Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Max Lubberink, William Finnigan, Christian Schnepel, Christopher R. Baldwin, Nicholas J. Turner, Sabine L. Flitsch
Summary: A biocatalytic route towards N-alkanoyl-N-methylglucamides (MEGAs) and analogues was developed using a modified carboxylic acid reductase construct (CARmm-A). The selective formation of amide bonds was achieved without competing reactions. Reaction optimization resulted in reduced amine concentration requirements, enabling efficient amide formation. The wide substrate scope of CARmm-A was demonstrated through the synthesis of 24 commercially relevant amides.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Henry M. Sanders, Blagojce Jovcevski, Michael T. Marty, Tara L. Pukala
Summary: The study demonstrates that lipid membrane composition influences the aggregation of misfolding proteins and the efficacy of amyloid inhibitors. Different mechanisms were observed for two well-known polyphenol inhibitors in the presence of lipid membranes, highlighting the importance of considering lipid environments in amyloid inhibitor design.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saman Majeed, Akram Bani Ahmad, Ujala Sehar, Elka R. Georgieva
Summary: Integral membrane proteins play crucial roles in cell physiology, but mutations and environmental factors can lead to dysfunctional IMPs. Understanding the mechanisms of IMP function and malfunction at the molecular level is essential for advancing our knowledge of cellular physiology and facilitating pharmaceutical developments. In vitro studies using membrane mimetics provide valuable insights into IMP structure and function dynamics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ricarda Torner, Tatsiana Kupreichyk, Lothar Gremer, Elisa Colas Debled, Daphna Fenel, Sarah Schemmert, Pierre Gans, Dieter Willbold, Guy Schoehn, Wolfgang Hoyer, Jerome Boisbouvier
Summary: Integrated kinetic and structural investigations reveal that the co-chaperonin prefoldin interacts with islet amyloid polypeptide fibrils to inhibit their elongation and secondary nucleation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicolas Papadopoulos, Nuria Suelves, Florian Perrin, Devkee M. Vadukul, Celine Vrancx, Stefan N. Constantinescu, Pascal Kienlen-Campard
Summary: Most neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by protein folding disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. These diseases lead to the appearance of protein aggregates in vulnerable regions of the nervous system, which progressively spread through the neuronal network. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau proteins and senile plaques composed of amyloid peptides. Understanding the structural determinants of the precursor protein APP and the formation of different A beta aggregates is crucial in deciphering the pathological conformational changes and mechanisms underlying amyloid fibril formation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna Bieber, Cristina Capitanio, Philipp S. Erdmann, Fabian Fiedler, Florian Beck, Chia-Wei Lee, Delong Li, Gerhard Hummer, Brenda A. Schulman, Wolfgang Baumeister, Florian Wilfling
Summary: By combining different research methods, we directly revealed the structural progression of autophagosome biogenesis and organelle interactome within yeast cells. These findings have important implications for understanding the contribution of different membrane sources during autophagy and the forces shaping and driving phagophores.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ming-Hao Li, Xiaoxue Zhang, Erwin London, Daniel P. Raleigh
Summary: Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) plays a role in regulating glucose levels but forms pancreatic amyloid in type-2 diabetes. The concentration of anionic lipids in 13-cell plasma membrane is low. Ca2+ and Mg2+ affect hIAPP-membrane interactions by neutralizing POPS charge.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Panagiotis M. Spatharas, Georgia I. Nasi, Paraskevi L. Tsiolaki, Marilena K. Theodoropoulou, Nikos C. Papandreou, Andreas Hoenger, Ioannis P. Trougakos, Vassiliki A. Iconomidou
Summary: Clusterin is identified as a glycoprotein involved in amyloid formation and has aggregation-prone regions that can form amyloid-like fibrils while also inhibiting amyloid-beta fibril formation. These findings suggest a potential role of clusterin in the molecular mechanism of inhibiting amyloid formation and indicate a possible involvement of molecular chaperones with amyloidogenic properties in regulating amyloid formation.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ali Raza, Riaz Mahmood, Safia Habib, Mohd Talha, Shifa Khan, Amiruddin Hashmi, Taj Mohammad, Asif Ali
Summary: Protein fructosylation leads to the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). A diet high in fructose, combined with hyperglycemia, can cause fructose-mediated glycation of proteins, resulting in AGEs formation. This study analyzed the interaction of insulin with fructose and characterized the modified insulin. In silico studies showed that fructose strongly binds to insulin, forming an insulin-fructose complex. Fructosylation of insulin led to changes in its structural integrity, including the formation of aggregates and the production of AGEs, potentially reducing the biological activity of insulin and exacerbating conditions like type II diabetes mellitus.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucie Khemtemourian, Hebah Fatafta, Benoit Davion, Sophie Lecomte, Sabine Castano, Birgit Strodel
Summary: This study investigates the molecular details of IAPP binding to lipid membranes, revealing different membrane interaction modes and aggregation structures for different IAPP variants. Residue 18 plays a decisive role in the structure and membrane interaction of IAPP, making it a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting IAPP toxicity.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Koki Kamiya
Summary: This study investigates the incorporation of OmpG protein into purified nano-sized liposomes with various lipid compositions using in vitro translation. The results show that liposomes prepared with E. coli lipid extract had the highest amount of OmpG incorporated.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dong Yan Zhang, Jian Wang, Rebecca M. Fleeman, Madison K. Kuhn, Matthew T. Swulius, Elizabeth A. Proctor, Nikolay Dokholyan
Summary: The role of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) in the early formation and maintenance of amyloid beta (A beta) oligomers in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been uncovered. GM1 not only promotes the formation of A beta fibrils but also facilitates the maintenance of A beta oligomers on cell membranes. The study provides new evidence for the toxicity mechanisms of A beta oligomers and suggests a novel direction for pharmaceutical research on AD.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Sebastian W. Schultz, Jaime Agudo-Canalejo, Haruka Chino, Simona M. Migliano, Chieko Saito, Ikuko Koyama-Honda, Harald Stenmark, Andreas Brech, Noboru Mizushima, Roland L. Knorr, Alexander I. May
Summary: The wetting interactions between autophagic membranes and phase-separated droplets play a crucial role in determining the structure and fate of forming autophagosomes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiani Gong, Kaixin Yao, Qihan Sun, Yujia Sun, Lijie Sun, Changyao Liu, Bo Xu, Jiajing Tan, Li Zhao, Baocai Xu
Summary: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in daily-use chemical products providing a pleasant scent. This study investigated the effects of aromatic alcohols on surfactant aggregates and their impact on the physical and chemical properties of the products. The results showed that cinnamyl alcohol induced significant micellar growth, while other aromatic alcohols had less noticeable effects. The study also demonstrated the changes in interfacial molarities during the transitions and identified the mechanisms involved.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maja Severic, Guanglong Ma, Sara G. T. Pereira, Amalia Ruiz, Calvin C. L. Cheung, Wafa T. Al-Jamal
Summary: The engineered anti-PSMA peptide-targeted EMs showed increased cellular internalization in PSMA positive PC cell lines and higher tumor targeting ability in vivo, indicating their potential as a promising drug delivery system for advanced prostate cancer.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2021)