Prime region subsite specificity characterization of human cathepsin D: the dominant role of position 128.

In order to contribute to our understanding of cathepsin D (CatD) active site specificity, two series of chromogenic octapeptides with systematic substitutions in positions P2' and P3' were synthesized. This panel was characterized with native human liver cathepsin D (nHuCatD) and yielded information concerning specificity trends within the S2' and S3' subsites. The pepstatin inhibited crystal structure of nHuCatD (Baldwin et al., 1993) was then utilized in conjunction with these subsite preference data to identify residues suspected of contributing to "prime" side subsite specificity. These residues were targeted for site-directed mutagenesis using the re-engineered recombinant model, "short" pseudocathepsin D (Beyer & Dunn, 1996). As a result of these analyses it was determined that prime region subsites do contribute to the unique specificity of human CatD. Furthermore, it was ascertained that the poly-proline loop does not have an active role in S3' subsite specificity. Lastly, it appears that Ile128 has a dominant role on S2' subsite specificity whereas Val130 does not.     

离子注入不同辐射敏感性微生物自由基与存活关系的研究

以不同辐射敏感性微生物辐射异常微球菌和大肠杆菌为试材,用电子自旋共振波谱法研究了离子注入后在两种微生物细胞内产生的自由基及其存活的关系。     

α-Bn-o-AMPA as a cis peptide bond mimic in somatostatin analogues

Summary In a previous communication we reported the racemic synthesis of the cis peptide bond mimic α-benzyl-o-aminomethylphenylacetic acid and its incorporation in the cyclic somatostatin analoguesc[α(R andS)Bn-o-AMPA-Phe⁷-d-Trp⁸-Lys⁹-Thr¹⁰]. Since the epimeric peptides exhibit different binding affinities, we completed the structure-activity study with an asymmetric synthesis. A model for the solution conformation ofc[α(R andS)Bn-o-AMPA-Phe⁷-d-Trp⁸-Lys⁹-Thr¹⁰] is proposed on the basis of a 2D NMR study in CD₃OH and restrained molecular dynamics.     

细胞色素P450 2D6缺陷型等位基因的家系分析

利用等位基因特民扩增法(ASA)为基础的基因分型法,对细胞色素P4502D6 (CYP2D6)缺陷型等位基因携带者的9个家庭共38个进行了基因分型,并与用右旋美沙芬为 探针的表型分型法进行对比,发现两种方法的结果是一致的,CYP2D6酶缺陷型等位基因呈常染色体隐性遗传。 Abstract:A genotyping method based on the principle of allele-specific amplification and a phenotyping procedure with dextromethorphan as a probe were employed in familial study of nine families with 38 members for the cytochrome P450 2D6(CYP2D6)deficient alleles——CYP2D6A,CYP2D6B,CYP2D6D and CYP2D6T.The results showed that the CYP2D6 deficient alleles were inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.     

Sequential Statistical Improvement of the Liquid Cultivation of Helicobacter pylori

Background: Colonization of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori is one of the most important causes of acute and chronic gastric pathologies in humans. Achieving the growth of H. pylori in liquid media is of great importance in the development of clinical studies. In this study, we developed a sequential optimization strategy based on statistical models to improve the conditions of liquid culture of H. pylori. Materials and Methods: Four statistical models were sequentially used. First, a Box‐Behnken design was used to select the best process conditions (shaking speed, inoculum concentration, and final volume of culture). Secondly, a general factorial design was used to evaluate the influence of adding gel blocks or gel beads (shape and composition). Then a D‐optimal reduce design was carried out to allow the selection of the most influential factors in increasing the cell concentration (culture media components). Finally, another Box‐Behnken design was used to optimize the concentration of the culture media components previously selected. Results: After 12 hours of liquid culture a concentration of 25 × 10⁸ cells per mL (9.4 log₁₀ cells per mL) of H. pylori was obtained, compared with a predicted 32 × 10⁸ (9.5 log₁₀ cells per mL), which means between 1 and 5 log₁₀ units higher than some previous reports. Conclusions: The sequential statistical approach increased the planktonic H. pylori cell culture. The final culture media and conditions were: Brain Heart Infusion, blood agarose (1.5% w/v), lamb’s blood (3.18% v/v), DENT (0.11% v/v), and Vitox (0.52% v/v) at 60 rpm and 37 °C with filtered CO₂ (5% v/v) bubbled directly into the culture media in a final volume of 76.22 mL.     

Alkaloid production in cultured roots of three species of Duboisia

Cultured roots were obtained from calluses of Duboisia leichhardtii, D. myoporoides and D. hopwoodii. Cultured roots of all these species produced both tropane and pyridine-type alkaloids. The selected cultured roots of D. leichhardtii showed high contents of tropane alkaloids (hyoscyamine 0.53%, scopolamine 1.16%, on a dry weight basis).     

Characterization of pharmacogenetically relevant CYP2D6 and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms in a Portuguese population sample

Differences in metabolism of drugs can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure. In addition to cytochrome P450 2D6, which plays a critical role in drug metabolism, ABCB1 encoded P‐glycoprotein (PGP) is also an important determinant in drug bioavailability. The genes encoding these molecules are highly variable among populations and, given their clinical importance in drug therapy, determining CYP2D6 and ABCB1 allele frequencies in specific populations is very important for useful application in clinical settings. In this study the frequency of the pharmacologically relevant CYP2D6*3, *4, *5, *6 allelic variants and gene duplication, and ABCB1 C1236T and C3435T gene polymorphisms and their haplotypes was determined in a population sample of 100 Portuguese healthy subjects. CYP2D6 allele frequencies were 1.4% (*3), 13.3% (*4), 2.8% (*5), 1.8% (*6) and 6.1% (gene duplication), with 5% of the individuals classified as PM and 8.4% as UM. The frequencies obtained for the non‐functional alleles and for the CYP2D6 gene duplication are in agreement with other South European populations, and reinforce the previously suggested south/north gradient of CYP2D6 duplications. Allelic frequencies for the ABCB1 polymorphisms were 52% (3435C) and 54% (1236C) and the most common haplotype (1236C‐3435C) occurred with a frequency of 45.5%. Although allele and haplotype frequency data for ABCB1 in Southern Europe is limited, some discrepancies were found with other European populations, with possible therapeutic implications for PGP substrate drugs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.