Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Yang, Frances H. Arnold
Summary: Researchers are making efforts to expand the catalytic repertoire of enzymes to include powerful reactions previously only known in small-molecule catalysis. By leveraging the catalytic promiscuity of P450 enzymes, a range of carbene and nitrene transferases with excellent activity towards new-to-nature reactions have been evolved.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Warren D. Kruger
Summary: Inherited errors of metabolism are a group of recessive genetic diseases caused by missense mutations, leading to cellular metabolic disorders. Deficiency of cystathionine beta-synthase is an example, resulting in elevated blood homocysteine levels and various symptoms. Modulation of the intracellular protein folding environment may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for treating this condition.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Viridiana E. Herrera, Tatyana P. Charles, Tiala G. Scott, Kiana Y. Prather, Nancy T. Nguyen, Christal D. Sohl, Leonard M. Thomas, George B. Richter-Addo
Summary: Nitrosoalkanes are biological intermediates that form from the oxidative metabolism of various amine drugs or from the reduction of nitroorganics. This study focuses on the structural analysis of ferrous wild-type and H64A sw MbII-RNO derivatives, as well as the ferricyanide oxidation of these derivatives. X-ray crystal structures reveal the binding of RNO to Fe and the presence of H-bonding interactions between nitroso O-atoms and distal pocket His64. The results provide important insights into the structural aspects of RNO binding to heme proteins.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shaomin Lin, Chunmao He
CHINESE CHEMICAL LETTERS
(2018)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yi Zhou, Chunmao He
PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Shaomin Lin, Chunmao He
Summary: In this study, a simplified purification strategy for rubredoxins based on RP-HPLC is proposed, which allows for high yield and high resolution after just one-step purification. The RP-HPLC technique is also shown to be a valuable tool for investigating the thermal decomposition pathway of Pf-Rds.
ANALYTICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Shaomin Lin, Chunmao He
Summary: Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential biological messenger that plays a significant role in physiological processes. This study developed red-light-controllable NO releasers with temporal precision and stability, demonstrating their potential for precise NO administration.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Yuqi Zhang, Junlang Chen, Chunmao He
Summary: In this study, a novel bifunctional reagent was developed for late-stage protection of peptide cysteine, enabling facile N-terminal and side-chain caging for model peptides and proteins. Additionally, a one-pot ligation and photolysis strategy was successfully applied in the synthesis of the mini-protein chlorotoxin. Furthermore, the utility of the reagent as a bifunctional linker for traceless solid-phase chemical ligation was extended.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peisi Liao, Chunmao He
Summary: This study documents a highly optimized synthesis method for the Sec-to-Cys homologue of human selenoprotein F, and elucidates the disulfide pairing mode of SelF. The research not only lays the foundation for the synthesis of natural selenoproteins, but also provides important insights into the structure of the SelF domain.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zeyuan Mo, Shaomin Lin, Wentao Chen, Chunmao He
Summary: By fusing a tetracysteine tag to the C-terminal of the protein, we have developed a regioselective S-cyanylation and hydrazinolysis strategy (TCEPL) that is applicable for proteins expressed as inclusion bodies and allows for protein semi-synthesis and C-terminal labeling.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ye Yang, Mingchan Liang, Rui Wang, Chunmao He
Summary: In this study, a facile synthetic strategy was developed to synthesize sulfated hirudins with up to three modifications, which can be synthesized in large quantities after a single HPLC purification step. Through these synthetic proteins, a novel modulation mechanism based on tyrosine sulfation was proposed, which would contribute to the understanding of structure-function relationships in other sulfated proteins and the development of antithrombotic agents.
CHINESE CHEMICAL LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shunzhi Huang, Wen-Hao Deng, Rong-Zhen Liao, Chunmao He
Summary: An engineered variant of nitrophorin 2 (NP2), a nitric oxide transport hemoprotein, has been designed to catalyze olefin cyclopropanation with high activity and stereoselectivity, making it a robust lipocalin scaffold for carbene-transferase development. The study also reveals the unique substrate preference of the beta-barrel NP2 variant, distinguishing it from mainstream alpha-helical carbene-transfer heme enzymes. This work expands the current biocatalytic toolbox and contributes to the understanding of carbene transfer reactions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zeyuan Mo, Zhenbang Xiao, Chunmao He
Summary: Triabin, a lipocalin-like thrombin inhibitor found in the saliva of Triatoma pallidipennis, shows potent inhibition comparable to hirudin by binding exclusively at exosite I. It has the potential to be an effective antithrombotic agent with a larger therapeutic window. However, limited structural and functional studies on triabin have been conducted due to the lack of a reliable recombinant expression technology. In this study, the researchers successfully expressed and purified bioactive triabin using the SUMO fusion technology, revealing the crucial role of Phe-106 in thrombin inhibition. This study enhances our understanding of natural thrombin inhibitors and may contribute to the development of novel anticoagulant drugs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shaomin Lin, Zeyuan Mo, Peng Wang, Chunmao He
Summary: In order to meet the demand for peptide salicylaldehyde esters, we developed a new method for the preparation of these esters from peptide hydrazides through nitrite oxidation and phenolysis. This method is simple and suitable for both synthetic peptides and expressed proteins, facilitating peptide synthesis and the combined application of NCL and STL.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yi Zhou, Yuanmei Sun, Kewei Yi, Ziyu Wang, Yawei Liu, Chunmao He
Summary: This paper describes a simple and efficient synthesis method for preparing peptides with azopyridine side chains, and a series of red-light activatable peptide-based photoCORMs can be obtained by conjugating with the Mn-CO moiety. The targeted/localized CO release enabled by this novel type of peptide-based photoCORM exhibits enhanced cell cytotoxicity.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peisi Liao, Hongmei Liu, Chunmao He
Summary: In this study, we developed a reliable method for the synthesis of human SelF and described the synthetic route in detail. The synthesis involved a desulfurization process and removal of protective groups, resulting in the production of a large quantity of homogenous SelF. The reduction potential and oxidoreductase activity of SelF were determined, supporting its proposed function.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yi Zhou, Yonglu Chen, Chunmao He
Summary: A one-pot synthetic route has been developed for peptide Mn(i)-carbonyl bioconjugates, allowing the installation of various chelating agents and obtaining TAT-MnCO complexes after one purification step. The resulting bioconjugates exhibit different and tunable CO releasing kinetics upon visible light activation.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Changpeng Li, Chunmao He
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2020)