Nicastrin is the largest component of γ-secretase that is an intramembrane protease important in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Nicastrin contains a large extracellular domain, a single transmembrane (TM) domain, and a short C-terminus. Its TM domain is important for the γ-secretase complex formation. Here we report nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of the TM and C-terminal regions of human nicastrin in both sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles. Structural study and dynamic analysis reveal that the TM domain is largely helical and stable under both SDS and DPC micelles with its N-terminal region undergoing intermediate time scale motion. The TM helix contains a hydrophilic patch that is important for TM-TM interactions. The short C-terminus is not structured in solution and a region formed by residues V697-A702 interacts with the membrane, suggesting that these residues may play a role in the γ-secretase complex formation. Our study provides structural insight into the function of the nicastrin TM domain and the C-terminus in γ-secretase complex.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep19522 | DOI Listing |
Chemosphere
January 2025
Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.
Soil oil pollution is a major environmental issue, especially in oil-producing nations, as it threatens the health of plants, animals, and humans. While bioremediation has been extensively utilized as a cost-effective method for restoring oil-contaminated soil, its environmental impact has garnered relatively little attention. Researchers often concentrate on reducing pollutant concentrations below permissible limits to restore soil quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCarbohydr Res
January 2025
Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil. Electronic address:
Farnesol (FAR) belongs to terpenes group and is a sesquiterpene alcohol and a hydrophobic compound, which can be extracted from natural sources or obtained by organic chemical or biological synthesis. Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology allow the drawbacks of low drug solubility, which can improve the drug therapeutic index. Therefore, this study aimed to prepare the FAR inclusion complexes with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) through freeze-drying method, proposing their physicochemical characterization, comparing their toxicity, and evaluating their in vitro antibacterial activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal
January 2025
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology University of Pernambuco. Av. Gov. Agamenon Magalhães Santo Amaro, Recife - PE, CEP 50100-010, Brazil
Background: Sensory disorders of the inferior alveolar nerve, often arising from dental procedures, markedly impact the quality of life of patients. This article proposes a scoping review to analyze emerging trends in pharmacological treatment for these disorders, addressing scientific gaps and clinical practices.
Material And Methods: The review followed the PRISMA-ScR protocol, conducting data searches across various databases, including PubMed and Cochrane, until March 2024.
J Exp Bot
January 2025
Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Group A basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors play critical roles in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and plant development. In Arabidopsis thaliana, these factors are defined by a highly conserved core bZIP domain, and four conserved domains throughout their length: three at the N-terminus (C1 to C3) and a phosphorylatable C-terminal SAP motif located at the C4 domain. Initially, members such as ABI5 and ABFs were studied for their roles in ABA signaling during seed germination or stress responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Chem Soc
January 2025
Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
Complex coacervation is a form of liquid-liquid phase separation, whereby two types of macromolecules, usually bearing opposite net charges, self-assemble into dense microdroplets driven by weak molecular interactions. Peptide-based coacervates have recently emerged as promising carriers to deliver large macromolecules (nucleic acids, proteins and complex thereof) inside cells. Thus, it is essential to understand their assembly/disassembly mechanisms at the molecular level in order to tune the thermodynamics of coacervates formation and the kinetics of cargo release upon entering the cell.
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