Measuring functional similarity of lncRNAs based on variable K-mer profiles of nucleotide sequences.

Long non-coding RNAs are a class of essential non-coding RNAs with a length of more than 200 nts. Recent studies have indicated that lncRNAs have various complex regulatory functions, which play great impacts on many fundamental biological processes. However, measuring the functional similarity between lncRNAs by traditional wet-experiments is time-consuming and labor intensive, computational-based approaches have been an effective choice to tackle this problem.

Expression, purification and characterization of a recombinant antimicrobial peptide Hispidalin in Pichia pastoris.

Hispidalin is a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from the seeds of Benincasa hispida and is reported to have broad antimicrobial activity against various bacterial and fungal pathogens. To produce significant amounts of Hispidalin, a recombinant Hispidalin with an N-terminal 6 × His tag and an enterokinase sequence, for the first time, was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli or Pichia pastoris cell factory. Results showed that the E.

Efficient production of a recombinant Venerupis philippinarum defensin (VpDef) in Pichia pastoris and characterization of its antibacterial activity and stability.

VpDef is a novel defensin isolated from the clam Venerupis philippinarum. Previously it was expressed in Escherichia coli; however, the E. coli-derived recombinant VpDef did not show effective antimicrobial activity against Staphyloccocus aureus or the Gram-negative bacteria tested.