Unique RING finger structure from the human HRD1 protein

Artificial RING fingers (ARFs) are created by transplanting active sites of RING fingers onto cross‐brace structures. Human hydroxymethylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase degradation protein 1 (HRD1) is involved in the degradation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins. HRD1 possesses the RING finger domain (HRD1_RING) that functions as a ubiquitin‐ligating (E3) enzyme. Herein, we determined the solution structure of HRD1_RING using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Moreover, using a metallochromic indicator, we determined the stoichiometry of zinc ions spectrophotometrically and found that HRD1_RING binds to two zinc atoms. The Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool database predicted the structure of HRD1_RING as a typical RING finger. However, it was found that the actual structure of HRD1_RING adopts an atypical RING‐H₂ type RING fold. This structural analysis unveiled the position and range of the active site of HRD1_RING that contribute to its specific ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme (E2)‐binding capability.     

Catechol-based inhibitors of bacterial urease

Targeted covalent inhibitors of urease were developed on the basis of the catechol structure. Forty amide and ester derivatives of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and gallic acid were obtained and screened against Sporosarcinia pasteurii urease. The most active compound, namely propargyl ester of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid exhibited IC₅₀?=?518?nM and$k_{\mathit{inact}}/K_i$?=?1379?M^?1?s^?1. Inhibitory activity of this compound was better and toxicity lower than those obtained for the starting compound – catechol. The molecular modelling studies revealed a mode of binding consistent with structure-activity relationships.     

An enzyme in the test tube,and a transcription factor in the cell: Moonlighting proteins and cellular factors that affect their behavior

In the cell, expression levels, allosteric modulators, post‐translational modifications, sequestration, and other factors can affect the level of protein function. For moonlighting proteins, cellular factors like these can also affect the kind of protein function. This minireview discusses examples of moonlighting proteins that illustrate how a single protein can have different functions in different cell types, in different intracellular locations, or under varying cellular conditions. This variability in the kind of protein activity, added to the variability in the amount of protein activity, contributes to the difficulty in predicting the behavior of proteins in the cell.     

Human MICAL1: Activation by the small GTPase Rab8 and small‐angle X‐ray scattering studies on the oligomerization state of MICAL1 and its complex with Rab8

Human MICAL1 is a member of a recently discovered family of multidomain proteins that couple a FAD‐containing monooxygenase‐like domain to typical protein interaction domains. Growing evidence implicates the NADPH oxidase reaction catalyzed by the flavoprotein domain in generation of hydrogen peroxide as a second messenger in an increasing number of cell types and as a specific modulator of actin filaments stability. Several proteins of the Rab families of small GTPases are emerging as regulators of MICAL activity by binding to its C‐terminal helical domain presumably shifting the equilibrium from the free – auto‐inhibited – conformation to the active one. We here extend the characterization of the MICAL1–Rab8 interaction and show that indeed Rab8, in the active GTP‐bound state, stabilizes the active MICAL1 conformation causing a specific four‐fold increase of k_cat of the NADPH oxidase reaction. Kinetic data and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) measurements support the formation of a 1:1 complex between full‐length MICAL1 and Rab8 with an apparent dissociation constant of approximately 8 μM. This finding supports the hypothesis that Rab8 is a physiological regulator of MICAL1 activity and shows how the protein region preceding the C‐terminal Rab‐binding domain may mask one of the Rab‐binding sites detected with the isolated C‐terminal fragment. SAXS‐based modeling allowed us to propose the first model of the free full‐length MICAL1, which is consistent with an auto‐inhibited conformation in which the C‐terminal region prevents catalysis by interfering with the conformational changes that are predicted to occur during the catalytic cycle.     

Synthesis of quinoline derivatives as diabetic II inhibitors and molecular docking studies

In searchof the potenttherapeutic agent as an α-glucosidase inhibitor, we have synthesized twenty-five analogs (1–25) of quinoline-based Schiff bases as an inhibitoragainst α-glucosidase enzyme under positive control acarbose (IC₅₀ = 38.45 ± 0.80 µM). From the activity profile it was foundthat analogs 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 and 20with IC₅₀values 12.40 ± 0.40, 9.40 ± 0.30, 14.10 ± 0.40, 6.20 ± 0.30, 14.40 ± 0.40, 7.40 ± 0.20 and 13.20 ± 0.40 µMrespectively showed most potent inhibition among the series even than standard drug acarbose (IC₅₀ = 38.45 ± 0.80 µM). Here in the present study analog 4 (IC₅₀ = 6.20 ± 0.30 µM) was found with many folds better α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than the reference drug. Eight analogs like 5, 7, 8, 16, 17, 22, 24 and 25 among the whole series displayed less than 50% inhibition. The substituents effects on phenyl ring thereby superficially established through SAR study. Binding interactions of analogs and the active site of ligands proteins were confirmed through molecular docking study. Spectroscopic techniques like ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and ESIMS were used for characterization.     

Coordinated Network Changes across the Catalytic Cycle of Alpha Tryptophan Synthase

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Mechanism of Filamentation-Induced Allosteric Activation of the SgrAI Endonuclease

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Autoinhibition Mechanism of the Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme UBE2S by Autoubiquitination

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盐及干旱胁迫对油菜抗氧化系统和RbohC、RbohF基因表达的影响

以白菜型油菜‘陇油6号’和‘天油2号’为试验材料,经MAPK抑制剂U0126、H_2O_2清除剂DMTU、NADPH氧化酶抑制剂DPI和IMD预处理后再分别进行盐胁迫、PEG-6000模拟干旱胁迫,研究其对两种油菜幼苗活性氧、抗氧化酶活性和RbohC、RbohF基因表达的影响.结果表明:盐胁迫和PEG-6000模拟干旱胁迫下,两种白菜型油菜中H_2O_2积累量上升,O_2^-·积累量下降,抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶SOD、过氧化氢酶CAT、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶APX和谷胱甘肽还原酶GR)活性和RbohC、RbohF基因表达均升高.与单独胁迫处理相比,两种油菜O_2^-·积累、抗氧化酶活性和RbohC、RbohF基因的表达量均明显降低,经DMTU、DPI和IMD预处理后再分别进行盐和干旱胁迫,H_2O_2积累量下降,但U0126预处理后再进行胁迫处理,H_2O_2积累量上升.说明NADPH氧化酶、MAP激酶级联途径、H_2O_2参与了盐、干旱胁迫下活性氧产生、抗氧化酶活性变化和RbohC、RbohF基因表达的调控.