Induced dysregulation of ACE2 by SARS-CoV-2 plays a key role in COVID-19 severity.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of COVID-19, is reported to increase the rate of mortality worldwide. COVID-19 is associated with acute respiratory symptoms as well as blood coagulation in the vessels (thrombosis), heart attack and stroke. Given the requirement of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells, here we discuss how the downregulation of ACE2 in the COVID-19 patients and virus-induced shift in ACE2 catalytic equilibrium, change the concentrations of substrates such as angiotensin II, apelin-13, dynorphin-13, and products such as angiotensin (1-7), angiotensin (1-9), apelin-12, dynorphin-12 in the human body.

Immobilization of enzymes on nanoinorganic support materials: An update.

Despite the widespread use in various industries, enzyme's instability and non-reusability limit their applications which can be overcome by immobilization. The nature of the enzyme's support material and method of immobilization affect activity, stability, and kinetics properties of enzymes. Here, we report a comparative study of the effects of inorganic support materials on immobilized enzymes.

Loss of WD2 subdomain of Apaf-1 forms an apoptosome structure which blocks activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9.

Split luciferase complementary assay has been used to investigate the effect of WD domain deletion on Apaf-1 oligomerization. Apaf-1 is an adaptor molecule in formation of apoptosome that activates caspase-9, an activation that is a key event in the mitochondrial cell death pathway. Structural studies suggest that normally Apaf-1 is held in an inactive conformation by intramolecular interactions between Apaf-1's nucleotide binding domain and one of its WD40 domains (WD1).

Apoptosome-dependent myotube formation involves activation of caspase-3 in differentiating myoblasts.

Caspase-2, -9, and -3 are reported to control myoblast differentiation into myotubes. This had been previously explained by phosphatidylserine exposure on apoptotic myoblasts inducing differentiation in neighboring cells. Here we show for the first time that caspase-3 is activated in the myoblasts undergoing differentiation.

A new split-luciferase complementation assay identifies pentachlorophenol as an inhibitor of apoptosome formation.

The expense and time required for in vivo reproductive and developmental toxicity studies have driven the development of in vitro alternatives. Here, we used a new in vitro split luciferase-based assay to screen a library of 177 toxicants for inhibitors of apoptosome formation. The apoptosome contains seven Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor-1 (Apaf-1) molecules and induces cell death by activating caspase-9.

Isolation and identification of a novel bacterium, Lactobacillus sakei subsp. dgh strain 5, and optimization of growth condition for highest antagonistic activity.

In the present study, we isolated Lactobacillus sakei strain DGH5 from raw beef meat. This bacterium plays an inhibitory effect against food-spoiling bacteria and food-borne pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, a gram-positive and pathogenic bacterium. Lactobacillus sakei strain DGH5 was identified through both phenotypical and biochemical tests accompanied with 16S rRNA sequence analysis.

Short-term ursolic acid promotes skeletal muscle rejuvenation through enhancing of SIRT1 expression and satellite cells proliferation.

Ursolic acid (UA) is a triterpenoid compound, which exerts its influences on the skeletal muscles. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are still unclear. In this study, muscle satellite cells were isolated and purified by high-throughput pre-plating method (∼>60%) from 10 days old mice skeletal muscles.

Dual effect of curcumin targets reactive oxygen species, adenosine triphosphate contents and intermediate steps of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in lung cancer cell lines.

Exposure to arsenic is one of the major causes of lung cancer due to production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Herbal medicine is a new approach used for prevention or treatment of cancers. Among various herbal compounds, a lot of attention has been paid to curcumin, as antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor and pro-apoptotic properties of curcumin have been well studied.

Ursolic acid ameliorates aging-metabolic phenotype through promoting of skeletal muscle rejuvenation.

Ursolic acid (UA) is a lipophilic compound, which highly found in apple peels. UA has some certain features, of the most important is its anabolic effects on skeletal muscles, which in turn plays a prominent role in the aging process, encouraged us to evaluate skeletal muscle rejuvenation. This study seeks to address the two following questions: primarily, we wonder to know if UA increases anti-aging biomarkers (SIRT1 and PGC-1α) in the isolated satellite cells, to pave the way for satellite cells proliferation.

Oscillation of apoptosome formation through assembly of truncated Apaf-1.

In this study, we used spilt luciferase complementation assay strategy in order to further elucidate the main role of WD-40 repeats of Apaf-1 molecules in apoptosome formation. In the presence of ATP and cytochrome c, Apaf-1 monomers oligomerize and provide a platform for the activation of procaspase-9 and subsequently procaspase-3/7. For a detailed biochemical and structural investigation of Apaf-1 function and apoptosome formation, several studies have been made in recent years.

Luciferin-Regenerating Enzyme Mediates Firefly Luciferase Activation Through Direct Effects of D-Cysteine on Luciferase Structure and Activity.

Luciferin-regenerating enzyme (LRE) contributes to in vitro recycling of D-luciferin. In this study, reinvestigation of the luciferase-based LRE assay is reported. Here, using quick change site-directed mutagenesis seven T-LRE (Lampyris turkestanicusLRE) mutants were constructed and the most functional mutant of T-LRE (T(69)R) was selected for this research and the effects of D- and L-cysteine on T(69)R T-LRE-luciferase-coupled assay are examined.

Split-luciferase complementary assay: applications, recent developments, and future perspectives.

Bioluminescent systems are considered as potent reporter systems for bioanalysis since they have specific characteristics, such as relatively high quantum yields and photon emission over a wide range of colors from green to red. Biochemical events are mostly accomplished through large protein machines. These molecular complexes are built from a few to many proteins organized through their interactions.