Publications by authors named "D Durrant"

Seven new peptaibols named tolypocladamides A-G have been isolated from an extract of the fungus , which inhibits the interaction between Raf and oncogenic Ras in a cell-based high-throughput screening assay. Each peptaibol contains 11 amino acid residues, an octanoyl or decanoyl fatty acid chain at the N-terminus, and a leucinol moiety at the C-terminus. The peptaibol sequences were elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR and mass spectral fragmentation analyses.

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RAF kinases are essential effectors of RAS, but how RAS binding initiates the conformational changes needed for autoinhibited RAF monomers to form active dimers has remained unclear. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of full-length BRAF complexes derived from mammalian cells: autoinhibited, monomeric BRAF:14-3-3:MEK and BRAF:14-3-3 complexes, and an inhibitor-bound, dimeric BRAF:14-3-3 complex, at 3.7, 4.

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Activating mutations in are found in approximately 30% of human cancers, resulting in the delivery of a persistent signal to critical downstream effectors that drive tumorigenesis. RAS-driven malignancies respond poorly to conventional cancer treatments and inhibitors that target RAS directly are limited; therefore, the identification of new strategies and/or drugs to disrupt RAS signaling in tumor cells remains a pressing therapeutic need. Taking advantage of the live-cell bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) methodology, we describe the development of a NanoBRET screening platform to identify compounds that modulate binding between activated KRAS and the CRAF kinase, an essential effector of RAS that initiates ERK cascade signaling.

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Chronic lower back pain is one of the most common medical conditions leading to a significant decrease in quality of life. This study retrospectively analyzed whether the AxioBionics Wearable Therapy Pain Management (WTPM) System, a customized and wearable electrical stimulation device, alleviated chronic lower back pain, and improved muscular function. This study assessed self-reported pain levels using the visual analog scale before and during the use of the AxioBionics WTPM System when performing normal activities such as sitting, standing, and walking (n = 69).

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Aims: Hydrogen sulfide (HS) protects against ischemic and inflammatory injury following myocardial ischemia via induction of microRNA (miR)-21. We sought to determine whether HS attenuates ischemic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and interrogate the role of cofilin-2, a target of miR-21, in this protective process.

Methods And Results: Adult male mice underwent myocardial infarction (MI) by coronary artery ligation after baseline echocardiography.

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