Alpha helical membrane proteins are the targets for many pharmaceutical drugs and play important roles in physiology and disease processes. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in determining their atomic structure using X-ray crystallography. However, a major bottleneck still remains; the identification of conditions that give crystals that are suitable for structure determination. Over the past 10 years we have been analysing the crystallisation conditions reported for alpha helical membrane proteins with the aim to facilitate a rational approach to the design and implementation of successful crystallisation screens. The result has been the development of MemGold, MemGold2 and the additive screen MemAdvantage. The associated analysis, summarised and updated in this chapter, has revealed a number of surprisingly successfully strategies for crystallisation and detergent selection.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-35072-1_5 | DOI Listing |
Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, Bld. 40, Moscow 119992, Russia.
Artificial peptides P4, A1 and A4 are homologous to amphipathic α-helical fragments of the influenza virus M1 protein. P4 and A4 contain the cholesterol recognition sequence CARC, which is absent in A1. As shown previously, P4 and A4 but not A1 have cytotoxic effects on some eukaryotic and bacterial cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroorganisms
January 2025
CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal.
The intensification of aquaculture has escalated disease outbreaks and overuse of antibiotics, driving the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide a promising alternative due to their rapid, broad-spectrum activity, low AMR risk, and additional bioactivities, including immunomodulatory, anticancer, and antifouling properties. AMPs derived from aquatic invertebrates, particularly marine-derived, are well-suited for aquaculture, offering enhanced stability in high-salinity environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntibiotics (Basel)
January 2025
Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Campus JK, Diamantina 39100-000, MG, Brazil.
This study investigates the structural and biophysical properties of the wild-type antimicrobial peptide LyeTx I, isolated from the venom of the spider , and its analog LyeTx I-b, designed to enhance antibacterial activity, selectivity, and membrane interactions by the acetylation and increased amphipathicty. : To understand the mechanisms behind these enhanced properties, comparative analyses of the structural, topological, biophysical, and thermodynamic aspects of the interactions between each peptide and phospholipid bilayers were evaluated. Both peptides were isotopically labeled with H-Ala and N-Leu to facilitate structural studies via NMR spectroscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiology (Basel)
December 2024
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, 8050 Ikarashi 2 No-Cho, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan.
Public acceptance of genetically modified crops engineered with (Bt) insecticidal protein genes (BT-GMCs), which confer resistance to various lepidopteran insect pests, is generally lacking. As a major concern over BT-GMCs is the allergenicity of insecticidal proteins, alleviating safety concerns should help increase public acceptance. In this study, three lepidopteran-specific Bt toxins, Cry1Aa, Cy1Ab, and Cry1Ac, were treated with simulated digestive fluids under various conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Phys
March 2024
Department of Physics, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, United States.
The stability of proteins and small peptides depends on the way they interact with the surrounding water molecules. For small peptides, such as -helical polyalanine (polyALA), water molecules can weaken the intramolecular hydrogen-bonds (HB) formed between the peptide backbone O and NH groups which are responsible for the -helix structure. Here, we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the hydration of polyALA, polyserine (polySER), and other homopolymer peptide -helices at different temperatures and pressures.
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