A novel Emericella nidulans endo-β-1,4-galactanase (EnGAL) demonstrates a strong capacity to generate high levels of very potent prebiotic oligosaccharides from potato pulp, a by-product of the agricultural potato-starch industry. EnGAL belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 53 and shows high (72.5%) sequence identity to an endo-β-1,4-galactanase from Aspergillus aculeatus. Diffraction data extending to 2.0 Å resolution were collected from a crystal of EnGAL grown from conditions containing 0.2 M zinc acetate. The crystal structure showed a high similarity between EnGAL and other endo-β-1,4-galactanases belonging to GH53. It also revealed 15 zinc ions bound to the protein, one of which is located in the active site, where it is coordinated by residues Glu136 and Glu246 which comprise the catalytic machinery. The majority of the zinc ions are located on the surface of the enzyme, in some cases with side chains from two different molecules as ligands, thus explaining why the presence of zinc ions was essential for crystallization.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/S1744309113019714 | DOI Listing |
Biol Res
January 2025
Clinical Research Development Unit of Tabriz Valiasr Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Fluoride (F), as a natural element found in a wide range of sources such as water and certain foods, has been proven to be beneficial in preventing dental caries, but concerns have been raised regarding its potential deleterious effects on overall health. Sodium fluoride (NaF), another form of F, has the ability to accumulate in reproductive organs and interfere with hormonal regulation and oxidative stress pathways, contributing to reproductive toxicity. While the exact mechanisms of F-induced reproductive toxicity are not fully understood, this review aims to elucidate the mechanisms involved in testicular and ovarian injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Colloid Interface Sci
April 2025
State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address:
Conventional light-driven antimicrobial strategies of zinc oxide (ZnO) are limited by inadequate illumination in dark environments. In this study, carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (MCNC) mediated flower-like ZnO (C@Z) with self-promoted reactive oxygen species release under dark is fabricated. The adsorption of Zn ions on MCNC prompts the growth of ZnO along the (002) crystal plane, forming a flower-like hybrid with superior dispersibility and oxygen vacancies compared to MCNC-free ZnO, which exposes the (100) plane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Colloid Interface Sci
January 2025
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 PR China. Electronic address:
Although MXenes have attracted significant attention across diverse fields, they exhibit a pronounced susceptibility to oxidation in aqueous environments, with oxidation significantly accelerated in the presence of transition metal ions (TMI) such as Fe and Cu. This limitation impedes the synthesis of transition metal compounds/MXene-based composites and their potential for functional applications. In this study, we elucidate the mechanism of accelerated oxidation of TiCT is that Fe promotes the electron loss in TiCT, thus leading to an increased production of hydroxyl radicals (OH) to oxidize TiCT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlants (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 8 Dragan Tsankov Bul., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Microalgae offer a promising alternative for heavy metal removal, and the search for highly efficient strains is ongoing. This study investigated the potential of two microalgae, sp. BGV (Chlorophyta) and Schwabe & Simonsen (Cyanoprokaryota), to bind zinc ions (Zn⁺) and protect higher plants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymers (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Chemical Engineering, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 144011, Punjab, India.
Antimicrobial polymeric coatings rely not only on their surface functionalities but also on nanoparticles (NPs). Antimicrobial coatings gain their properties from the addition of NPs into a polymeric matrix. NPs that have been used include metal-based NPs, metal oxide NPs, carbon-based nanomaterials, and organic NPs.
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