Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zahra Najarzadeh, Masihuz Zaman, Vita Sereikaite, Kristian Stromgaard, Maria Andreasen, Daniel E. Otzen
Summary: The study shows that heparin accelerates fibrillation of alpha-PSMs and 8-toxin, but inhibits beta-PSM fibrillation. Heparin provides a scaffold to catalyze or inhibit fibrillation, potentially enhancing bacterial biofilm and colonization through increased PSM fibrillation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peter Krueger, Karl-Michael Weitzel
Summary: This study demonstrates that combining electrospray ionization (ESI) with detection of photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) can provide access to chirality information applicable to molecular materials with negligible vapor pressure. This technique is expected to be conceptually applicable to all chemical systems with chirality based on molecular properties.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hong-Li Xuan, Yu-Feng Sang, Liang-Jin Xu, Da-Sheng Zheng, Cui-Mi Shi, Zhong-Ning Chen
Summary: This study successfully prepared CPL-active hybrids with strong red emission and remarkable circular dichroism (CD) signals and CPL activity. The hybrids have a one-dimensional structure with linear chains formed by MnCl6 and prolinate cations.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nico Kummer, Tingting Wu, Kevin J. De France, Flavia Zuber, Qun Ren, Peter Fischer, Silvia Campioni, Gustav Nystroem
Summary: The study presents a method for preparing lysozyme nanoparticles with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity from hen egg white lysozyme, and compares them to amyloid fibrils made from traditional protein hydrolysis. Both worms and amyloid fibrils show antimicrobial activity against various bacteria and fungi, with the amyloid fibrils showing the strongest effect.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrea Mosseri, Mariia Sancho-Albero, Flavia Anna Mercurio, Marilisa Leone, Luisa De Cola, Alessandra Romanelli
Summary: This work explores the self-assembly and generation of complex structures of peptide nucleic acid dimers conjugated to the dipeptide WW. The presence of indole ring in tryptophan promotes the aggregation of the conjugates. Fluorescence is observed upon self-assembly. Molecular modeling studies suggest that fibers are stabilized by stacking interactions between tryptophans and Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds between nucleobases.
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Lixia Chen, Mingxia Liu, Sen Yang, Hong Zhao, Xin Yao, Xiangjun Li, Jinghua Meng
Summary: By using computational protocols and environmental simulations, theoretical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of 19 chiral amino acids were successfully matched with their forms in aqueous solutions. New methods for enantioseparation of these chiral amino acids by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were introduced. The combination of ECD with chromatographic separation methods allowed for identification and quantification of enantiomers without the need for a single enantiomer standard.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alissa Domaingo, Philipp Jokesch, Alexandra Schweiger, Martha Gschwandtner, Tanja Gerlza, Manuel Koch, Kim S. Midwood, Andreas J. Kungl
Summary: Tenascin-C (TNC) is a complex glycoprotein involved in various physiological processes such as oncogenesis and inflammation. This study investigated the binding of TNC to key chemokines and found a differential chemokine-TNC binding pattern. It was observed that TNC acts as an attenuator in monocyte mobilization and an amplifier in eosinophil mobilization. These effects may be due to TNC impeding the binding of CCL2 to heparan sulfate while reinforcing the binding of CCL26.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jun Lu, Yao Xue, Kalil Bernardino, Ning-Ning Zhang, Weverson R. Gomes, Naomi S. Ramesar, Shuhan Liu, Zheng Hu, Tianmeng Sun, Andre Farias de Moura, Nicholas A. Kotov, Kun Liu
Summary: The study demonstrates that the limitations of optical asymmetry in chiral assemblies of plasmonic nanoparticles can be overcome by long-range organization of nanoparticles, similar to liquid crystals. This long-range order in helical assemblies enhances optical asymmetry by reducing scattering and activating energy states with antiparallel orientation of dipoles.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shivani A. Muthu, Rahul Sharma, Afnaan Qureshi, Suhel Parvez, Basir Ahmad
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) as an inhibitor of amyloid aggregation of lysozyme. The results show that GA can prevent fibril formation and modulate the aggregation-prone state of lysozyme. This research highlights the potential of GA as a treatment for amyloidosis and neurodegenerative diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ajamaluddin Malik, Ghada Obeid Almutairi, Javed Masood Khan, Mona Alonazi, Sundus Mohammed AlRusaini, Abdullah S. Alhomida
Summary: Diabetes is a prevalent global disease that is expected to continue increasing. Non-enzymatic glycation, a key factor in diabetes, worsens disease complications and complicates health management. This study found that anionic surfactants interacting with proteins induce aggregation and amyloid formation, particularly in glycated proteins.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Tianrui Zhang, Jiayue Liu, Weinan Shi, Fei Fan, Shengjiang Chang
Summary: The use of THz chiral spectroscopy to identify chiral biomolecules has attracted attention. However, the weak response makes it difficult to distinguish between chiral enantiomers. To solve this problem, researchers combined THz time-domain polarization spectroscopy with all-dielectric metasurface to enhance the chiral spectroscopy of amino acids. The results showed that the CD spectra of amino acids were enhanced by the metasurface, indicating its potential in improving the THz chirality response of amino acids and distinguishing their chiral enantiomers with high sensitivity.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mohammad Peydayesh, Massimo Bagnani, Raffaele Mezzenga
Summary: This study proposes a water-based process to produce bioplastic films by combining amyloid fibrils with biodegradable polymers. By utilizing whey and other food proteins as model proteins, the study creates sustainable and environmentally friendly bioplastics, which could play a crucial role in mitigating the pressing plastics pollution challenge.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Hum Bahadur Lamichhane, Terence G. Henares, Mark J. Hackett, Damien W. M. Arrigan
Summary: Understanding protein interactions at interfaces, particularly using experimental methods such as ITIES, can provide insights into how protein structure is influenced by interactions at interfaces. In this study, the destabilization of native insulin secondary structure and the promotion of helix secondary structures at interfaces were found to be driven by protein-interface interactions, highlighting the potential of ITIES as a tool for studying protein structure and interactions.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuying Fu, Yuan Li, Shuni Weng, Wenhui Qi, Huanhuan Su, Teng Li
Summary: Ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity of amyloid protein fibrils (APFs) is greatly enhanced when APFs serve as Pickering emulsion stabilizer. The IRI activity resulted from the adsorbed APFs on the surface of emulsion droplets, which showed larger particle size and a higher number of droplets per unit volume. The enhancement of IRI activity caused by oil-water interface adsorption is reasonably ascribed to enlarged size, crowding of APFs on the surface of emulsion droplets, and enhanced ice adsorption of APFs. These findings shed light on the application of IRI-active materials as emulsifiers to improve the quality of frozen food containing emulsions.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ruiwen Ding, Jianxi Ying, Yufen Zhao
Summary: The rapid quantitative analysis of single chiral amino acid using CD and LC methods provided accurate results with errors less than 10%. Additionally, this method can also be applied to the quantification of non-amino acid chiral molecules.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ravit Malishev, Shani Ben-Zichri, Ofek Oren, Nitzan Shauloff, Tal Peretz, Ran Taube, Niv Papo, Raz Jelinek
Summary: The BIM-BH3 motif is a key pro-apoptotic domain that forms toxic amyloid fibrils, leading to cell death and impacting mitochondrial functions.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shani Ben Zichri, Sofiya Kolusheva, Alexander Shames, Elina Abaev Schneiderman, Juan L. Poggio, David E. Stein, Elena Doubijensky, Dan Levy, Zulfiya Orynbayeva, Raz Jelinek
Summary: The study compares the structural and functional properties of mitochondrial membranes in prostate and colon cancer cells to normal mitochondria, revealing significant cancer-induced membrane changes that may be targeted by anti-cancer molecules. The findings highlight the relationship between cancer and mitochondrial membrane transformations, suggesting a potential therapeutic significance of mitochondrial membrane targeting in cancer treatment.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Rajesh Bisht, Vartika Dhyani, Raz Jelinek
Summary: Polydiacetylenes, specifically aminoanthraquinone-substituted ones, exhibit aggregation-dependent chromatic properties influenced by the alignment of headgroups and sidechains; film organization and optical properties are determined by solvent polarity and intermolecular interactions, allowing for solvochromic, thermochromic, and mechanochromic effects.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ashim Paul, Guru KrishnaKumar Viswanathan, Adi Huber, Elad Arad, Hamutal Engel, Raz Jelinek, Ehud Gazit, Daniel Segal
Summary: The dopamine-based hybrid molecule NQDA effectively inhibits the aggregation of key tau-derived amyloidogenic fragments PHF6 and PHF6*, as well as full-length tau protein, in in vitro experiments. It disassembles preformed fibrils and demonstrates significant binding efficiency with tau fibrils through entropic and enthalpic processes. NQDA shows comparable or lower IC50 values for inhibiting fibril formation compared to other amyloid inhibitors, suggesting its potential as a scaffold for developing therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sathish Rajendran, Shani Ben Zichri, Varsha Usha Vipinachandran, Raz Jelinek, Susanta Kumar Bhunia
Summary: This research presents a novel type of carbon dots that can serve as both mitochondrial labeling agents and tetracycline sensors, exhibiting a high quantum yield of fluorescence. These carbon dots have the ability to recognize cellular mitochondria and rapidly detect tetracycline in a quenching response.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Segev Naveh Tassa, Shani Ben Zichri, Shiran Lacham-Hartman, Ofek Oren, Zeev Slobodnik, Ekaterina Eremenko, Debra Toiber, Raz Jelinek, Niv Papo
Summary: This study demonstrates that a nonaggregating A beta 42 double mutant can act as a multispecific binder to inhibit the function of AD-associated molecules and protect neuronal cells from toxic damage.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Nitzan Shauloff, Ahiud Morag, Karin Yaniv, Seema Singh, Ravit Malishev, Ofra Paz-Tal, Lior Rokach, Raz Jelinek
Summary: This study presents a method for continuous, real-time monitoring and identification of bacteria by detecting microbially emitted volatile molecules using the principle of capacitance changes. By utilizing interdigitated electrodes coated with carbon dots, the artificial nose is able to sense and distinguish volatile molecules of different polarities, showing excellent selectivity and accuracy.
NANO-MICRO LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Amrita De Adhikari, Nitzan Shauloff, Yury Turkulets, Ilan Shalish, Raz Jelinek
Summary: Transition metal dichalcogenides, specifically the WS2-PANI composite electrodes, have been found to exhibit excellent electrochemical properties and high frequency response in supercapacitors. The highly porous structure of the WS2-PANI device enables rapid ion transport and surface access, contributing to the rapid reversible redox reactions and high frequency pseudocapacitive profile of the device. The symmetric WS2-PANI supercapacitor demonstrates significantly higher capacitance at a frequency of 120 Hz, showing potential for high frequency applications like AC line filtering and energy storage.
ADVANCED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Orit Malka, Dorin Kalson, Karin Yaniv, Reut Shafir, Manikandan Rajendran, Oshrit Ben-David, Ariel Kushmaro, Michael M. Meijler, Raz Jelinek
Summary: A study revealed a new fungus-secreted metabolite that can inhibit bacterial communication and virulence, shedding light on the potential benefits of probiotic foods and maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome. The discovery of cross-kingdom interference in quorum sensing may play important roles in enabling microorganism co-existence in multi-population environments, such as probiotic foods and the gut microbiome. This finding may contribute to understanding the health benefits of probiotic products against bacterially associated diseases.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lidia Martinez, Pablo Merino, Gonzalo Santoro, Jose I. Martinez, Stergios Katsanoulis, Jesse Ault, Alvaro Mayoral, Luis Vazquez, Mario Accolla, Alexandre Dazzi, Jeremie Mathurin, Ferenc Borondics, Enrique Blazquez-Blazquez, Nitzan Shauloff, Rosa Lebron-Aguilar, Jesus E. Quintanilla-Lopez, Raz Jelinek, Jose Cernicharo, Howard A. Stone, Victor A. de la Pena O'Shea, Pedro L. de Andres, George Haller, Gary J. Ellis, Jose A. Martin-Gago
Summary: The study proposes an alternative gas phase process for the synthesis of long hydrocarbon chains using atomic carbon and molecular hydrogen precursors in an inert carrier gas, without the use of metal catalysts. Under mild reaction conditions, efficient C-C chain growth was achieved with the presence of CH2 and H radicals, leading to the production of unbranched alkanes micrometers in length.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Linoy Dery, Nitzan Shauloff, Yury Turkulets, Ilan Shalish, Raz Jelinek, Daniel Mandler
Summary: Monitoring nanoparticles in air and aquatic environments is a challenge, and current technologies are not ideal. However, a method called nanoparticle-imprinted matrices shows promise for size-selective detection.
Article
Biophysics
Elad Arad, Raz Jelinek, Hanna Rapaport
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential application of functionalized titania nanoparticles for labeling and separating mature amyloid fibrils from solution.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Rajendran Manikandan, Nitzan Shauloff, Ashim Nandi, Alexander Pevzner, Sharon Marx, Raz Jelinek
Summary: This study demonstrates a donor/acceptor dibenzylidine derivative that enables rapid and specific visual detection of organophosphate gas molecules through internal charge transfer and aggregation-induced emission effects. By tuning the electron donating/withdrawing capacities of the pendant residues, both positive and negative solvatochromism and distinct aggregation-induced emission behavior were observed. The release of halogens facilitated chemical reactions with specific organophosphate molecules, leading to visible color changes.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ravit Malishev, Nir Salinas, James Gibson, Angela Bailey Eden, Joel Mieres-Perez, Yasser B. Ruiz-Blanco, Orit Malka, Sofiya Kolusheva, Frank-Gerrit Klaemer, Thomas Schrader, Elsa Sanchez-Garcia, Chunyu Wang, Meytal Landau, Gal Bitan, Raz Jelinek
Summary: This study demonstrates that molecular tweezers can modulate biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, with CLR01 significantly inhibiting biofilm formation and disrupting PSM alpha 1 assembly, while CLR05, containing methylenecarboxylate units, disrupts biofilm more strongly despite lower lysine residues affinity. Molecular tweezers may serve as potent biofilm inhibitors and antibacterial agents against bacteria producing biofilms and PSM.
CELL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Satabdee Mohapatra, Guru Krishna Kumar Viswanathan, Lukas Wettstein, Elad Arad, Ashim Paul, Vijay Kumar, Raz Jelinek, Jan Munch, Daniel Segal
Summary: Human semen contains amyloidogenic peptides that can enhance HIV-1 infection. Vitamin C has a concentration-dependent effect on the formation of amyloid fibrils derived from PAP(248-286). Low molar ratios of vitamin C promote fibril formation while high molar ratios inhibit it.
RSC CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)