Article
Chemistry, Organic
Manuel Petroselli, Corrado Bacchiocchi
Summary: The deprotonation of ketones under thermodynamic and kinetic control is a well-known process that leads to the formation of enolates. This study focuses on the theoretical investigation of the regioselectivity of beta-functionalized cyclic ketones, shedding light on some unexplained behaviors.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yui Nakata, Yuuto Kitazaki, Hitomi Kanaoka, Erika Shingen, Rina Uehara, Kunihiro Hongo, Yasushi Kawata, Tomohiro Mizobata
Summary: The molecular chaperones HdeA and HdeB help protect client proteins from acid denaturation in E. coli. Both proteins can form fibrils at low pH, but the fibrils can be resolubilized at neutral pH. However, extended incubation at low pH can lead to the formation of irreversible fibrils. The secondary structure of HdeB fibrils remained alpha helical regardless of the conditions under which the fibrils were formed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
M. Paul Murphy, Valeria A. Buzinova, Carrie E. Johnson
Summary: Progress has been made in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease through the development of anti-A beta therapeutics, which have shown modest efficacy in slowing the progression of the disease. However, the puzzling issue remains as to why completely removing A beta does not fully stop the disease.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2024)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Chinmaya Panda, Sachin Kumar, Sharad Gupta, Lalit M. Pandey
Summary: This review examines the progress in studying the aggregation kinetics of proteins, with a focus on insulin. It discusses the structural changes and modifications that occur during insulin fibrillation and emphasizes the importance of blocking the initialization of the aggregation cascade to ensure stable and accessible insulin for diabetes management.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dongjoon Im, Chae Eun Heo, Myung Kook Son, Chae Ri Park, Hugh Kim, Jeong-Mo Choi
Summary: This study focuses on protein mutations related to neurodegenerative diseases and their impact on fibril formation. Using a multidisciplinary approach and in silico analyses, the researchers designed mutant candidates that could inhibit fibrillation and reduce toxicity. The structural basis for this inhibition was revealed through various biophysical techniques. This study offers new insights into modulating amyloid aggregation based on the understanding of intrinsically disordered proteins.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hasan Parvej, Shahnaz Begum, Ramkrishna Dalui, Swarnali Paul, Barun Mondal, Subrata Sardar, Nayim Sepay, Gourhari Maiti, Umesh Chandra Halder
Summary: Different substituents of coumarin can influence the aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin, with coumarin methyl ester with an 8-hydroxyl group being effective in inhibiting aggregation through interactions at hydrophobic sites and hydrogen bonds.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Chinmaya Panda, Sachin Kumar, Sharad Gupta, Lalit M. Pandey
Summary: This review discusses the importance of protein aggregation in proteinopathies and the development of therapeutic protein pharmaceuticals, as well as the renewed interest in assessing and modeling the aggregation kinetics. Quantitative analysis of aggregation involves the depletion of monomers followed by the formation of subvisible particles. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies are crucial in understanding the aggregation process. Insulin, despite its medical marvel in diabetes treatment, faces challenges of aggregation due to physicochemical stresses during formulation, storage, delivery, and transport. The review also explores the structural heterogeneity and modifications of intermediates during insulin fibrillation, and different model equations for fitting the kinetic data of insulin fibrillation are discussed. It aims to shed light on the conditions inducing structural changes in insulin during the lag phase of fibrillation and inspire scientists to develop strategies to block the initiation of the aggregation cascade to ensure stable and globally accessible insulin for efficient diabetes management.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Liming Miao, Jianyu Zhu, Xinhui Peng, Jianling Feng, Hongxia Dong, Xiaohong Tong, Huan Wang, Lianzhou Jiang
Summary: This study explored the fibrillation of soybean protein isolate (SPI) and beta-conglycinin (7S)/glycinin (11S) in acid-heating with increasing CaCl2 concentration (0-200 mM). The results showed that the fastest fibril formation rate and the most fibrils were obtained with 80 mM CaCl2 addition. With increasing CaCl2 concentration from 0 to 80 mM, the structure of SPI fibrils became more complete and entanglement occurred. However, when CaCl2 addition was above 80 mM, there was hindered hydrophobic interaction and a change in the aggregate morphology.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Oxana V. Galzitskaya, Olga M. Selivanova, Elena Y. Gorbunova, Leila G. Mustaeva, Viacheslav N. Azev, Alexey K. Surin
Summary: Under certain conditions, proteins and peptides can self-assemble into various supramolecular structures with potential pathological or functional implications. Fibrils, films, and amyloid gels are promising objects for nanobiotechnology research. Understanding the mechanism of structure formation and its influencing factors is crucial for developing nanobiomaterials with desired properties.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Su-Chun How, Ta-Hsien Lin, Chun-Chao Chang, Steven S-S Wang
Summary: In this study, beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) combined with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was utilized to prepare amyloid-based hydrogels for riboflavin delivery. The presence of BSA enhanced β-LG fibril formation but also interfered with the entanglement of fibril chains, affecting the mechanical properties of the hydrogels. The number of amyloid fibrils was found to positively correlate with the mechanical properties of the hydrogels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacob Fritzsch, Alexander Korn, Dayana Surendran, Martin Krueger, Holger A. Scheidt, Kaustubh R. Mote, Perunthiruthy K. Madhu, Sudipta Maiti, Daniel Huster
Summary: Amyloid beta (A beta) is a peptide known to form amyloid fibrils in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Mutations at positions Phe(20) or Gly(33) can lead to alterations in the fibrillation kinetics of A beta, as well as a severe decrease in cell toxicity compared to wildtype A beta(40). The region around the hydrophobic contact between Phe(19) and Leu(34) provides a promising site for designing small molecules to interfere with the A beta fibrillation pathway.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nir Salinas, Einav Tayeb-Fligelman, Massimo D. Sammito, Daniel Bloch, Raz Jelinek, Dror Noy, Isabel Uson, Meytal Landau
Summary: The study found that two subtypes of antimicrobial peptide uperin 3.5 can form functional amyloid fibrils, which has important physiological implications. Uperin 3.5 mainly forms cross-beta fibrils in the absence of lipids, but helical fibril formation is induced by bacterial cells or membrane mimetics, leading to membrane damage and cell death.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Torsten John, Juliane Adler, Christian Elsner, Johannes Petzold, Martin Krueger, Lisandra L. Martin, Daniel Huster, Herre Jelger Risselada, Bernd Abel
Summary: The aggregation of peptides into amyloid fibrils is associated with ageing-related diseases. The size and curvature of nanoparticles can influence the kinetics of peptide aggregation, and different peptides may exhibit different responses to nanoparticles of different sizes. Experimental findings suggest that the surface binding affinity of nanoparticles and the physical properties of peptides play a role in peptide aggregation. Additional experiments support the size-dependent effects of nanoparticles on peptide aggregation and suggest a structural influence on the formed fibrils.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuechuan Xu, Kaitlin Knapp, Kyle N. Le, Nicholas P. Schafer, Mohammad S. Safari, Aram Davtyan, Peter G. Wolynes, Peter G. Vekilov
Summary: The research delves into the molecular pathways of amyloid fibrillization, revealing the presence of a complex at the fibril tip supported by nonnative contacts that hinder fibril growth. It also uncovers the dynamics of coupled structuring and assembly during fibril growth, which are more intricate than during the folding of most globular proteins.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Adeline M. Fanni, Daniel Okoye, Florencia A. Monge, Julia Hammond, Fahimeh Maghsoodi, Tye D. Martin, Gabriella Brinkley, M. Lisa Phipps, Deborah G. Evans, Jennifer S. Martinez, David G. Whitten, Eva Y. Chi
Summary: A new class of photodynamic therapy photosensitizers has been discovered that selectively bind and oxidize amyloid aggregates. The selectivity of these photosensitizers overcomes the limitation of off-target oxidation and advances photodynamic therapy as a viable strategy for treating neurodegenerative disorders.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Crystallography
Yu-Cheng Lin, Liang-Yu Chen, Fu-Chien Chiu
Article
Cell Biology
Tzu-Cheng Sung, Yi-Peng Jiang, Jhe-Yu Hsu, Qing-Dong Ling, Hao Chen, Suresh S. Kumar, Yung Chang, Shih-Tien Hsu, Qingsong Ye, Akon Higuchi
Summary: This study successfully generated universal hiPSCs without gene editing and evaluated their resistance to immune reactions, demonstrating that the cells maintained stable characteristics even after continuous passages.
CELL PROLIFERATION
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Tsung-Chen Su, Meei-Ju Yang, Hsuan-Han Huang, Chih-Chun Kuo, Liang-Yu Chen
Summary: This study aims to combat adulteration, counterfeiting, and fraud in the tea market and rebuild the image of high-quality Taiwan teas. By deconvoluting and characterizing flavor descriptions and consumers' perceptions of eight Taiwan specialty teas, the development of sensory wheels has proven to be essential for communication with consumers, enthusiasts, sellers, and producers. The international trade performance in tea industry supports the effectiveness of policy guidelines for authentication of specialty teas.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yu-Cheng Lin, Liang-Yu Chen
Summary: This study proposes an electrical field-induced LMR-based biosensor with an optical planar waveguide to replace surface modification, allow mass production of protein biosensors, accelerate the analyte speed, and decrease detection time. Experimentally, the biosensor is evaluated using charged serum albumin molecules and characterized in terms of the LMR wavelength shift using an externally applied voltage. The sensitivity of the biosensor is calculated based on the different mechanisms of adsorption of serum albumin molecules for short-term and long-term observations.
Article
Optics
Yu-Cheng Lin, Liang-Yu Chen
Summary: A temperature-controlled lossy mode resonance (TC-LMR) sensor was developed on an optical planar waveguide with an active temperature control function using an ITO film for LMR resonance and heating, providing compact size and precise temperature control. Experimental evaluation for refractive index measurement of glycerol solution showed good performance, indicating potential use in clinical testing and point-of-care programming heating with precise temperature control.
Article
Polymer Science
Jia-Hua Wang, Lee-Kiat Ban, Henry Hsin-Chung Lee, Yen-Hung Chen, Hui-Yu Lin, Zhe-Wei Zhu, Her-Young Su, Akihiro Umezawa, Abdulrahman Almansour, Natarajan Arumugam, Raju Suresh Kumar, Gwo-Jang Wu, Akon Higuchi
Summary: The study investigated a filtration method to enhance cancer stem cells from colon carcinoma cells and indicated its effectiveness in purifying primary colon carcinoma cells.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Abdullah A. Alarfaj, Abdurahman H. Hirad, Murugan A. Munusamy, S. Suresh Kumar, Akon Higuchi
Summary: This study designed a novel nanomaterial linker to enhance the contact between bioactive peptides and base cell culture biomaterials, and successfully cultivated human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) on hydrogels while maintaining their pluripotency and differentiation potential.
IET NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Tzu-Cheng Sung, Ting Wang, Qian Liu, Qing-Dong Ling, Suresh Kumar Subbiah, Remya Rajan Renuka, Shih-Tien Hsu, Akihiro Umezawa, Akon Higuchi
Summary: Human cells, especially stem cells, require interaction with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins for various cellular functions. This review discusses the development of synthetic ECM protein-derived peptides that mimic the functions of natural ECM proteins. These peptides can act as agonists for specific ECM protein receptors and have been developed for coating or grafting on various materials to improve cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. The review article provides valuable insights for the optimal choice of ECM protein-derived peptides in tissue engineering applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ying-Che Hung, Chien-Hua Ho, Liang-Yu Chen, Shih-Chieh Ma, Te- Liu, Yi-Chen Shen
Summary: Due to global changes, the international community is focusing on innovative energy technologies for sustainable development. The concept of waste-to-energy has been proposed, and a modular device for low-temperature pyrolysis of polymers is introduced. Experiments were conducted to convert various plastics into fuel products, and the feasibility of continuous implementation and energy conversion efficiency were evaluated. The new technology harvests energy from waste, reduces waste disposal volume, and produces cleaner fuel. It also provides an effective solution for resilient energy systems and can be applied in various scenarios.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Ting Wang, Tzu-Cheng Sung, Tao Yu, Hui-Yu Lin, Yen-Hung Chen, Zhe-Wei Zhu, Jian Gong, Jiandong Pan, Akon Higuchi
Summary: RNA, including mRNA, siRNA, and miRNA, is a new class of patient treatments that can prevent and treat various diseases. LNPs are commonly used as carriers for RNA drugs and have been shown to efficiently express RNA in vitro and in vivo. Freeze-dried RNA-LNPs offer a method for long-term storage under mild conditions. Future research should focus on optimizing lipid components and cryoprotectants for the development of freeze-dried RNA-LNPs.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Tzu-Cheng Sung, Ming-Wei Lu, Zeyu Tian, Henry Hsin-Chung Lee, Jiandong Pan, Qing-Dong Ling, Akon Higuchi
Summary: The study developed novel peptide-grafted PV hydrogels that supported hPS cell proliferation and induced high-efficiency differentiation of hPS cells after long-term culture.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Ya-Chu Liu, Lee-Kiat Ban, Henry Hsin-Chung Lee, Hsin-Ting Lee, Yu-Tang Chang, Yun-Ting Lin, Her-Young Su, Shih-Tien Hsu, Akon Higuchi
Summary: The study revealed that supplementing optimal amounts of laminin-511 and rVT in the culture medium enabled successful cultivation of human pluripotent stem cells on uncoated dishes, promoting cell adhesion and maintaining pluripotency.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Tzu-Cheng Sung, Wei-Lun Huang, Lee-Kiat Ban, Henry Hsin-Chung Lee, Jia-Hua Wang, Her-Young Su, Shih Hsi Jen, Yen-Hsiang Chang, Jen-Ming Yang, Akon Higuchi, Qingsong Ye
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2020)
Review
Cell Biology
Qingsong Ye, Tzu-Cheng Sung, Jen-Ming Yang, Qing-Dong Ling, Yan He, Akon Higuchi
CELL PROLIFERATION
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jiandong Pan, Yu-Chun Lee, Henry Hsin-chung Lee, Tzu-Cheng Sung, Shih Hsi Jen, Lee-Kiat Ban, Her-Young Su, Da-chun Chen, Shih-Tien Hsu, Akon Higuchi, Hao Chen
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2020)