Publications by authors named "Hoa Q Do"
Article Synopsis
- Bupropion, an atypical antidepressant and smoking cessation aid, can cause side effects like insomnia and anxiety, and it works by inhibiting certain neurotransmitter receptors.
- Recent studies show that bupropion also inhibits a prokaryotic ion channel called GLIC, with significant binding occurring at specific sites in its structure, particularly between M1 and M3 segments.
- A mutation in the GLIC channel, specifically at residue T214, significantly increased the concentration required for bupropion to be effective, suggesting T214 is a key modulatory site for how bupropion interacts with this ion channel.
Article Synopsis
- Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant and smoking cessation drug that can lead to side effects like insomnia, irritability, and anxiety.
- It works by inhibiting dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, as well as certain ion channels, but its exact binding mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Recent research explored bupropion's effects on a model ion channel (GLIC), revealing its inhibitory potency and identifying a specific binding site in the channel that may interact with other similar compounds.
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptors belong to the family of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) that are therapeutic targets for psychiatric disorders and neurological diseases. Due to structural conservation and significant sequence similarities of pLGICs' extracellular and transmembrane domains, clinical trials for drug candidates targeting these two domains have been hampered by off-subunit modulation. With the present study, we explore the interaction interface of the 5-HT3A subunit intracellular domain (ICD) with the resistance to inhibitors of choline esterase (RIC-3) protein.
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- The Proton coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is an essential membrane protein that allows folate, a necessary nutrient, to enter cells in the small intestine, and its dysfunction can lead to hereditary folate malabsorption and cancer cell adaptation.
- Understanding how PCFT functions is critical, but the complete mechanism of folate translocation through this protein is not yet fully understood and requires stable research conditions.
- This chapter outlines a new approach for more efficient and cost-effective preparation of PCFT samples for study by translating the protein into lipid nanodiscs using a cell-free expression system, simplifying traditional methods.
Article Synopsis
- The Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter (PCFT) is crucial for absorbing dietary folates in the small intestine and for taking up antifolate drugs used in cancer treatment.
- This study examined how different lipids in Lipid-Protein Nanodiscs (LPNs) can influence the expression and solubilization of PCFT in a lab setting.
- Results showed that certain lipids, specifically dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) and dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), successfully supported soluble PCFT expression, providing valuable insights into PCFT's lipid preferences and aiding future research on folate transport mechanisms.
Article Synopsis
- Research indicates that amyloids have important biological functions, particularly in the mouse epididymis, where specific cystatins form an amyloid matrix.
- The study investigates how these amyloids assemble, focusing on cross-seeding between different cystatin members to enhance amyloid formation.
- Findings reveal that CRES3 can create stable amyloid structures that not only help in forming additional CRES amyloids but also interact with other amyloid precursors like Aβ, suggesting a conserved mechanism for regulating amyloid assembly across different proteins.
Maturation of the functional mouse CRES amyloid from globular form.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
July 2020
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the assembly of functional amyloids in the epididymal lumen, focusing on a cystatin-rich matrix that aids in sperm maturation and protection.
- Researchers developed a purification protocol for a mouse protein called CRES, using advanced techniques like X-ray crystallography and NMR to observe its transition from a single protein unit to a complex amyloid structure.
- Findings reveal that CRES monomers have a distinct structural fold and can assemble through two mechanisms, providing insights into how functional amyloids form and emphasizing their diverse assembly processes.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how lipid binding affects the structural changes necessary for activation and potassium (K) conduction in inward-rectifier K (Kir) channels, particularly in the prokaryotic KirBac1.1, which is similar to human Kir channels.
- Researchers found that KirBac1.1 is continually active when reconstituted in a mixture of specific lipids (POPC:POPG), using techniques like fluorescence quenching and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to measure changes.
- Solid-state NMR spectroscopy revealed two different conformations of the channel in the activating lipid environment, indicating complex allosteric pathways and interactions between various structural components that drive the channel's activation, with specific
Article Synopsis
- An amyloid matrix with family 2 cystatins, notably the reproductive cystatin CRES, is essential for sperm maturation and protection in the mouse epididymal lumen.
- Research focused on purifying CRES to study its aggregation from a single unit to amyloid under conditions mimicking those in the epididymis.
- Unlike most amyloids, CRES forms unique antiparallel β-sheet-rich structures and its early oligomers might play a crucial role in assembling functional amyloids.
Article Synopsis
- Amyloids, typically seen as harmful protein aggregates linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes, can also serve important biological functions in various systems.
- This review focuses on the role of functional amyloids in sexual reproduction, covering aspects like gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation, and fertilization.
- The study highlights that some of these reproductive amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across different species, including humans, and discusses how changes in these functional amyloids could potentially lead to pathology.
HIV-1 Vpu and CD4(372-433), a peptide comprising the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain of human CD4, were recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, uniformly labeled with 13C and 15N isotopes, and separately reconstituted into phospholipid bilayers. Highly resolved dipolar cross-polarization (CP)-based solid-state NMR spectra of the two transmembrane proteins were recorded under magic angle sample spinning. Partial assignment of 13C resonances was achieved.
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- The study investigates how electric fields influence cell migration, focusing on the initial responses of osteogenic cells to direct current electric fields (dcEFs), which are crucial for biological processes like development and regeneration.
- Rat calvarial and human SaOS-2 cells were exposed to strong and weak dcEFs, revealing that cell movement and shape changes depend on the voltage and time, with calvarial cells moving towards the cathode and SaOS-2 cells towards the anode.
- The findings highlight that increased intracellular calcium levels initiated by dcEFs are essential for directional migration, emphasizing the role of voltage-gated calcium channels in this process.