Protegrin 1 (PG-1) is a naturally occurring cationic antimicrobial peptide that is 18 residues long, has an aminated carboxy terminus and contains two disulphide bridges. Here, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of PG-1 and three linear analogues. Then, the membrane permeabilisation induced by these peptides was studied upon Xenopus laevis oocytes by electrophysiological methods. From the results obtained, we concluded that protegrin is able to form anion channels. Moreover, it seems clear that the presence of disulphide bridges is a prerequisite for the pore formation at the membrane level and not for the antimicrobial activity.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0014-5793(96)00236-0 | DOI Listing |
J Biol Chem
January 2025
Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address:
Mitochondria derive the majority of their lipids from other organelles through contact sites. These lipids, primarily phosphoglycerolipids, are the main components of mitochondrial membranes. In the cell, neutral lipids like triacylglycerides (TAGs) are stored in lipid droplets, playing an important role in maintaining cellular health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Physiol
January 2025
Plant Protection Institute, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, IPM Innovation Center of Hebei Province, International Science and Technology Joint Research Center on IPM of Hebei Province, Baoding, China.
Background: (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major soybean pest throughout East Asia that relies on its advanced olfactory system for the perception of plant-derived volatile compounds and aggregation pheromones for conspecific and host plant localization. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) facilitate the transport of odorant compounds across the sensillum lymph within the insect olfactory system, enabling their interaction with odorant receptors (ORs).
Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses, fluorescence-based competitive binding assays, and molecular docking analyses were applied to assess the expression and ligand-binding properties of OBP38 from .
Int J Biol Macromol
January 2025
Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana (UH), 25(th) Street, corner to J Street. Square of Revolution, Havana 10400. Cuba; NanoCancer, Molecular Immunology Center (CIM), 216 Street, corner to 15 Street, Playa, Havana 11600, Cuba. Electronic address:
Gene expression manipulation is pivotal in therapeutic approaches for various diseases. Non-viral delivery systems present a safer alternative to viral vectors, with reduced immunogenicity and toxicity. However, their effectiveness in promoting endosomal escape, a crucial step in gene transfer, remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Chem
January 2025
Microbial Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address:
Auranofin is an inhibitor of human thioredoxin reductase, clinically used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. More recently, it has been shown to possess strong antibacterial activity. Despite the structural dissimilarity and the independent evolutionary origins of human thioredoxin reductase and its bacterial counterpart (TrxB), inhibition of bacterial thioredoxin reductase is often suggested to be a major factor in auranofin's antibacterial mode of action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
January 2025
Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, L7.07.07, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein's membrane-binding domain bridges the viral and host cell membrane, a critical step in triggering membrane fusion. Here, we investigate how the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts with host cell membranes, focusing on a membrane-binding peptide (MBP) located near the TMPRSS2 cleavage site. Through in vitro and computational studies, we examine both primed (TMPRSS2-cleaved) and unprimed versions of the MBP, as well as the influence of its conserved disulfide bridge on membrane binding.
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