Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takeshi Mori, Miyako Yoshida, Mai Hazekawa, Daisuke Ishibashi, Yoshiro Hatanaka, Rie Kakehashi, Makoto Nakagawa, Toshihiro Nagao, Miki Yoshii, Honami Kojima, Rio Uno, Takahiro Uchida
Summary: This study evaluated the antifungal activity of CKR12-PLGA-MCZ micelles using nanotechnology and found that they showed higher antifungal activity compared to CKR12-PLGA micelles and MCZ solution. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the micelles disrupted both the cell wall and cell membrane of Candida albicans, revealing a synergistic effect of antifungal activity using a combination of antimicrobial peptide fragment analogues and MCZ for targeted drug delivery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
George Necula, Mihaela Bacalum, Mihai Radu
Summary: Using molecular dynamics simulations, the interaction between a short antimicrobial peptide (AMP) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from two models of E. coli outer membrane (OM) was investigated. The results showed that AMP insertion in the LPS layer was facilitated by the gap created by OmpF, forming hydrogen bonds with the inner core oligosaccharides. OM proteins, such as OmpF, may play a crucial role in the permeation of short AMPs across the OM by exposing the LPS binding site or facilitating direct translocation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Celine Landon, Yanyu Zhu, Mainak Mustafi, Jean-Baptiste Madinier, Dominique Lelievre, Vincent Aucagne, Agnes F. Delmas, James C. Weisshaar
Summary: This study used single-cell fluorescence imaging to investigate the effects of the β-defensin AvBD103b on living E. coli at physiological salt concentrations. The results provide key parameters for understanding the mechanism of action. The study found that AvBD103b interacts non-specifically with various polyanionic targets after penetrating the cell membranes, leading to cell death.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takeshi Mori, Miyako Yoshida, Mai Hazekawa, Daisuke Ishibashi, Yoshiro Hatanaka, Toshihiro Nagao, Rie Kakehashi, Honami Kojima, Rio Uno, Minoru Ozeki, Ikuo Kawasaki, Taku Yamashita, Junichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Uchida
Summary: The conjugation of antimicrobial peptide fragments with polymers can enhance their antibacterial and antifungal activities while reducing cytotoxicity. Studies have shown that CKR12-PLGA exhibited higher antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, as well as higher antifungal activity against Candida albicans.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Linglong Fu, Mengning Sun, Weizhang Wen, Na Dong, Defa Li
Summary: This study describes an efficient and simple method for extracellular production of Ulp1 tool enzyme using a leaky E. coli strain. It was found that the addition of glycine increased the extracellular production of Ulp1 approximately four fold. The extracellular Ulp1 had high activities for cleaving SUMO fusion proteins and the cleaved peptide pBD2 exhibited antimicrobial activity. This method of extracellular production of tool enzymes is cost-effective and has potential applications in pharmaceutical, industrial, and biotechnological fields.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ziyi Lu, Yueming Wu, Zihao Cong, Yuxin Qian, Xue Wu, Ning Shao, Zhongqian Qiao, Haodong Zhang, Yunrui She, Kang Chen, Hengxue Xiang, Bin Sun, Qian Yu, Yuan Yuan, Haodong Lin, Meifang Zhu, Runhui Liu
Summary: The peptide polymer-modified thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) surfaces exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and good biocompatibility, functioning through a contact-killing mechanism by disrupting the bacterial membrane.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Adrian Perez-Ramos, Desire Madi-Moussa, Francoise Coucheney, Djamel Drider
Summary: LAB-bacteriocins can serve as alternatives to aging antibiotics, either used alone or as potentiating agents for treating bacterial infections. These bacteriocins primarily act by disturbing bacterial cytoplasmic membranes or cell walls, with most strains having an inherent immunity mechanism. However, the specific modes of action and immunity mechanisms can vary between different bacteriocins.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Eman M. S. Halawani, Seham S. S. Alzahrani, Sanaa M. F. Gad El-Rab
Summary: The prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is increasing and poses a serious threat to human health. This study developed a novel drug delivery system using amoxicillin-conjugated gold nanoparticles to overcome MDR bacteria. The results demonstrated the superior antibacterial effectiveness of this system against MRSA and MDR E. coli strains, indicating its potential for improving therapeutic action.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yi Wang, Yuchi Song, Shaonan Yan, Rina Hiramine, Yuki Ohnishi, Yuki Yokoi, Kiminori Nakamura, Takashi Kikukawa, Tokiyoshi Ayabe, Tomoyasu Aizawa
Summary: This study investigated the antibacterial mechanisms of Cryptdin-4 in different forms (oxidized and reduced states) under different oxygen conditions using Escherichia coli as a model. The results showed that both forms exhibited antimicrobial activity against bacteria under aerobic conditions through rapid membrane depolarization. Under anaerobic conditions, the ability to disrupt bacterial membrane function decreased, but the reduced form still maintained some antimicrobial activity, possibly through DNA binding inhibition of intracellular functions.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Eric Juskewitz, Ekaterina Mishchenko, Vishesh K. Dubey, Marte Jenssen, Martin Jakubec, Philip Rainsford, Johan Isaksson, Jeanette H. Andersen, Johanna U. Ericson
Summary: This article focuses on the antibacterial mode of action of lulworthinone, a compound that targets the bacterial membrane and disrupts cell division. The compound also affects cell morphology and localization of the cell division protein FtsZ. Its ability to form colloidal aggregates contributes to its antibacterial activity. Antibacterial agents acting on cell membranes are important due to the difficulty of bacterial resistance development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pawel Serafin, Pawel Kowalczyk, Adriano Mollica, Azzurra Stefanucci, Anna K. Laskowska, Magdalena Zawadzka, Karol Kramkowski, Patrycja Kleczkowska
Summary: Finding the ideal antimicrobial drug remains challenging, but amphibian-derived peptides have shown potential as broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. In this study, dermorphin and ranatensin peptides were combined to create a hybrid compound called LENART01. It exhibited superior antimicrobial activity against certain E. coli strains compared to clinically available antibiotics, but showed dose-dependent hemolytic effects in hemolytic assays.
Article
Biophysics
Sivasoorian Siva Sankari, Hans-Uwe Dahms, Ming-Fong Tsai, Yu-Lun Lo, Li-Fang Wang
Summary: The study focuses on using gold nanorod-peptide conjugates for photothermal therapy to combat bacterial wound infections, showing good biocompatibility and potential to accelerate wound healing by enhancing cell migration and bacterial targeting. The multifunctional GNRs significantly enhance photothermal therapeutic outcomes based on bacterial targeting and promising wound healing properties.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Dorota Chrobak-Chmiel, Ewelina Kwiecien, Anna Golke, Beata Dolka, Krzysztof Adamczyk, Malgorzata J. Bieganska, Marina Spinu, Marian Binek, Magdalena Rzewuska
Summary: The study reveals that pigeons can carry multidrug-resistant pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. Further data is needed to understand how pigeons acquire highly resistant strains.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriel Machado Matos, Beatriz Garcia-Teodoro, Camila Pimentel Martins, Paulina Schmitt, Fanny Guzman, Ana Claudia Oliveira de Freitas, Patricia Hermes Stoco, Fabienne Antunes Ferreira, Marciel Joao Stadnik, Diogo Robl, Luciane Maria Perazzolo, Rafael Diego Rosa
Summary: Shrimp antilipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) are a multifunctional and diverse family of antimicrobial host defense peptides (AMPs), composed of seven members (groups A to G) with different structures and properties. Three synthetic peptides based on the amino acid sequence of the central beta-hairpin of ALFs from groups E to G were found to have alpha-helix secondary structure. These peptides showed broad-spectrum activity against bacteria and fungi, but were not effective against protozoan parasites. They exhibited membrane permeabilization and low cytotoxicity to human cells, making them potential candidates for the development of novel therapeutics.
Review
Cell Biology
Xiakun Wang, Hongcheng Duan, Min Li, Wei Xu, Lin Wei
Summary: Wound-healing-promoting peptides derived from amphibians, particularly salamanders and frogs, have been characterized and shown to effectively accelerate skin wound healing and photodamage repair. They promote the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, recruit immune cells to the wound site, and regulate immune responses, thereby playing a crucial role in wound healing.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Benedikt Heidrich, Marian Turowski, Kaleb Phipps, Kai Schmieder, Wolfgang Suess, Ralf Mikut, Veit Hagenmeyer
Summary: This paper presents a novel approach for controlling non-stationarity and periodicities in generated time series by using calendar and statistical information. The evaluation of the proposed approach shows that it can generate time series with controlled periodicities and non-stationarity, and outperforms existing benchmarks.
APPLIED INTELLIGENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martin Maska, Vladimir Ulman, Pablo Delgado-Rodriguez, Estibaliz Gomez-de-Mariscal, Tereza Necasova, Fidel A. Guerrero Pena, Tsang Ing Ren, Elliot M. Meyerowitz, Tim Scherr, Katharina Loeffler, Ralf Mikut, Tianqi Guo, Yin Wang, Jan P. Allebach, Rina Bao, Noor M. Al-Shakarji, Gani Rahmon, Imad Eddine Toubal, Kannappan Palaniappan, Filip Lux, Petr Matula, Ko Sugawara, Klas E. G. Magnusson, Layton Aho, Andrew R. Cohen, Assaf Arbelle, Tal Ben-Haim, Tammy Riklin Raviv, Fabian Isensee, Paul F. Jaeger, Klaus H. Maier-Hein, Yanming Zhu, Cristina Ederra, Ainhoa Urbiola, Erik Meijering, Alexandre Cunha, Arrate Munoz-Barrutia, Michal Kozubek, Carlos Ortiz-de-Solorzano
Summary: The Cell Tracking Challenge is a benchmarking initiative that has made significant improvements since 2017, including the creation of a new segmentation-only benchmark and the addition of diverse and complex datasets to the repository. A silver standard reference corpus has been created based on competitive results, which will benefit data-hungry deep learning-based strategies. This updated analysis provides practical conclusions for developers and users of cell segmentation and tracking algorithms, highlighting the advancements in both 2D and 3D algorithms.
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Elisabeth Birgit Schwarz, Fabian Bleier, Friedhelm Guenter, Ralf Mikut, Jean Pierre Bergmann
Summary: Ultrasonic metal welding is an attractive joining technology with high energy efficiency and solid-state joint formation. This study compares the suitability of contactless temperature measurements and vibration measurements for process monitoring of copper sheet welding. The results show that quality predictions based on temperatures are superior to those based on welding energy, and predictions based on both temperature and vibration measurements are even better. Therefore, combining temperature and vibration measurements is a good starting point for future industrial monitoring of ultrasonic metal welding processes.
WELDING IN THE WORLD
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Samantha Muhring-Salamone, Robin Wanka, Axel Rosenhahn
Summary: Diethylenetriamine-modified heparin and alginates, as well as unmodified polysaccharides, were combined using sol-gel chemistry to create hybrid material thin-film coatings. These coatings demonstrated the capability to bind nitric oxide when exposed to NO at high pressures, and they also released nitrogen oxide species in aqueous environments. The hybrid materials showed promising antifouling properties against marine organisms.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Aaron J. Brown, Gillian Scoley, Niamh O'Connell, Alan Gordon, Katie Lawther, Sharon A. Huws, Steven J. Morrison
Summary: Good management of hygiene is required to minimise the risk of disease transmission in pre-weaned calf rearing facilities. In this study, various samples were collected from calf rearing facilities and analysed for hygiene indicators. The results showed that the use of automatic feeders and group pen buckets improved hygiene levels, while self-fill drinkers and single pens had higher chances of containing high levels of bacteria. Cleaning milk feeders after every feed and using group pens with solid floors were also found to be effective in maintaining hygiene levels.
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Thorbjorn Lund Onsaker, Heidi S. Nygard, Damia Gomila, Pere Colet, Ralf Mikut, Richard Jumar, Heiko Maass, Uwe Kuehnapfel, Veit Hagenmeyer, Benjamin Schaefer
Summary: Modelling, forecasting, and understanding the dynamics of the power grid and its frequency are crucial for ensuring the safe operation of power grids. This study focuses on European islands and compares their frequency prediction to the Nordic power system as a reference. The Balearic Islands are found to be more predictable, while Iceland is harder to predict. Additionally, it is shown that 2-4 weeks of data are needed for improved prediction performance.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-COMPLEXITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
A. Graefenstein, D. Brueckner, C. Rumancev, J. Garrevoet, V. Galbierz, W. H. Schroeder, C. G. Schroer, G. Falkenberg, A. Rosenhahn
Summary: 3D and 2D-cross-sectional X-ray fluorescence analysis is a powerful tool for imaging element distribution in biological material and quantifying metal homeostasis. This study presents a method using peak fitting and self-absorption correction to reconstruct the cross-sectional distribution of elements in cryogenically prepared leaves. Additionally, the authors introduce an atomographic MCA hyperspectral reconstruction method that improves quantitative analysis of light elements compared to conventional methods.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kai Hilpert, Christoph Rumancev, Jurnorain Gani, Dominic W. P. Collis, Paula Matilde Lopez-Perez, Vasil M. Garamus, Ralf Mikut, Axel Rosenhahn
Summary: Candida albicans is a common cause of candidiasis, and the development of resistance to antifungal drugs is a concern. A new method using BioSAXS was used to investigate the effects of antifungal compounds on the ultrastructure of C. albicans. The results suggest that certain antifungal peptides may have different modes of action.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kai Hilpert, Tulika Munshi, Paula M. Lopez-Perez, Joana Sequeira-Garcia, Sven Hofmann, Tim J. Bull
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides can kill various microorganisms and stimulate bacterial response at sublethal concentrations. This study discovered antimicrobial peptides that can stimulate the growth of certain mycobacteria.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sahana Sheshachala, Birgit Huber, Jan Schuetzke, Ralf Mikut, Tim Scharnweber, Carmen M. Dominguez, Hatice Mutlu, Christof M. Niemeyer
Summary: Microfluidic droplets are used to study and mimic biological systems. In this study, a new charged fluorosurfactant was synthesized to assemble DNA-modified silica nanoparticles at the interface of microfluidic droplets.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Emily Manderfeld, Ajitha Balasubramaniam, Onur oezcan, Charlotte Anderson, John A. Finlay, Anthony S. Clare, Kelli Hunsucker, Geoffrey W. Swain, Axel Rosenhahn
Summary: Perfluoropolyether dimethacrylate (PFPE-DMA) was polymerized onto surfaces using visible light-induced surface grafting polymerization. Surfaces were prepared by depositing an octadecyltrichlorosilane-monolayer and covalently coupling the photoinitiator isopropylthioxanthone. PFPE-DMA with different chain lengths were polymerized from the surface. The coatings exhibited antifouling properties against proteins and were evaluated in biological assays. The highest chain length of PFPE-DMA showed the strongest fouling reduction, suggesting that chain mobility contributes to fouling resistance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vojtech Kumpost, Lennart Hilbert, Ralf Mikut
Summary: Biological oscillators are affected by stochastic fluctuations and changing environmental conditions. In populations of uncoupled oscillators, noise can enable population-level entrainment for a wider range of input amplitudes and periods. This study found that increasing noise intensity in a population of a sufficient number of oscillators results in faster entrainment after a phase change of the input signal and increased sensitivity to low-amplitude input signals.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Dorina Werling, Maximilian Beichter, Benedikt Heidrich, Kaleb Phipps, Ralf Mikut, Veit Hagenmeyer
Summary: Transforming the energy system to decentralised, renewable energy sources requires measures to balance their fluctuating nature and stabilise the energy system. One such measure is a dispatchable feeder, which combines inflexible prosumption with a flexible energy storage system. However, the accuracy of energy time series forecasts has a complex impact on the performance of the dispatchable feeder, thus requiring analysis of the forecast value.
E-ENERGY '23 COMPANION-PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 THE 14TH ACM INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FUTURE ENERGY SYSTEMS
(2023)