Influence of Magnesium Ions and Crowding Agents on Structure and Stability of RNA Aptamers.

Aptamers bind to their targets with exceptional affinity and specificity. However, their intracellular application is hampered by the lack of knowledge about the effect of the cellular milieu on the RNA structure/stability. In this study, cellular crowding was mimicked using polyethylene glycol (PEG), and the crucial role of Mg ions in stabilizing the structure of an RNA aptamer was investigated.

Pleiotropic Function of Cellular Prion Protein: Encompassing Endoplasmic-Reticulum Stress, Cell Proliferation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Cellular prion protein (PRNP) has been implicated in various physiological processes in different cell types, for decades. Little has been known how PRNP functions in multiple, yet related processes within a particular system. In our current study, with the aid of high-throughput RNA-sequencing technique, we have presented an overall transcriptome profile of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) with Prnp knockdown.

Corrigendum: Interplay of various evolutionary modes in genome diversification and adaptive evolution of the family .

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.

Ellagic Acid Induces DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Cancer Stem-like Cells and Overcomes Cisplatin Resistance.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for chemoresistance and tumor relapse in many solid malignancies, including lung and ovarian cancer. Ellagic acid (EA), a natural polyphenol, exhibits anticancer effects on various human malignancies. However, its impact and mechanism of action on cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) are only partially understood.

Isolation, Characterization, In Vitro and In Silico Assessment of Undescribed Bioactive Constituents from L. Heartwood.

heartwood is well acknowledged for its medicinal properties and use in the furniture and handicraft industries. Owing to its medicinal properties, the present investigation aims to isolate and characterize the secondary metabolites from the heartwood. The investigation led to the isolation of one undescribed dehydropterocarpan and eleven known compounds.

Evaluation of gum odina/carbopol composite mucoadhesive hydrogel on pharmaceutical performance: Focusing on potential periodontal treatment.

Antimicrobial buccal hydrogel made of polymers have gained tremendous utilisation in biomedical field. Dual drug loaded, porous materials are important areas of research for medical and pharmaceutical industries. In this regard, a series of hydrogels (F1, F2, F3) were prepared with gum odina and carbopol 940 in aqueous solution with calcium chloride as the cross linker and glycerol as plasticizer by ionotropic gelation method.

Antibacterial and safe chitosan-graphene hydrogel films: a promising nanotherapeutic for wound infections.

Pathogenic bacterial growth at wound sites, particularly , poses a serious threat during trauma. Delayed treatment can lead to increased inflammation and severe tissue damage. In this study, a chitosan cross-linked polycationic peptide-conjugated graphene-silver (CGrAP) nanocomposite hydrogel film was developed as an antibacterial wound dressing to treat infections.

Preparation and characterization of mangiferin-loaded polylactic acid nanofiber mat with antioxidant and anti-browning properties for the development of food packaging products.

In this study, antioxidant nanofiber-based food packaging material composed of polylactic acid (PLA) and mangiferin (MG) was produced to reduce food spoilage. To this end, MG was extracted from Mangifera indica and chemically characterized. In vitro assays for scavenging several radical ions showed excellent antioxidant properties of MG.

Encage the Carcinogens: A Metal-"Organic Cage" Framework for Efficient Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Removal From Water.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic and persistent organic pollutants in water. Their removal is highly challenging for existing generic and nonspecific adsorbents, creating an urgent need for tailored solutions. Herein, a metal-"organic cage" framework, MOF-CC-1, designed for the effective scavenging of PAHs from water is is introduced.

Semaphorins and its receptors: Emerging cellular biomarkers and therapeutic targets in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Semaphorins have been discovered to play an array of roles in immune regulation, especially in the complex field of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Originally discovered for their critical role in directing axon growth during brain development, semaphores have since been shown to have versatile actions. They are distinguished by a conserved extracellular sema domain with a 7-blade beta propeller structure.

A TEMPO-N Complex Enables the Electrochemical C-H Azidation of N-Heterocycles through the Cleavage of Alkoxyamines.

A TEMPO-N charge-transfer complex enables the electrochemical C-H azidation of various N-heterocycles. The TEMPO ion, generated from TEMPO, assists in producing N by forming a TEMPO-N complex with N . The formation of this complex is supported by UV-vis absorption spectra, cyclic voltammetry studies, and ESI-HRMS studies.

Discovery of gallic acid-based mitochondriotropic antioxidant attenuates LPS-induced neuroinflammation.

Mitochondria are complex organelle that plays a pivotal role in energy metabolism, regulation of stress responses, and also serve as a major hub for biosynthetic processes. In addition to their well-established function in cellular energetics, it also serves as the primary site for the origin of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), which function as signaling molecules and can lead to oxidative stress when generated in excess. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the leading cause of neuroinflammation.

Generation of Functional Neurons from Mesenchymal Stem Cells Using Neural Differentiator and Engineered Peptide Hydrogel: Potential Therapeutic Lead for Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) cause multifaceted disruption in the neural network, initiate huge inflammation processes, and form glial scars that result in severe damage to the brain. Thus, the treatment of TBI is a challenging task. To address this challenge, a newer and innovative approach is extremely important to develop a successful therapeutic strategy.

Chiral Self-Assembly of a Pyrene-Appended Glutamylalanine Dipeptide and Its Charge Transfer Complex: Fabrication of Magneto-Responsive Hydrogels and Human Cell Imaging.

The formation of a robust, self-healing hydrogel of a novel pyrene-appended dipeptide, Py-E-A (L-Glutamic acid short as E; L-Alanine short as A) is demonstrated. Detailed studies suggest that nanoscopic fibers with a length of several micrometers have formed by chiral self-organization of Py-E-A gelators. Additionally, live human PBMCs imaging is shown using the Py-E-A fluorophore.

Dengue virus NS1 leads to downregulation of HNF4 alpha in liver cells resulting in a decrease in coagulation factors I, V, X, and XIII, contributing to coagulopathy.

Unlabelled: Dengue virus NS1 protein is a major pathogenic protein. In this study, we examined the role of NS1 in coagulopathy associated with Dengue infection, a common feature of Dengue virus pathogenesis. Since most coagulation factors are produced by hepatocytes and liver is key organ affected during infection, we conducted transcriptomics using total-RNA extracted from Huh7 cells overexpressing NS1 protein.

Metal-free synthesis of N-fused quinazolino-quinazoline-diones as a RNA triple helix intercalator.

The development of chemical scaffolds that target highly conserved RNA received attention due to its significance in splicing, nuclear organization, and gene expression in disease progression pathways. Here, we synthesized a series of N-fused quinazolino-quinazoline-diones a PIDA-induced C-N coupling methodology to target . Interestingly, compound 2z binds to the UUG pocket of a RNA triple-helix through intercalation, evidenced from molecular docking studies, fluorescence-based assay and CD experiments.

Optimizing ultrasonication-assisted comprehensive extraction of bioactive flavonoids from Pterocarpus santalinus leaves using response surface methodology.

The leaves of Pterocarpus santalinus have been identified as a good source of health-beneficial flavonoids through the amalgamation of untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-ESI-MS leading to the identification of flavone-glycosides bearing isorhamnetin and quercetin skeletons. To unveil the optimum ultrasonication extraction conditions required for the comprehensive extraction of major flavone-glycosides, isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-(2-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)glucopyranoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, the response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design was adopted. The influence of input extraction parameters extraction time (X): 15-45 min, temperature (X): 40-60 °C and biomass-solvent ratio (X): 60-100 on the extractive yield and comprehensive flavonoid content resulted in the optimal conditions as 19.

A chemoselective hydroxycarbonylation and C-labeling of aryl diazonium salts using formic acid as the C-1 source.

We report a one-pot synthesis of aryl carboxylic acids utilizing HCOOH as a CO surrogate with low Pd-catalyst loading. This operationally simple and scalable method does not require use of a high-pressure reactor, two-chamber reaction vessel, phosphine ligand, or base and proceeds in a relatively short amount of time at ambient temperature. Notably, halides, including iodo and bromo groups, and nitro groups remain intact under these mild reaction conditions.

MACI: A machine learning-based approach to identify drug classes of antibiotic resistance genes from metagenomic data.

Novel methodologies are now essential for identification of antibiotic resistant pathogens in order to resist them. Here, we are presenting a model, MACI (Machine learning-based Antibiotic resistance gene-specific drug Class Identification) that can take metagenomic fragments as input and predict the drug class of antibiotic resistant genes. In our study, we trained a model using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database, containing 5138 representative sequences across 134 drug classes.

Mutational and evolutionary dynamics of non-structural and spike proteins from variants of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2 in India.

Monitoring the genetic diversity and emerging mutations in SARS-CoV-2 remains crucial for understanding its evolution, given the virus's persistence in India. This study analyzes lineage dynamics, mutation screening, structural analysis, and phylodynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) in India from October 2020 to September 2023. The predominant variants identified were alpha, beta, delta, and omicron, with delta and omicron making up 76.

Leishmania protein KMP-11 modulates cholesterol transport and membrane fluidity to facilitate host cell invasion.

The first step of successful infection by any intracellular pathogen relies on its ability to invade its host cell membrane. However, the detailed structural and molecular understanding underlying lipid membrane modification during pathogenic invasion remains unclear. In this study, we show that a specific Leishmania donovani (LD) protein, KMP-11, forms oligomers that bridge LD and host macrophage (MΦ) membranes.

Biofilm Microenvironment-Sensitive Anti-Virulent and Immunomodulatory Nano-on-Nanodroplets to Combat Refractory Biofilm Infection Through Toxin Neutralization and Phagocytosis.

Biofilm-associated wound infection is principally perceived as the bacterial defense mechanism that hinders antibiotic penetration, causes toxin impairment, and suppresses the immunological responses of the host immune system. Several antibiofilm agents have been developed, but the least of these agents can simultaneously cornerstone on the biofilm-associated immunosuppression and bacterial toxin-induced cellular dysfunction. Inspired by the fusogenic property of nanodroplets and immunomodulatory functions of metal nanoparticles, biofilm targeted anti-virulent immunomodulatory cationic nanoparticle shelled nanodroplets (C-AgND) is fabricated to completely disintegrate and eradicate the Staphylococcus aureus (S.

An elegant approach for the synthesis of multisubstituted imidazole FeCl/SiO catalyzed activation of acetals: a photophysical study of an imidazole-carbazole hybrid.

A simple and solvent-free catalytic system was developed for the direct conversion of multisubstituted imidazoles through the reaction of acetals and benzils with ammonium acetate/amines as the source of nitrogen. The reaction occurred under mild and benign conditions using FeCl/SiO as a heterogeneous catalyst without the requirement of any toxic organic solvents. The easy preparation and recyclability of the catalyst allows the reaction to be simple and highly efficient, resulting in very good yields of imidazoles.

Studies of Protein Phase Separation Using Leishmania Kinetoplastid Membrane Protein-11.

Despite the significant understanding of phase separation in proteins with intrinsically disordered regions, a considerable percentage of proteins without such regions also undergo phase separation, presenting an intriguing area for ongoing research across all kingdoms of life. Using a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, we report here for the first time that a low temperature and low pH can trigger the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of a parasitic protein, kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11). Electrostatic and hydrophobic forces are found to be essential for the formation and stability of phase-separated protein assemblies.