#1Zijian Zhang(Georgia Institute of Technology)H-Index: 1
#2David Ryoo(Georgia Institute of Technology)H-Index: 1
Last. James C. Gumbart(Georgia Institute of Technology)H-Index: 34
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The transmembrane region of outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) of Gram-negative bacteria are almost exclusively β-barrels composed of between 8 and 26 β-strands. To explore the relationship between β-barrel size and shape, we modeled and simulated engineered variants of the Escherichia coli protein OmpX with 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 β-strands. We found that while smaller barrels maintained a roughly circular shape, the 16-stranded variant developed a flattened cross section. This flat cross section imp...
Abstract null null Amphiphilic molecules with one or more perfluoroalkyl groups (Rf, CnF2n+1), which show peculiar interfacial properties, are attracting much attention in membrane protein science. We recently have developed a partially fluorinated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) with a perfluorobutyl group in the hydrophobic chain terminal (F4-DMPC) and demonstrated that F4-DMPC is a promising material for incorporating membrane proteins. Moreover, we have found out that membrane properti...
Abstract null null We report a theoretical and experimental study on a new series of small-sized antibacterial peptides. Synthesis and bioassays for these peptides are reported here. In addition, we evaluated different physicochemical parameters that modulate antimicrobial activity (charge, secondary structure, amphipathicity, hydrophobicity and polarity). We also performed molecular dynamic simulations to assess the interaction between these peptides and their molecular target (the membrane). B...
Abstract null null Endophilin is an N-BAR protein, which is characterized by a crescent-shaped BAR domain and an amphipathic helix that contributes to the membrane binding of these proteins. The exact function of that H0 helix has been a topic of debate. In mammals, there are five different endophilin isoforms, grouped into A (three members) and B (two members) subclasses, which have been described to differ in their subcellular localization and function. We asked to what extent molecular proper...
Abstract null null The phosphatidylinositol transfer protein domain (PITPd) is an evolutionarily conserved protein that is able to transfer phosphatidylinositol between membranes in vitro and in vivo. However some animal genomes also include genes that encode proteins where the PITPd is found in cis with a number of additional domains and recent large scale genome sequencing efforts indicate that this type of multidomain architecture is widespread in the animal kingdom. In Drosophila photorecept...
Turnover of substrates by many enzymes involves free enzyme forms that differ from the stable form of the enzyme in the absence of substrate. These enzyme species, known as isoforms, have, in general, different physical and chemical properties than the native enzymes. They usually occur only in small concentrations under steady state turnover conditions and thus are difficult to detect. We show in this paper that in one particular case of an enzyme (a class C β-lactamase) with specific substrate...
#1Lila González-Hódar(UC: Pontifical Catholic University of Chile)H-Index: 3
#2Jeffrey G. McDonald(UTSW: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)H-Index: 39
Last. Víctor Cortés(UC: Pontifical Catholic University of Chile)H-Index: 15
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Abstract Background Adipocytes from lipodystrophic Agpat2−/− mice have impaired adipogenesis and fewer caveolae. Herein, we examined whether these defects are associated with changes in lipid composition or abnormal levels of caveolae-associated proteins. Lipidome changes were quantified in differentiated Agpat2−/− adipocytes to identify lipids with potential adipogenic roles. Methods Agpat2−/− and wild type brown preadipocytes were differentiated in vitro . Plasma membrane was purified by ultra...
Abstract null null Phosphatidylinositol is the parent lipid for the synthesis of seven phosphorylated inositol lipids and each of them play specific roles in numerous processes including receptor-mediated signalling, actin cytoskeleton dynamics and membrane trafficking. PI synthesis is localised to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) whilst its phosphorylated derivatives are found in other organelles where the lipid kinases also reside. Phosphorylation of PI to phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bisphosphate...
#2Lenka Roubalova(CAS: Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic)H-Index: 9
Last. Petr Svoboda(CAS: Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic)H-Index: 37
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Lithium is regarded as a unique therapeutic agent for the management of bipolar disorder (BD). In efforts to explain the favourable effects of lithium in BD, a wide range of mechanisms was suggested. Among those, the effect of clinically relevant concentrations of lithium on the plasma membrane was extensively studied. However, the biophysical properties of brain membranes isolated from experimental animals exposed to acute, short-term and chronic lithium have not been performed to-date. In this...
Abstract null null Background null The surface of nanoparticles (NPs) is an important factor affecting the process of poly/peptides' amyloid aggregation. We have investigated the in vitro effect of trisodium citrate (TC), gum arabic (GA) and citric acid (CA) surface-modified magnetite nanoparticles (COAT-MNPs) on hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) amyloid fibrillization and mature HEWL fibrils. null null null Methods null Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to characterize the physico-chemical pr...