen
Summary: Despite the resolution revolution of cryo-EM, structures of small membrane proteins (<80 kDa) are still understudied. These proteins are notoriously difficult to determine their structures using single-particle cryo-EM. Protein fusion has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome this challenge. This Perspective highlights recent progress and discusses the future potential of the protein fusion strategy.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Alexander J. Bryer, Tyler Reddy, Edward Lyman, Juan R. Perilla
Summary: Enveloped viruses are protected by a lipid membrane, and the complex lipid composition of the envelope is closely related to its structural, mechanical, and dynamical properties.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Erick J. Dufourc
Summary: Membrane nanoobjects such as Bicelles and Nanodiscs are important tools for studying biomembrane properties, providing various membranous platforms for structural biology research. Internal dynamics of these nanoobjects is similar to liposomes, offering potential for studying the 3D structure, topology, and dynamics of membrane proteins.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Y. -P. Xu, S. -X. Wang, W. -X. Hong
Article
Oncology
Yun-Ping Xu, Lotte Wieten, Song-Xing Wang, Yun Cai, Timo Olieslagers, Li Zhang, Liu-Mei He, Marce G. J. Tilanus, Wen-Xu Hong
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA
(2019)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Yun-Ping Xu, Hui Yang, Wen-Xu Hong
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
L-M. He, H. Yang, Y-P. Xu, W-X. Hong
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Hong-Yan Zou, Yan-Ping Zhong, Wen-Xu Hong
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Li-Yan Sun, Yun-Ping Xu, Wen-Xu Hong, Hui Liu
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Si-Zhe Liang, Zhan-Rou Quan, Wen-Xu Hong, Hong-Yan Zou
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Li-Yan Sun, Xiao-Han Zhang, Wen-Xu Hong, Yun-Ping Xu
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Su-Qing Gao, Wen-Xu Hong, Zhi-Hui Deng, Zhan-Rou Quan
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Zhan-Rou Quan, Hong-Yan Zou, Yan-Ping Zhong, Zhi-Hui Deng, Wen-Xu Hong
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Wen-Xu Hong, Li-Yan Sun, Yun-Ping Xu
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Yun-Ping Xu, Li-Yan Sun, Wen-Xu Hong
Article
Oncology
Shuang Liang, Yu-Qing Su, Yan-Lian Liang, Fan Wu, Hao Zhang, Jia-Hai Shi, Wen-Xu Hong, Yun-Ping Xu
ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2020)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shi-Long Jiang, Jun-Luan Mo, Ji Peng, Lin Lei, Ji-Ye Yin, Hong-Hao Zhou, Zhao-Qian Liu, Wen-Xu Hong
Summary: Deregulation of protein synthesis in cancer can drive specific cell responses and contribute to promoting cancer growth and metastasis. Targeting translation machinery has shown promising outcomes in clinical trials for various cancer types, providing new opportunities for anti-tumor therapeutic interventions.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Liming Hu, Chunmei Gong, Xiaoping Chen, Honghao Zhou, Junxia Yan, Wenxu Hong
Summary: The study systematically assessed the associations between VEGF gene polymorphisms and different types of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The results showed significant associations between specific VEGF gene polymorphisms (rs2010963, rs833061, and rs699947) and nonproliferative DR and proliferative DR, suggesting their potential involvement in the development of DR.
JOURNAL OF DIABETES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
K. Ramki, G. Thiruppathi, Selva Kumar Ramasamy, P. Sundararaj, P. Sakthivel
Summary: A chromone-based ratiometric fluorescent probe L2 was developed for the selective detection of Hg(II) in a semiaqueous solution. The probe exhibited enhanced fluorescence in its aggregated state and even higher fluorescence when chelated with Hg(II). The probe demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for Hg(II) detection and was successfully applied for imaging Hg(II) in a living model.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Qun Zhang, Rui Yang, Gang Liu, Shiyan Jiang, Jiarui Wang, Juqiang Lin, Tingyin Wang, Jing Wang, Zufang Huang
Summary: This research aims to develop a cost-effective and portable method for measuring creatinine levels using the enhanced Tyndall effect phenomenon. The method offers a promising solution for monitoring renal healthcare in resource-limited settings.
