Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bettina Trimmel, Andre Oszwald, Christoph Diemand, Iris E. Ertl, Ursula Lemberger, Andreas Bruchbacher, Robert Brettner, Stephan Korn, Irene Resch, Eva Comperat, Shahrokh F. Shariat, Melanie R. Hassler
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the mRNA expression levels of APOBEC3 family members in HPV+ and HPV- PSC and their association with clinicopathological features and prognosis. The results showed lower expression of APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3C in advanced PSC stages, while HPV+ samples had higher expression of APOBEC3s compared to HPV- samples. However, multivariable analyses failed to confirm these associations with outcome.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nada Farag, Rosanna Mattossovich, Rosa Merlo, Lukasz Nierzwicki, Giulia Palermo, Alessandro Porchetta, Giuseppe Perugino, Francesco Ricci
Summary: A new class of DNA-based nanoswitches capable of undergoing conformational changes upon enzymatic repair, leading to changes in fluorescent signals, has been presented. These nanoswitches, designed to fold into optically active structures after enzymatic demethylation, can serve as specific substrates for various methyltransferase enzymes and aid in screening potential inhibitors.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ziyuan Li, Fuping Lu, Yihan Liu
Summary: This review discusses the preparation methods of hydrogels and their wide applications in biology, tissue engineering, and biomedical fields. However, the existing physical and chemical methods have limitations such as low bioaffinity, weak mechanical properties, and unstable structures. The enzymatic cross-linking method, on the other hand, offers advantages such as high catalytic efficiency, mild reaction conditions, and non-toxic substances. This review also introduces the applications and properties of hydrogels prepared by enzymatic methods and provides suggestions for the future development of enzymatic cross-linking in hydrogel preparation.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Sjoerd J. Rijpkema, Rik van Egeraat, Wei Li, Daniela A. Wilson
Summary: This study reports a synthesis method for stable and catalytically active polymer vesicle nanoreactors. By cross-linking the polymer vesicle membranes, the stability and permeability issues are addressed, allowing the incorporation of functional handles. Additionally, co-assembly with specific ratios of polymers also results in the formation of pores, further expanding the application of this nanoreactor.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jamal El Bakali, Michal Blaszczyk, Joanna C. Evans, Jennifer A. Boland, William J. McCarthy, Imam Fathoni, Marcio V. B. Dias, Eachan O. Johnson, Anthony G. Coyne, Valerie Mizrahi, Tom L. Blundell, Chris Abell, Christina Spry
Summary: By performing a fragment screen, we identified three series of fragments that occupy distinct regions in the active site of MtbPPAT. Guided by X-ray crystal structures, we successfully linked weakly-binding fragments to produce an active site binder with Mtb activity, as demonstrated by CRISPR interference. This study represents a significant progress in validating MtbPPAT as a potential drug target and designing anti-TB drugs targeting MtbPPAT.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yu-Ting Zhang, Yu-Ke Deng, Yong-Fang Zou, Bao-Lin Han, Ji-Zhou Pu, Jia-Quan Rao, Dan Huang, Hui-Bo Luo
Summary: This study investigated the changes in microbial functions and the relationship between carbohydrate metabolism-related functional genes and extracellular enzyme activity during Daqu fermentation. The results revealed that the pathways related to metabolites varied at different fermentation stages and that certain functional genes showed higher activity in the early and late stages. Amino sugar and nucleoside sugar metabolism dominated in the middle stage of fermentation. In addition, amylase activity positively correlated with carbon metabolism-related pathways, while liquefaction activity negatively correlated with these pathways.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Veikko Linko, Adrian Keller
Summary: Programmable, custom-shaped, and nanometer-precise DNA origami nanostructures have been widely used in bionanotechnology and biomedicine. This review focuses on the structural stability of DNA origami under physiological conditions, exploring the molecular-level interactions and summarizing the role of different interactions in maintaining or changing the integrity and stability of DNA origami nanostructures. It also identifies specific areas that require further investigation. This review provides a primer for designing stable DNA objects and using them in applications involving physiological media.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peng Lin, Huyen Dinh, Yuki Morita, Zhengxiao Zhang, Eiji Nakata, Masahiro Kinoshita, Takashi Morii
Summary: The study shows that the highly negative charges on the DNA nanostructures can enhance the catalytic activity of the enzymes loaded onto them, but the local pH shift near the DNA scaffold surface may not play a general role in this enhancement.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Juan Monroy-Nieto, Lalitha Gade, Kaitlin Benedict, Kizee A. Etienne, Anastasia P. Litvintseva, Jolene R. Bowers, David M. Engelthaler, Nancy A. Chow
Summary: Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection that is endemic to specific regions and can be acquired during travel to those regions. A study using genomic analysis identified the source of the infection in patients with travel history, confirming the link between travel and the acquisition of the disease. This demonstrates the usefulness of genomic analysis in investigating travel-related Coccidioidomycosis.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nada Farag, Gianfranco Ercolani, Erica Del Grosso, Francesco Ricci
Summary: In this study, we demonstrate the use of DNA repair enzymes to control the assembly of DNA-based structures. By designing responsive nucleic acid modules and utilizing specific enzyme repair activity, we were able to achieve the self-assembly of DNA tiles into tubular structures. This approach is programmable, specific, and orthogonal, allowing for accurate prediction of tile distribution. Additionally, we show that BER-enzyme inhibitors can be used to control DNA-tile assembly in a specific and concentration-dependent manner.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Guojuan Chen, Ying Qin, Lei Jiao, Jiajia Huang, Yu Wu, Liuyong Hu, Wenling Gu, Dacheng Xu, Chengzhou Zhu
Summary: In this study, PdPt bimetallic nanozymes were used as efficient alternatives to natural enzymes in photoelectrochemical biosensing systems, leading to amplified signals and enhanced performance. By modifying photoactive CdS nanorods with PdPt bimetallic nanozymes, a sensitive PEC immunoassay for CEA detection was successfully constructed, achieving a wider linear range and lower detection limit. This research demonstrates the potential of using nanozymes for developing ultrasensitive PEC biosensors, with improved performance and signal amplification.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chun-Lai Zhao, Xin Qiao, Xiao-Meng Liu, Xue-Qing Song, Dan-Qing Li, Xia-Wen Yu, Wei-Guo Bao, Jing-Yuan Xu
Summary: This study demonstrates that Pt(IV) complex oxoplatin can bind to DNA in a tetravalent state and rapidly produce stable interstrand crosslinks, leading to cancer cell death. Additionally, oxoplatin can induce a quick intracellular response of the FA/BRCA pathway in cancer cells, independent of intracellular glutathione levels.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liam P. Shaw, Eduardo P. C. Rocha, R. Craig MacLean
Summary: Restriction-modification systems (R-M systems) are important defense systems in bacteria, and their distribution and impact on plasmid evolution and host range have been studied. It was found that plasmid genes are more likely to avoid R-M targets than core genes, and this avoidance is stronger in smaller plasmids with broader host ranges. Two evolutionary strategies for plasmids were identified: small plasmids adapt through sequence composition, while large plasmids adapt through carrying additional genes for protection. These findings provide evidence of the importance of R-M systems as barriers to plasmid transfer.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Siba Moussa, Danny Chhin, Loredano Pollegioni, Janine Mauzeroll
Summary: The study presented a method to measure the effect of enzyme immobilization and cross-linking on enzyme activity and substrate specificity, confirming that immobilization affects the substrate specificity of the enzyme.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Emily Bordeleau, Peter J. Stogios, Elena Evdokimova, Kalinka Koteva, Alexei Savchenko, Gerard D. Wright
Summary: Apramycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, has a unique structure and resistance mechanism, making it a promising candidate in combating multidrug-resistant pathogens.
