Backbone modifications have been introduced into the melanoma derived peptide MART-1(27-35) to increase its binding to class I major histocompatibility complex HLA-A2 molecule, and ultimately to enhance its immunogenicity. Each analogue was obtained by replacing one peptide bond at a time in the natural epitope by the aminomethylene (CH2-NH) surrogate. All analogues displayed an increased resistance to proteolysis. Interestingly, the comparative results showed that five analogues bound more efficiently to HLA-A2 than the parent peptide. On the other hand, two pseudopeptide/HLA-A2 complexes were recognized by one melanoma-specific T cell clone. Close examination of the impact of such modifications at the molecular level provides useful supports for the rational design of stable compounds with applications in anti-tumour specific immunotherapy and in vaccine development.
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Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol
February 2025
State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China.
P-clusters have been statistically analysed using the bond-valence sum (BVS) method together with weighting schemes. The crystallographic data come from the VFe proteins deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) with high resolutions of better than 1.35 Å.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtein Sci
February 2025
Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The chemokine XC motif chemokine ligand 1 (XCL1) is an unusually specialized member of a conserved family of around 50 small, secreted proteins that are best known for their ability to stimulate the directional migration of cells. All chemokines adopt a very similar folded structure that binds a specific G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), and most chemokines bind extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans, often in a dimeric or oligomeric form. Owing in part to the lack of a disulfide bond that is conserved in all other chemokines, XCL1 interconverts between two distinct structures with distinct functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochemistry
January 2025
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
In the wake of the pandemic, peptidyl protease inhibitors with Pro-based rigid Leu mimetics at the P position have emerged as potent drug candidates against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. This success is intuitively attributed to the enhanced hydrophobic interactions and rigidity of Pro-based rigid Leu mimetics in the literature. However, the tertiary amide of proline P derivatives, which hinders the formation of a critical hydrogen bond with the enzyme active site, and the constrained PP conformation, which contradicts the protease preferred β-strand conformation, represent two overlooked disadvantages associated with these inhibitors over traditional inhibitors and, theoretically, should adversely affect their potency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChem Asian J
January 2025
Indian Institute of Science, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, 560 012, Bangalore, INDIA.
Intracellular delivery of proteins is an important barrier in the development of strategies to deliver functional proteins and protein therapeutics into the cells to realize their full potential in biotechnology, biomedicine, cell-based therapies, and gene editing protein systems. Most of the intracellular protein delivery strategies involve the conjugation of cell penetrating peptides to enable and enhance the permeability of plasma membrane of mammalian cells to allow proteins to enter cytosol. Small molecules conjugations such as (p-methylphenyl) glycine, pyrenebutyrate and cysteines are used for the same purpose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Prod Rep
January 2025
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, 400715 Chongqing, China.
Covering: up to August 2024Macrolides, the core skeletons of numerous marketed drugs and bioactive natural products, have garnered considerable scientific interest owing to their structural diversity and broad spectrum of pharmaceutical activities. The formation of intramolecular ester bonds is a critical biocatalytic step in constructing macrolide skeletons. Here, we summarised enzymatic ester bond formation strategies in fungal polyketide (PK)-type, nonribosomal peptide (NRP)-type, and PK-NRP hybrid-type macrolides.
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