Self-Organization Dynamics of Collagen-like Peptides Crosslinking Is Driven by Rose-Bengal-Mediated Electrostatic Bridges.

The present work focuses on the computational study of the structural micro-organization of hydrogels based on collagen-like peptides (CLPs) in complex with Rose Bengal (RB). In previous studies, these hydrogels computationally and experimentally demonstrated that when RB was activated by green light, it could generate forms of stable crosslinked structures capable of regenerating biological tissues such as the skin and cornea. Here, we focus on the structural and atomic interactions of two collagen-like peptides (collagen-like peptide I (CLPI), and collagen-like peptide II, (CLPII)) in the presence and absence of RB, highlighting the acquired three-dimensional organization and going deep into the stabilization effect caused by the dye.

Molecular rotors as reporters for viscosity of solutions of collagen like peptides.

We have studied the suitability of using a molecular rotor-based steady-state fluorometric assay for evaluating changes in both the conformation and the viscosity of collagen-like peptide solutions. Our results indicate that a positive charge incorporated on the hydrophobic tail of the BODIPY molecular rotor favours the dye specificity as a reporter for viscosity of these solutions.

PPI-MASS: An Interactive Web Server to Identify Protein-Protein Interactions From Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Data.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods are widely used to identify and quantify protein complexes involved in diverse biological processes. Specifically, tandem mass spectrometry methods represent an accurate and sensitive strategy for identifying protein-protein interactions. However, most of these approaches provide only lists of peptide fragments associated with a target protein, without performing further analyses to discriminate physical or functional protein-protein interactions.

TMPRSS11a is a novel age-altered, tissue specific regulator of migration and wound healing.

Aging is a gradual biological process characterized by a decrease in cellular and organism functions. Aging-related processes involve changes in the expression and activity of several proteins. Here, we identified the transmembrane protease serine 11a (TMPRSS11a) as a new age-specific protein that plays an important role in skin wound healing.

Structural Determinants of the Dopamine Transporter Regulation Mediated by G Proteins.

Dopamine clearance in the brain is controlled by the dopamine transporter (DAT), a protein residing in the plasma membrane, which drives reuptake of extracellular dopamine into presynaptic neurons. Studies have revealed that the βγ subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins modulate DAT function through a physical association with the C-terminal region of the transporter. Regulation of neurotransmitter transporters by Gβγ subunits is unprecedented in the literature; therefore, it is interesting to investigate the structural details of this particular protein-protein interaction.

Light-Activated Peptide-Based Materials for Sutureless Wound Closure.

Using chemically modified extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen, in combination with light for tissue bonding reduces inflammation and minimizes scarring. However, full length animal or recombinant human collagen proteins are difficult to isolate/produce. Thus, short biomimetic collagen peptides with properties equivalent to collagen at both structural and functional levels may be ideal building blocks for the development of remotely triggered adhesives and fillers.