Reentrant condensation of a multicomponent cola/milk system induced by polyphosphate.

Reentrant condensation (RC) is a protein behavior in which the protein solution shifts between the one- and two-phase state more than twice by increasing a single parameter. Although RC would be a candidate mechanism for the physicochemical design of food additives, no realistic model has been established under diverse contaminants like food materials. Here, we found that a mixture of cola and milk yielded RC.

Dynamics and interactions of intrinsically disordered proteins.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are widespread in eukaryotes and participate in a variety of important cellular processes. Numerous studies using state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods have advanced our understanding of IDPs and revealed that disordered regions engage in a large repertoire of intra- and intermolecular interactions through their conformational dynamics, thereby regulating many intracellular functions in concert with folded domains. The mechanisms by which IDPs interact with their partners are diverse, depending on their conformational propensities, and include induced fit, conformational selection, and their mixtures.

Rational peptide design for inhibition of the KIX-MLL interaction.

The kinase-inducible domain interacting (KIX) domain is an integral part of the general transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein, and has been associated with leukemia, cancer, and various viral diseases. Hence, the KIX domain has attracted considerable attention in drug discovery and development. Here, we rationally designed a KIX inhibitor using a peptide fragment corresponding to the transactivation domain (TAD) of the transcriptional activator, mixed-lineage leukemia protein (MLL).

A comparative study of unpasteurized and pasteurized frozen whole hen eggs using size-exclusion chromatography and small-angle X-ray scattering.

Hen eggs are rich in proteins and are an important source of protein for humans. Pasteurized frozen whole hen eggs are widely used in cooking and confectionery and can be stored for long periods. However, processed eggs differ from raw eggs in properties such as viscosity, foaming ability, and thermal aggregation.

Intron-Encoded Domain of Herstatin, An Autoinhibitor of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors, Is Intrinsically Disordered.

Human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER/ERBB) form dimers that promote cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, but overexpression of HER proteins results in cancer. Consequently, inhibitors of HER dimerization may function as effective antitumor drugs. An alternatively spliced variant of HER2, called herstatin, is an autoinhibitor of HER proteins, and the intron 8-encoded 79-residue domain of herstatin, called Int8, binds HER family receptors even in isolation.

Rational design of a helical peptide inhibitor targeting c-Myb-KIX interaction.

The transcription factor c-Myb promotes the proliferation of hematopoietic cells by interacting with the KIX domain of CREB-binding protein; however, its aberrant expression causes leukemia. Therefore, inhibitors of the c-Myb-KIX interaction are potentially useful as antitumor drugs. Since the intrinsically disordered transactivation domain (TAD) of c-Myb binds KIX via a conformational selection mechanism where helix formation precedes binding, stabilizing the helical structure of c-Myb TAD is expected to increase the KIX-binding affinity.