Importance of individual residues in hydrophobic patch PLVIVGL (1481-1487) in FV-Short for synergistic TFPIα cofactor activity with protein S, an alanine-scanning study: AlphaFold-mediated prediction of FV-Short/TFPIα/protein S trimolecular complex structure.

Background: In the splice variant factor (F)V-Short, 702 residues are deleted from the B domain, resulting in exposure of an acid region (AR2; 1493-1537) that binds TFPIα. FV-Short and protein S serve as synergistic TFPIα cofactors in inhibition of FXa. In the preAR2 region, a hydrophobic patch PLVIVGL (1481-1487) is crucial for synergistic TFPIα-cofactor activity and assembly of FV-Short, TFPIα, and protein S.

Structure prediction analysis of human core TIM23 complex reveals conservation of the protein translocation mechanism.

The majority of mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus, translated on cytosolic ribosomes, and subsequently targeted to the mitochondrial surface. Their further import into the organelle is facilitated by highly specialized protein translocases. Mitochondrial precursor proteins that are destined to the mitochondrial matrix and, to some extent, the inner membrane, utilize translocase of the inner membrane (TIM23).

Structural insight into the ZFAND1-p97 interaction involved in stress granule clearance.

Arsenite-induced stress granule (SG) formation can be cleared by the ubiquitin-proteasome system aided by the ATP-dependent unfoldase p97. ZFAND1 participates in this pathway by recruiting p97 to trigger SG clearance. ZFAND1 contains two An1-type zinc finger domains (ZF1 and ZF2), followed by a ubiquitin-like domain (UBL); but their structures are not experimentally determined.

Development of AAV-delivered broadly neutralizing anti-human ACE2 antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The ongoing evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), resulting in the emergence of new variants that are resistant to existing vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, has raised the need for novel strategies to combat the persistent global COVID-19 epidemic. In this study, a monoclonal anti-human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) antibody, ch2H2, was isolated and humanized to block the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) binding to hACE2, the major entry receptor of SARS-CoV-2. This antibody targets the RBD-binding site on the N terminus of hACE2 and has a high binding affinity to outcompete the RBD.

In situ structure and dynamics of an alphacoronavirus spike protein by cryo-ET and cryo-EM.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a highly contagious swine disease caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). PED causes enteric disorders with an exceptionally high fatality in neonates, bringing substantial economic losses in the pork industry. The trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein of PEDV is responsible for virus-host recognition, membrane fusion, and is the main target for vaccine development and antigenic analysis.

Impacts of Cancer-associated Mutations on the Structure-Activity Relationship of BAP1.

BRAC1 associated protein-1 (BAP1) is a major tumor suppressor involved in many cancers. The deubiquitinase (DUB) activity of BAP1 is essential for its nuclear localization, histone remodeling and proteostasis associated with mitochondrial calcium flux. Loss of the DUB activity due to catalytic mutations within the ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH) domain of BAP1 (BAP1-UCH) directly contributes to oncogenesis.

WaterMap-Guided Structure-Based Virtual Screening for Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors.

Structure-based virtual screening of the Enamine database of 1.7 million compounds followed by WaterMap calculations (a molecular-dynamics-simulation-based method) was applied to identify novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The inhibitory potency of 29 selected compounds against electric eel (ee) AChE was determined using Ellman's method.

Direct Visualization of a 26 kDa Protein by Cryo-Electron Microscopy Aided by a Small Scaffold Protein.

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)-based structure determination of small proteins is hindered by the technical challenges associated with low signal-to-noise ratios of their particle images in intrinsically noisy micrographs. One solution is to attach the target protein to a large protein scaffold to increase its apparent size and, therefore, image contrast. Here we report a novel scaffold design based on a trimeric helical protein, ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), fused to human ubiquitin.

Cryo-EM analysis of a feline coronavirus spike protein reveals a unique structure and camouflaging glycans.

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is an alphacoronavirus that causes a nearly 100% mortality rate without effective treatment. Here we report a 3.3-Å cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the serotype I FIPV spike (S) protein, which is responsible for host recognition and viral entry.

Application of Raman spectroscopy for direct analysis of Carlina acanthifolia subsp. utzka root essential oil.

Carlina genus plants e.g. Carlina acanthifolia subsp.

Positive allosteric modulators of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors affect neither the function of other ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels and acetylcholinesterase, nor β-amyloid content.

The activity of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), including 3-furan-2-yl-N-p-tolyl-acrylamide (PAM-2), 3-furan-2-yl-N-o-tolylacrylamide (PAM-3), and 3-furan-2-yl-N-phenylacrylamide (PAM-4), was tested on a variety of ligand- [i.e., human (h) α7, rat (r) α9α10, hα3-containing AChRs, mouse (m) 5-HT3AR, and several glutamate receptors (GluRs)] and voltage-gated (i.

The comparison study of bioactivity between composites containing synthetic non-substituted and carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite.

Apatite forming ability of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and carbonate hydroxyapatite (CHAP) containing composites was compared. Two composite materials, intended for filling bone defects, were made of polysaccharide polymer and one of two types of hydroxyapatite. The bioactivity of the composites was evaluated in vitro by soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF), and the formation of the apatite layer was determined by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometer and Raman spectroscopy.

Determination of affinity and efficacy of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors using isothermal titration calorimetry.

Background: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme rapidly terminating nerve signals at synapses of cholinergic neurons is an important drug target in treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related memory loss conditions. Here we present comprehensive use of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) for investigation of AChE kinetics and AChE-inhibitor interactions.

Methods: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.

Isothermal titration calorimetry in membrane protein research.

Isothermal titration calorimetry is a versatile method to characterize energetics of intermolecular reactions and in particular interactions between drug molecules and their macromolecular targets. The assay is widely used in medicinal chemistry to quantification and characterization of molecular mechanisms of these interactions. The article reviews applications of the method to study ligand interactions with various classes of embedded membrane proteins.

Synthesis and properties of a newly obtained sorbent based on silica gel coated with a polyaniline film as the stationary phase for non-suppressed ion chromatography.

The new sorbent for non-suppressed ion chromatography based on silica gel coated with a film of polyaniline (PANI) was obtained in a process of in situ polymerization of aniline by oxidation with ammonium peroxydisulfate. Raman analyses performed using a Thermo Scientific DXR confocal Raman Microscope equipped with the Omnic 8 software from Thermo Fisher Scientific have proved a uniform distribution of PANI on the surface of chromatographic beads and in the pores of the particle. The obtained stationary phase was packed into a stainless steel HPLC column.