PDI抑制α-synuclein纤维化聚集作用机制研究

天然无结构蛋白?-synuclein在帕金森症(PD)患者脑部的路易小体中异常聚集,被认为是引起PD的重要原因之一,但是目前关于?-synuclein的聚集机制仍没有定论.蛋白质二硫键异构酶(PDI)是细胞内质网中重要的分子伴侣蛋白,能够阻止内质网中无结构蛋白的聚集.在PD患者的脑细胞内发现PDI过量表达,且酶活性位点半胱氨酸被亚硝基化使其活性受到抑制.体外实验证明,PDI能够抑制?-synuclein的聚集,但其具体的分子机制还不清楚,研究PDI抑制?-synuclein聚集的具体机制可能对于PD治疗有重要意义.该文利用核磁共振(NMR)方法研究了?-synuclein与PDI的相互作用,发现?-synuclein与PDI的结合位点位于?-synuclein的N端;将PDI所有的6个半胱氨酸突变成丝氨酸,得到突变体PDI C-S,发现?-synuclein与PDI C-S的结合位点则位于其C末端;荧光实验结果表明突变体PDI C-S对?-synuclein纤维化聚集的抑制作用减弱,说明PDI抑制?-synuclein的纤维化聚集主要是通过与?-synuclein的N端残基结合来实现的.     

High-resolution solid-state 119Sn and 195Pt NMR studies of MPtSn semiconductors (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Th)

Solid-state 119Sn and 195Pt magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra are reported on a series of MPtSn compounds (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Th). In favorable cases (TiPtSn and ZrPtSn) the spectra reveal expected J-coupling patterns originating from indirect spin coupling between Pt and Sn nuclei. MAS has no effect on the broad and asymmetric spectra of either 119Sn and 195Pt nuclei in HfPtSn.     

Fibrinogen-β-Estradiol Binding Studied by Fluorescence Spectroscopy: Denaturation and pH Effects

Fibrinogen is a blood plasma protein that plays a crucial role in hemostasis. It is known that erythrocyte aggregation increases in the presence of fibrinogen, and that β-estradiol decreases erythrocyte aggregation with a constant fibrinogen concentration. In this work, we have used intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence to obtain information on the conformational changes of fibrinogen upon the recently proposed interaction with β-estradiol. To evaluate the effect on the conformational changes during fibrinogen-β-estradiol binding, fluorescence experiments were performed using guanidine hydrochloride (0–6 M) as denaturant, at different pH values. The results obtained for pH 6.5 and 8.0 showed no effect during the binding. The main differences were observed between pH 4.2 and 7.4, in the absence and in the presence of two different denaturant concentrations (1 and 5 M). A red shift of the fluorescence emission from 344 to 354 nm is observed when denaturant concentration is above 3 M for all studied pH values. This phenomenon may be explained by the loss of compact structure of the protein in the presence of denaturant, with tryptophan residues exposure to the aqueous environment and alteration of fibrinogen-β-estradiol binding. These results demonstrate that the binding sites of fibrinogen are strongly dependent on the conformational state of the protein.     

Competition between folding and aggregation in a model for protein solutions

We study the thermodynamic and kinetic consequences of the competition between single-protein folding and protein-protein aggregation using a phenomenological model, in which the proteins can be in the unfolded (U), misfolded (M) or folded (F) states. The phase diagram shows the coexistence between a phase with aggregates of misfolded proteins and a phase of isolated proteins (U or F) in solution. The spinodal at low protein concentrations shows non-monotonic behavior with temperature, with implications for the stability of solutions of folded proteins at low temperatures. We follow the dynamics upon “quenching” from the U-phase (cooling) or the F-phase (heating) to the metastable or unstable part of the phase diagram that results in aggregation. We describe how interesting consequences to the distribution of aggregate size, and growth kinetics arise from the competition between folding and aggregation.     

The mercury and gold atomic clouds rearrangement following internal conversion and electron capture

The initial vacancies distributions in mercury (193, 195) and gold (193, 195) K,L and M levels were deduced from several data obtained in a recent exteFrom these primary ionization yields the final vacancies distributions in the L and M levels of the same atoms were calculated. The predictions concern     

Effect of electrostatics on aggregation of prion protein Sup35 peptide

Self-assembly of misfolded proteins into ordered fibrillar structures is a fundamental property of a wide range of proteins and peptides. This property is also linked with the development of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Environmental conditions modulate the misfolding and aggregation processes. We used a peptide, CGNNQQNY, from yeast prion protein Sup35, as a model system to address effects of environmental conditions on aggregate formation. The GNNQQNY peptide self-assembles in fibrils with structural features that are similar to amyloidogenic proteins. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay were employed to follow the aggregation process at various pHs and ionic strengths. We also used single molecule AFM force spectroscopy to probe interactions between the peptides under various conditions. The ThT fluorescence data showed that the peptide aggregates fast at pH values approaching the peptide isoelectric point (pI = 5.3) and the kinetics is 10 times slower at acidic pH (pH 2.0), suggesting that electrostatic interactions contribute to the peptide self-assembly into aggregates. This hypothesis was tested by experiments performed at low (11 mM) and high (150 mM) ionic strengths. Indeed, the aggregation lag time measured at pH 2 at low ionic strength (11 mM) is 195 h, whereas the lag time decreases ~5 times when the ionic strength is increased to 150 mM. At conditions close to the pI value, pH 5.6, the aggregation lag time is 12 ± 6 h under low ionic strength, and there is minimal change to the lag time at 150 mM NaCl. The ionic strength also influences the morphology of aggregates visualized with AFM. In pH 2.0 and at high ionic strength, the aggregates are twofold taller than those formed at low ionic strength. In parallel, AFM force spectroscopy studies revealed minimal contribution of electrostatics to dissociation of transient peptide dimers.     

Reaction rate theory for supramolecular kinetics: application to protein aggregation

ABSTRACT

Probing reaction mechanisms of supramolecular processes in soft and biological matter, such as protein aggregation, is inherently challenging. This is because these processes involve multiple molecular mechanisms that are associated with the rearrangement of large numbers of weak bonds, resulting in complex free energy landscapes with many kinetic barriers. Reaction rate measurements at different temperatures can offer unprecedented insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. However, to be able to interpret such measurements, a key challenge is to establish which properties of the complex free energy landscapes are probed by the reaction rate. Here, we present a reaction rate theory for supramolecular kinetics based on Kramers theory of diffusive reactions over multiple kinetic barriers. We find that reaction rates for protein aggregation are of the Arrhenius–Eyring type and that the associated activation energies probe only one relevant barrier along the respective free energy landscapes. We apply this advancement to interpret, in experiments and in coarse-grained computer simulations, reaction rates of amyloid aggregation in terms of molecular mechanisms and associated thermodynamic signatures. These results suggest a practical extension of the concept of rate-determining steps for complex supramolecular processes and establish a general platform for probing the underlying energy landscape using kinetic measurements.     

LiZn铁氧体磁结构的穆斯堡尔研究

本文报道Li_(0.5(1-x))Zn_xFe_(2.5-0.5x)O₄体系在77K,195K和室温的条件下,加上与γ射线方向平行的磁场,可观察到六线磁分裂谱中2,5线的强度随x增加和温度降低变得明显,可确认LiZn铁氧体在B亚点阵的Fe³⁺磁矩存在倾角。以此计算得到的磁化强度与磁测量得到的数据符合较好。 关键词：     

低盐和高盐环境下α-Synuclein构象的~(19)F NMR研究

天然无结构的突触核蛋白α-synuclein(AS)与帕金森病密切相关.最近研究发现低盐与高盐环境下AS纤维化的速率不同,所形成的纤维结构,细胞毒性与传染性也不一样,但盐效应对AS聚集及纤维结构影响的具体分子机制仍不清楚.该文通过生物标记方法在AS的酪氨酸芳香环上引入19F标记的探针,利用19F核磁共振(NMR)方法研究了低盐与高盐环境下AS的构象差异,发现19F NMR对天然无结构蛋白构象变化非常灵敏,AS在低盐中的构象比较紧密,而在高盐下比较松散,这种在溶液中起始的构象差异可能是导致最终AS纤维结构与生物效应不同的原因.     

Influence of erythrocyte aggregation on leukocyte margination in postcapillary expansions: A lattice Boltzmann analysis

Leukocyte rolling on the vascular endothelium requires initial contact between the circulating leukocytes in the blood and the vessel wall. Although specific adhesion mechanisms are involved in leukocyte–endothelium interactions, adhesion patterns in vivo suggest other rheological mechanisms are involved as well. Previous studies have proposed that the abundance of leukocyte rolling in postcapillary venules is due to interactions between red blood cells and leukocytes as they enter capillary expansions as well as red blood cell (RBC) aggregation. We have established a lattice Boltzmann approach to analyze the interactions of RBC aggregates and leukocytes as they flow through a postcapillary expansion. The lattice Boltzmann technique provides the complete solution of the flow field and quantification of the particle–particle forces. Our results show that RBC aggregation strongly influences leukocyte–endothelium interactions.     

Fluorescence Study on the Structure of Ionic Liquid Aggregates in Aqueous Solutions

Although ionic liquids are a relatively novel class of materials, it is well documented that they form micelles through aggregation of cation aliphatic tails. However, anion self-assembly has not yet been reported. In this study, we analyzed the intrinsic fluorescence of p-toluenesulfonate groups (tosylate) as part of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate ([emim][TOS]) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA), in aqueous solution. pTSA was found to have overlapping monomer and excimer emissions for chromophore concentrations from 10⁻³ to 1 M, whereas [emim][TOS], in the same conditions, showed monomer emission slightly broadened by much weaker excimer emission. These different photophysical behaviors of the same chromophore in the two compounds are explained by the formation of ion pairs by [emim][TOS], which can also be inferred from the loss of vibrational structure of the absorption spectra with respect to pTSA. Despite this different behavior regarding ion pairing, anion aggregation was observed in the excitation spectra of both pTSA and [emim][TOS]. While the absorption spectra corresponded to single chromophores, the excitation spectra changed from those characteristic of a single chromophore (below 10⁻³ M) to red-shifted narrow bands (above 0.1 M) typical of J aggregates. Between those concentrations, the excitation spectra split into blue- and red-shifted bands with relative intensities that changed with concentration as the chromophores rearranged in their clusters from head-to-head to head-to-tail aggregates. Differences between the absorption and excitation spectra were ascribed to aggregation-induced fluorescence enhancement.     

纳米颗粒聚集形态对纳米流体导热系数的影响

纳米流体中悬浮的纳米颗粒可以增强其导热性能已经得到广泛认可,然而纳米流体颗粒增强传热的机理目前尚不清楚.研究表明,纳米颗粒的聚集是纳米流体导热系数增大的重要机制,而且纳米颗粒聚集的形态对纳米流体的导热系数有重要影响,但是目前的导热系数模型大多是建立在Maxwell有效介质理论的"静态"和"均匀分散"假设基础上.本文用平衡分子动力学模拟Cu-Ar纳米流体,采用Green-Kubo公式计算导热系数,采用Schmidt-Ott关系式计算不同聚集形态下的分形维数.对比导热系数与分形维数可以发现:在相同体积分数下,较低的分形维数会有更高的导热系数,分析了分形维数与导热系数的定量关系.此外,通过径向分布函数可以看出纳米颗粒紧密聚集与松散聚集的差异,基液分子在纳米颗粒附近的纳米薄层中处于动态平衡状态.研究结果有助于理解纳米颗粒聚集形态对导热系数的影响机理.     

From colloidal aggregation to spinodal decomposition in sticky emulsions

Aggregation mechanisms of emulsions at high initial volume fractions () is studied using light scattering. We use emulsion droplets which can be made unstable towards aggregation by a temperature quench. For deep quenches and , the aggregation mechanism is identified as diffusion-limited cluster aggregation (DLCA). An ordering of the clusters, which is reflected by a peak in the scattering intensity, is shown to result from the intercluster separation, exhibiting different scaling than that observed at lower volume fractions. This manifests an increasing similarity to spinodal decomposition observed as is increased. For and shallow quenches, different mechanisms, closer to spinodal decomposition, are observed. These results allow the subtle boundaries between DLCA and spinodal decomposition to be explored. Received: 7 April 1998 / Revised: 19 August 1998 / Accepted: 21 August 1998     

Molecular simulation of LiCl aqueous solutions

Non-primitive LiCl aqueous electrolyte solutions were studied at 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 M concentrations by molecular dynamics simulations. It was observed that the ion hydration structure is progressively lost with increasing concentration. The ions are aggregated in small clusters at C = 1.0 M. However, at this concentration, two large clusters were detected that are an initial step in an aggregation process. At C = 5.0 M, the highly unstable ion clustering seems to correspond to an intermediary state between low concentration states with poor aggregation and states where the ions are highly aggregated, as observed at C = 10.0 M where almost all the ions are clustered in one cluster. This cluster does not present a crystal-like structure. The high solubility of LiCl in aqueous solutions can consequently be explained as a result of the large radii difference between the anion and the cation that results in the instability of the ionic aggregates, which makes the formation of crystal seeds difficult.     

Aggregation Behavior of pHLIP in Aqueous Solution at Low Concentrations: A Fluorescence Study

pH (low) insertion peptide (pHLIP) is a 36-residue peptide derived from the third transmembrane helix of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin. The hydrophobicity of this peptide makes it prone to aggregation even at low concentrations, but this has not been studied in detail. In this work, we characterized monomeric and aggregated forms of pHLIP in aqueous solution (pH 8) at low concentrations (~μM) using fluorescence-based approaches, complemented by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. We show here that monomeric and aggregated pHLIP display differential red edge excitation shift (REES) and CD spectra. These spectroscopic features allowed us to show that pHLIP aggregates even at low concentrations. A detailed knowledge of the aggregation behavior of pHLIP under these conditions will be useful for monitoring and quantifying its interaction with membranes.     

金属核的磁共振研究*Ⅱ含磷配体铂(Ⅱ)络合物的195Pt和31P-NMR谱

本文测定了12个含苯基环戊基磷、亚磷酸、卤素等配体的铂(Ⅱ)络合物的¹⁹⁵Pt、³¹P-NMR谱,考察了溶剂、浓度、温度对¹⁹⁵Pt谱的影响,研究了¹⁹⁵Pt、³¹P化学位移、偶合常数与络合物几何构型的关系及对卤素的依赖关系。讨论1,2-丙二胺溶液中络合物³¹P谱的变化,以及各种含亚磷酸配体的铂络合物¹⁹⁵Pt和³¹P谱的变化。     

Small angle neutron scattering studies on protein denaturation induced by different methods

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study conformational changes in protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) as induced by varying temperature and in the presence of protein denaturating agents urea and surfactant. BSA has prolate ellipsoidal shape and is found to be stable up to 60°C above which it denaturates and subsequently leads to aggregation. The protein solution exhibits a fractal structure at temperatures above 64°C, with fractal dimension increasing with temperature. BSA protein is found to unfold in the presence of urea at concentrations greater than 4 M and acquires a random coil Gaussian chain conformation. The conformation of the unfolded protein in the presence of surfactant has been determined directly using contrast variation SANS measurements by contrast matching surfactant molecules. The protein acquires a random coil Gaussian conformation on unfolding with its radius of gyration increasing with increase in surfactant concentration      

含吩噻嗪及其衍生物的聚合物有机电致发光材料的合成和器件制备

利用吩噻嗪单体的空穴传输能力、吩噻嗪衍生物单体的拉电子特性和它们分子结构的非共面性,制备了高效的含吩噻嗪及其衍生物结构单元的对苯撑乙烯聚合物有机电致发光材料P1。同时在单体中引入了烷氧基和长链烷基,使得合成的聚合物在四氢呋喃、氯仿、二氯甲烷、甲苯等溶剂中有较好的溶解性。研究吩噻嗪衍生物单体的拉电子特性对聚合物P1的电子传输性能的影响,合成不含吩噻嗪衍生物的同一类型聚合物P2。制备以聚合物P1和P2为发光层的单层OLED器件,经测量,聚合物P1的器件外量子效率是聚合物P2器件的3.5倍。     

Molecular Mechanism of the Early Stage of Amyloidogenic Hexapeptides (NFGAIL) Aggregation

Peptides/proteins aggregation can give rise to pathological conditions of many human diseases. Small partially ordered oligomers formed in the early stage of aggregation, rather than mature fibrils, are thought to be the main toxicity agent for the living cell. Thus, understanding the pathway and the underlying physical mechanism in the early stage of aggregation is very important for prevention and treatment of these protein functional diseases. Herein we use all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the aggregation of four NFGAIL hexapeptides (NFGAIL peptide is a core segment of human islet amyloid polypeptide and exhibits similar aggregation kinetics as the full-length polypeptide). We observe that the peptide monomers in water mainly adopt non-structural coil configurations; the four peptides which are randomly placed in water aggregate spontaneously to partially ordered oligomer (β-sheets) through dimerization or trimerization, with the dimerization predominated. Both parallel and anti-parallel β-sheets are observed. The hydrophobic interactions drive the initial peptides associations, and the subsequent conformational fluctuations promote the formation of more hydrogen bonds between the dangling hydrogen sites in the main chains of peptides.