Cyclic dipeptide-based small molecules modulate zinc-mediated liquid–liquid phase separation of tau

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a complex physicochemical phenomenon mediated by multivalent transient weak interactions among macromolecules like polymers, proteins, and nucleic acids. It has implications in cellular physiology and disease conditions like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Many proteins associated with neurodegenerative disorders like RNA binding protein FUS (FUsed in Sarcoma), alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and tau are shown to undergo LLPS. Recently, the tau protein responsible for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies is shown to phase separate into condensates in vitro and in vivo. The diverse noncovalent interactions among the biomolecules dictate the complex LLPS phenomenon. There are limited chemical tools to modulate protein LLPS which has therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders. We have rationally designed cyclic dipeptide (CDP)-based small-molecule modulators (SMMs) by integrating multiple chemical groups that offer diverse chemical interactions to modulate tau LLPS. Among them, compound 1c effectively inhibits and dissolves Zn-mediated tau LLPS condensates. The SMM also inhibits tau condensate-to-fibril transition (tau aggregation through LLPS). This approach of designing SMMs of LLPS establishes a novel platform that has potential implication for the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders.     

Structural engineering of the HIV-1 protease molecule with a beta-turn mimic of fixed geometry.

An important goal in the de novo design of enzymes is the control of molecular geometry. To this end, an analog of the protease from human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1 protease) was prepared by total chemical synthesis, containing a constrained, nonpeptidic type II' beta-turn mimic of predetermined three-dimensional structure. The mimic beta-turn replaced residues Gly16,17 in each subunit of the homodimeric molecule. These residues constitute the central amino acids of two symmetry-related type I' beta-turns in the native, unliganded enzyme. The beta-turn mimic-containing enzyme analog was fully active, possessed the same substrate specificity as the Gly16,17-containing enzyme, and showed enhanced resistance to thermal inactivation. These results indicate that the precise geometry of the beta-turn at residues 15-18 in each subunit is not critical for activity, and that replacement of the native sequence with a rigid beta-turn mimic can lead to enhanced protein stability. Finally, the successful incorporation of a fixed element of secondary structure illustrates the potential of a "molecular kit set" approach to protein design and synthesis.     

Refolding and proton pumping activity of a polyethylene glycol-bacteriorhodopsin water-soluble conjugate.

Bacteriorhodopsin (BR), from the purple membrane (PM) of Halobacterium halobium, was chemically modified with methoxypolyethylene glycol (m-PEG; molecular weight = 5,000 Da) succinimidyl carbonate. The polyethylene glycol-bacteriorhodopsin (m-PEG-SC-BR33) conjugate, containing one polyethylene glycol chain, was water soluble. The secondary structure of the conjugate in water appeared partially denatured, but was shown to contain alpha-helical segments by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The isolated bacteriorhodopsin conjugate, with added retinal, was refolded in a mixed detergent-lipid micelle and had an absorption maximum at 555 nm. The refolded conjugate was transferred into vesicles that pumped protons, upon illumination, as efficiently as did native BR. Modification of the PM with m-PEG did not alter the native structure or inhibit proton pumping, and therefore it is suggested that the glycol polymer is present as a moiety covalently linked to residues unnecessary for proton pumping and proper folding. The site of attachment of m-PEG was determined to be at either Lys 129 or Lys 159, with position Lys 129 the most probable site of attachment. The m-PEG-SC-BR33 could be stepwise refolded to the native conformation by the addition of trifluoroethanol to lower the dielectric constant, simulating the insertion of the BR into the phospholipid bilayer.     

Alginate/chitosan hydrogels as perspective transport systems for cefotaxime

This work reports synthesis of pH-responsive alginate/chitosan hydrogel spheres with the average diameter of 2.0 ± 0.05 mm, which contain cefotaxime that is an antibiotic of the cefalosporine group. The spheres provided the cefotaxime encapsulation efficiency of 95 ± 1%. An in vitro release of cefotaxime from the spheres in the media that simulate human biological fluids in peroral delivery conditions was found to be a pH-dependent process. The analysis of cefotaxime release kinetics by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model revealed a non-Fickian mechanism of its diffusion, which may be related to intermolecular interactions occurring between the antibiotic and chitosan. Conductometry, UV spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy were used to study complexation of chitosan with cefotaxime in aqueous media with varied pH, characterize the composition of the complexes, and calculate their stability constants. The composition of the cefotaxime–chitosan complexes was found to correspond to the 1.0:4.0 and 1.0:2.0 molar ratios of the components at pH 2.0 and 5.6, respectively. Quantum chemical modeling was used to evaluate energy characteristics of chitosan–cefotaxime complexation considering the influence of a solvent.     

CHIRBASE,a graphical molecular database on the separation of enantiomers by liquid-, supercritical fluid-, and gas chromatography

In order to cope with the increasing number of publications on the separation of enantiomers by chromatography on a chiral stationary phase, the graphical molecular database CHIRBASE was created. In the present state, the database package covers information (structural, bibiographic, and chromatographic data) on liquid-, supercritical fluid-, and gas chromatography; other methods will follow. CHIRBASE, running on the MDL software Chembase®, meets the requirements of contemporary information management in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. (Detailed information including a demo-version of each part of CHIRBASE can be obtained from the authors on request.) © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Subcellular Distribution and Chemical Forms of Cadmium in the Medicine Food Homology Plant <i>Platycodon grandiflorum</i> (Jacq.) A.DC.

Although Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A.DC. is a renowned medicine food homology plant, reports of excessive cadmium (Cd) levels are common, which affects its safety for clinical use and food consumption. To enable its Cd levels to be regulated or reduced, it is necessary to first elucidate the mechanism of Cd uptake and accumulation in the plant, in addition to its detoxification mechanisms. This present study used inductively couple plasma-mass-spectrometry to analyze the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in different tissues of P. grandiflorum. The experimental results showed that Cd was mainly accumulated in the roots [predominantly in the cell wall (50.96%–61.42%)], and it was found primarily in hypomobile and hypotoxic forms. The proportion of Cd in the soluble fraction increased after Cd exposure, and the proportion of insoluble phosphate Cd and oxalate Cd increased in roots and leaves, with a higher increase in oxalate Cd. Therefore, it is likely that root retention mechanisms, cell wall deposition, vacuole sequestration, and the formation of low mobility and low toxicity forms are tolerance strategies for Cd detoxification used by P. grandiflorum. The results of this study provide a theoretical grounding for the study of Cd accumulation and detoxification mechanisms in P. grandiflorum, and they can be used as a reference for developing Cd limits and standards for other medicine food homology plants.     

新型免疫抑制剂brasilicardin A的研究进展

Brasilicardin A (BraA)是从致病性放线菌巴西诺卡菌(Nocardia brasiliensis) IFM 0406中发现的具有显著免疫抑制作用(IC50=0.057μg/mL)的二萜糖苷类化合物。BraA发挥免疫抑制活性的作用机制与现有临床常用的免疫抑制剂不同,BraA通过抑制氨基酸转运体L系统的转运进而影响T-淋巴细胞对氨基酸的摄入而发挥免疫抑制作用。相比目前已知的免疫抑制剂环孢菌素A、子囊霉素和他克莫司等,BraA在小鼠混合淋巴细胞反应中显示低毒、高效的优势。因此,BraA作为新型的免疫抑制剂,极具开发潜力,已成为全球免疫抑制剂发现新领域。但其结构复杂、合成困难,原菌种产率低且具有致病性,BraA及其类似物的获得已成为此类新型免疫抑制剂研究的瓶颈。本文综述了BraA的分子特征、药理活性、作用机制、目前获得的BraA类似物和衍生化方面的研究进展,以期为BraA及其类似物的高效生产提供参考。     

聚球藻(Synechococcus leopoliensis625)藻胆体-类囊体膜光化学活性和亚显微结构的研究

聚球藻藻胆体-类囊体膜吸收光谱中有五个吸收峰,它们位于420nm,438nm,490nm,624nm 和678nm。放氧速率为161—179mol O2/mg Chl.hr.电镜照片中显示在类囊体膜上有大量藻胆体。     

Chemodiversity and α-Glucosidase Activity of Eucalyptus Species from Northwestern Himalaya,India

The aim of current work was to determine essential oils (EOs) composition from three Eucalyptus species, including E. citriodora, E. camaldulensis and E. globulus and assess their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The EOs were collected using the hydrodistillation technique and characterized by GC/MS, GC-FID and NMR. The isolated EOs from leaves parts of Eucalyptus species varied from 0.56 to 1.0 % on fresh weight basis. The content of the EOs was distinct according to the species. The most abundant metabolites were identified as citronellal (0–83.0 %), 1,8-cineole (0.2–44.8 %), spathulenol (0.4–16.1 %) α-pinene (0.4–15.9 %), p-cymene (3.7–11.9 %), citronellol (0–8.6 %), β-eudesmol (5.3–8.6 %) and β-pinene (0–7.1 %). The EOs obtained from targeted samples exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. These results are encouraging and underline that the EOs of Eucalyptus species may be a promising alternative source of natural antidiabetic.