Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reinhard Schweitzer-Stenner, Bridget Milorey, Harald Schwalbe
Summary: Flory's random coil model assumes that conformational fluctuations of amino acid residues in unfolded peptides and proteins are uncorrelated. However, recent studies have shown that the conformational propensities of amino acids depend on their nearest neighbors. Through quantitative analysis of Ramachandran plots, it was found that interactions between different pairs of amino acid residues can either stabilize or destabilize specific conformations.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yijia Wang, Amanda B. Hummon
Summary: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is used to visualize molecular distributions in biological samples. However, quantitative MSI (qMSI) is challenging, especially in small samples like spheroids. This study aims to optimize a method for quantifying therapeutic distribution in spheroids using MALDI-MSI.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Cheng-Ting Shih, Bo-Hong Kuo, Chun-Yi Tsai, Mei-Chun Tseng, Jiun-Jie Shie
Summary: This study demonstrates that dibenzocyclooctendiones (DBCDOs) are efficient chemical reagents for the site-specific labeling of arginine-containing biomolecules. DBCDOs undergo an irreversible ring-contracted rearrangement with the guanidinium group on arginine residues under mild reaction conditions, resulting in regioselective dual-labeled arginine residues.
Review
Polymer Science
Jakub Lagiewka, Tomasz Girek, Wojciech Ciesielski
Summary: Cyclodextrins are macrocyclic oligosaccharides with hydrophilic exterior and hydrophobic interior, capable of forming inclusion complexes with hydrophobic molecules. Studies mainly focus on conjugating CDs with peptides/proteins to create new systems for drug delivery and targeted therapy, showing promise in biomedical applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tapan Kumar Mohanta, Awdhesh Kumar Mishra, Yugal Kishore Mohanta, Ahmed Al-Harrasi
Summary: The study on the proteome of the virus kingdom revealed variations in amino acid composition and distribution among different hosts, with fungal hosts having the highest number of encoded amino acids and bacterial hosts the lowest. The study also found host-dependent molecular weight and isoelectric point of viral proteins, with acidic pI being the average for most viruses.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lolita Piersimoni, Panagiotis L. Kastritis, Christian Arlt, Andrea Sinz
Summary: Mass spectrometry (MS) is a key technology in structural biology, and chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry (XL-MS) plays an important role in studying protein structures and protein-protein interactions. This review outlines the contributions of XL-MS, including cross-linking reagents, software tools, workflows, and significant examples, in characterizing proteins and their interactions in vitro and in vivo. Computational modeling and integration with other structural biology techniques have greatly enhanced the capabilities of XL-MS.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Linlin Wu, Weiwei Fei, Zhiyong Liu, Lei Zhang, Caiyun Fang, Haojie Lu
Summary: Comprehensive analysis of protein glycation is crucial for better understanding its formation mechanism and biological significance. The current pre-concentration methods of glycated proteome have limitations, and a novel enrichment method based on reversible chemical reactions is proposed. This method shows rapidity, excellent selectivity, and high sensitivity.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Azzam Alwan, Remi Cogranne, Pierre Beauseroy, Edith Grall-Maes, Nicolas Belloy, Laurent Debelle, Stephanie Baud, Manuel Dauchez, Sebastien Almagro
Summary: The latest research in peptides and proteins focuses on the importance of protein conformations in understanding biological functions. A statistical methodology based on unsupervised learning is proposed in this paper to analyze small, flexible elastin-derived peptides. By identifying frequent conformations and comparing them among different peptides, the method aims to pinpoint the signature linked to biological activity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kayla Sprenger, Steven J. Roeters, Sergio Mauri, Rolf Mertig, Yoshiharu Nishiyama, Jim Pfaendtner, Tobias Weidner
Summary: Engineers have been designing new cellulase enzymes for the conversion of biomass into green fuels and chemicals, with a critical factor being the attachment via the enzyme's carbohydrate binding module (CBM). Experimental data and molecular dynamics simulations show that binding is driven by hydrogen bonding and that tyrosine side chains within the CBM align the cellulase with the registry of the cellulose surface. This alignment is favorable for the translocation and effective cellulose breakdown, likely an important parameter for the design of novel enzymes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Allison Edgar, Jose Miguel Ponciano, Mark Q. Martindale
Summary: Research shows that ctenophores, specifically Mnemiopsis leidyi, do not have separate phases of early and adult reproduction. They start reproducing at a small body size and continue spawning under suitable environmental conditions. The constraints on reproductive capacity are similar in both small and large animals. These findings have significant implications for understanding resource partitioning and managing the species in its invaded range.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Guanghai Zhang, Guanghui Kong, Yongping Li
Summary: Land plants possess a unique vascular bundle system that plays a crucial role in integrating plant organs, material exchange, and signal transmission. In recent years, with the advancement of genomics and sequencing technology, there has been extensive research on the transport pathways and regulatory mechanisms of macromolecules in plants.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aditya Mittal, Anandkumar Madhavjibhai Changani, Sakshi Taparia, Deepanshu Goel, Animesh Parihar, Ishan Singh
Summary: The study reveals a surprising margin of life for the percentage occurrence of individual amino acids in naturally occurring folded proteins, while also noting the paradigm shift in biology towards studying sequence-disorder-function relationships over the past decade.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Nathalie Chazal
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has significant global health and economic impacts, necessitating a detailed understanding of its biology and origin to develop effective interventions and drugs.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes Morstein, Rebika Shrestha, Que N. Van, Cesar A. Lopez, Neha Arora, Marco Tonelli, Hong Liang, De Chen, Yong Zhou, John F. Hancock, Andrew G. Stephen, Thomas J. Turbyville, Kevan M. Shokat
Summary: Protein-membrane interactions (PMIs) play a crucial role in cellular signaling. By conjugating a medium-chain lipid tail to the covalent K-Ras(G12C) binder MRTX849, PMIs can be directly modulated. This strategy allows for selective modulation of transient PMIs.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kai Zhang, Qiang Yuan, Tingjie Huang, Shenghao Zuo, Ruonan Chen, Meng Wang
Summary: A thermal-mechanical model was developed to investigate the cracking behavior of early-age concrete in the base plate of slab ballastless track. It was found that the most unfavorable stress conditions were located at the corners and the stress level at the middle point in the longitudinal direction was the highest. Field experiences validated these findings and various measures were introduced to mitigate the early-age cracking risk.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
