Membrane profile-based probabilistic method for predicting transmembrane segments via multiple protein sequence alignment

Prediction of transmembrane (TM) segments of amino acid sequences of membrane proteins is a well-known and very important problem. The accuracy of its solution can be improved for approaches that do not use a homology search in an additional data bank. There is a lack of tested data in this area of research, because information on the structure of membrane proteins is scarce. In this work we created a test sample of structural alignments for membrane proteins. The TM segments of these proteins were mapped according to aligned 3D structures resolved for these proteins. A method for predicting TM segments in an alignment was developed on the basis of the forward-backward algorithm from the HMM theory. This method allows a user not only to predict TM segments, but also to create a probabilistic membrane profile, which can be employed in multiple alignment procedures taking the secondary structure of proteins into account. The method was implemented in a computer program available at http://bioinf.fbb.msu.ru/fwdbck/. It provides better results than the MEMSAT method, which is nearly the only tool predicting TM segments in multiple alignments, without a homology search.     

Studies on solution NMR structure of brazzein——Secondary structure and molecular scaffold

Brazzein is a sweet-tasting protein isolated from the fruit of West African plantPentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon. It is the smallest and the most water-soluble sweet protein discovered so far and is highly thermostable. The proton NMR study of brazzein at 600 MHz (pH 3.5, 300 K) is presented. The complete sequence specific assignments of the individual backbone and sidechain proton resonances were achieved using through-bond and through-space connectivities obtained from standard two-dimensional NMR techniques. The secondary structure of brazzein contains one alpha-helix (residues 21-29), one short 3(10)-helix (residues 14-17), two strands of antiparallel beta-sheet (residues 34-39, 44-50) and probably a third strand (residues 5-7) near the N-terminus. A comparative analysis found that brazzein shares a so-called 'cysteine-stabilized alpha-beta' (CSalphabeta) motif with scorpion neurotoxins, insect defensins and plant gamma - thionins. The significance of this multi-function motif, the possible active sites and the structural basis of themostability were discussed.     

Studies on solution NMR structure of brazzein——Secondary structure and molecular scaffold

Brazzein is a sweet-tasting protein isolated from the fruit of West African plant Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon. It is the smallest and the most water-soluble sweet protein discovered so far and is highly thermostable. The proton NMR study of brazzein at 600 MHz (pH 3.5, 300 K) is presented. The complete sequence specific assignments of the individual backbone and sideehain proton resonances were achieved using through-bond and through-space eonneetivities obtained from standard two-dimensional NMR techniques. The secondary structure of brazzein contains one α-helix (residues 21—29), one short 3_(10)-helix (residues 14—17), two strands of antiparallel β-sheet (residues 34—39, 44—50) and probably a third strand (residues 5—7) near the N-terminus. A comparative analysis found that brazzein shares a so-called 'eysteine-stabilized alpha-beta' (CSαβ) motif with scorpion neurotoxins, insect defensins and plant γ-thionins. The significance of this multi-function motif, the possible active sites an     

灵芝子实体中两个新的天然三萜类化学成分的分离、纯化和鉴定

本文采用硅胶和MCI柱层析的方法,从灵芝Ganodermalucidum子实体中分离纯化三萜类化合物。从灵芝子实体的氯仿萃取层中,分离纯化到灵芝属中的2个新天然产物,运用现代NMR技术分析确定了它们的结构,分别为methyl7β-hydroxy-3,11,15,23-tetraoxo-5α-lanost-8-en-26-oate(methylganoderateD)(Ⅰ)和methyl12β-acetoxy-3,7,11,15-tetraoxo-5α-lanost-8-en-24-oate(methyllucidenateD)(Ⅱ)。     

A combined transmembrane topology and signal peptide prediction method

An inherent problem in transmembrane protein topology prediction and signal peptide prediction is the high similarity between the hydrophobic regions of a transmembrane helix and that of a signal peptide, leading to cross-reaction between the two types of predictions. To improve predictions further, it is therefore important to make a predictor that aims to discriminate between the two classes. In addition, topology information can be gained when successfully predicting a signal peptide leading a transmembrane protein since it dictates that the N terminus of the mature protein must be on the non-cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Here, we present Phobius, a combined transmembrane protein topology and signal peptide predictor. The predictor is based on a hidden Markov model (HMM) that models the different sequence regions of a signal peptide and the different regions of a transmembrane protein in a series of interconnected states. Training was done on a newly assembled and curated dataset. Compared to TMHMM and SignalP, errors coming from cross-prediction between transmembrane segments and signal peptides were reduced substantially by Phobius. False classifications of signal peptides were reduced from 26.1% to 3.9% and false classifications of transmembrane helices were reduced from 19.0% to 7.7%. Phobius was applied to the proteomes of Homo sapiens and Escherichia coli. Here we also noted a drastic reduction of false classifications compared to TMHMM/SignalP, suggesting that Phobius is well suited for whole-genome annotation of signal peptides and transmembrane regions. The method is available at as well as at     

神经网络在蛋白质二级结构预测中的应用

介绍了蛋白质二级结构预测的研究意义,讨论了用在蛋白质二级结构预测方面的神经网络设计问题,并且较详尽地评述了近些年来用神经网络方法在蛋白质二级结构预测中的主要工作进展情况,展望了蛋白质结构预测的前景。     

钙调素的结构生物学研究进展

介绍了Apo-CaM、Ca²⁺-CaM以及CaM与其靶肽及拮抗剂复合体的空间结构.钙调素(calmodulin, CaM)作为细胞多功能的Ca²⁺受体,在细胞信号转导过程中发挥重要作用.近几年对它的空间结构有了较清楚的了解,使人们能够更明确地认识CaM的Ca²⁺激活及CaM与其靶酶的作用机制.